Bitdoglab

BitDogLab V7

Open-source educational hardware for embedded systems, programming, electronics, and physical computing.

English | Português

https://comunidade-bitdoglab.web.app

Não é da área de tecnologia? Este repositório é o espaço técnico do projeto — para professores e demais usuários, a Comunidade BitDogLab é uma porta de entrada mais amigável, com documentação, códigos e aplicações prontas.

BitDogLab is an initiative of the Escola 4.0 project at FEEC/Unicamp. It brings together the Raspberry Pi Pico ecosystem and the main peripherals used in embedded systems, providing a practical platform for education, experimentation, and project development.

The current board is BitDogLab Version 7, with support for Raspberry Pi Pico-compatible modules based on the RP2040 and RP2350 microcontrollers.

Its hands-on approach supports the development of scientific thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and digital culture, competencies emphasized by Brazil's National Common Curricular Base (BNCC).

Board and Peripherals

The board provides direct access to the main resources used in embedded-system education, including buttons, joystick, RGB LED, LED matrix, OLED display, microphone, buzzer, sensors, and expansion connectors.

Recommended Learning Path

flowchart LR
    A[Start Here guide] --> B[Basic MicroPython examples]
    B --> C[Peripheral guides and libraries]
    C --> D[Applications and projects]
    D --> E[Hardware design and fabrication]

1. Follow the Start Here guide to prepare the board and run the first test.
2. Study the basic-examples/ directory, organized from simpler to more advanced peripherals.
3. Use the V7 peripheral guides and reusable libs_software/ modules.
4. Explore and develop applications in projects/.
5. Study or manufacture the board using the public files in pcb-prototyping/.

Start Programming

The fastest text-based path is MicroPython with Thonny:

• Illustrated MicroPython start guide
• 60 basic peripheral examples
• Complete peripheral test
• MicroPython firmware
• Reusable software libraries

Active Programming Projects

Below are the tools currently being developed within the BitDogLab ecosystem to support different entry points into programming — from block-based logic to AI-assisted code generation.

🧩 Blockly for BitDogLab

Blockly is the easiest way to get started with BitDogLab. It is designed for students and beginners learning programming logic and embedded systems. The tool runs directly in the browser without requiring installation.

To use it:

Open Blockly for BitDogLab

1. Connect the BitDogLab to the computer using a USB cable.
2. Open Blockly for BitDogLab, preferably in Chrome or Edge.
3. Select the serial port corresponding to the board.
4. Drag and connect blocks to create the program.
5. Click Run or Upload to send the program to the BitDogLab.

Important: If the board already contains a file named main.py, remove it before using Blockly. This file can prevent the tool from communicating correctly with the microcontroller.

📄 BIH — Hardware Information Database

The BIH is a hardware information database designed to adapt the BitDogLab technical context for Large Language Models (LLMs), including ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI assistants.

It describes the board's pin assignments, peripherals, interfaces, and hardware constraints. By providing the BIH to an LLM before requesting a program, the model can generate MicroPython or C/C++ code that better matches the BitDogLab hardware.

• Open the BitDogLab V7 BIH
• Open the visual hardware database

🔀 FluxCode

O BitDogLab FluxCode é um aplicativo Android que usa IA multimodal para transformar fluxogramas desenhados à mão em código MicroPython pronto para rodar na BitDogLab. A proposta é desplugada: o estudante primeiro desenvolve a lógica no papel usando símbolos de fluxograma, fotografa o desenho pelo app e recebe automaticamente o código correspondente, que pode ser executado ou salvo direto na placa.

Para usar:

Baixar o BitDogLab FluxCode

1. Conecte a BitDogLab ao smartphone via USB.
2. Desenhe o fluxograma em papel usando o gabarito de símbolos.
3. No app, toque em Foto Código e fotografe o fluxograma.
4. Revise o código MicroPython e o pseudocódigo gerados automaticamente.
5. Toque em Executar para rodar na placa, ou salve como main.py para execução automática ao ligar.

Disponível apenas para Android. Requer MicroPython instalado na placa e um cabo USB compatível com transferência de dados (não apenas carregamento).

🎨 Pixel Art Application

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

BitDogLab V7 Hardware

BitDogLab V7 integrates an RGB LED, a 5x5 WS2812B matrix, three buttons, analog joystick, buzzer, analog microphone, OLED display, power monitoring, and expansion connections around a Raspberry Pi Pico-compatible module.

The V7 hardware was developed in Altium Designer. Source files, schematic, PCB layout, BOM, pick-and-place data, STEP model, and public Gerber files for fabrication are available in pcb-prototyping/BitDogLab V7/.

BitDogLab V6 was developed in KiCad and remains available for study and fabrication. See the complete PCB and fabrication documentation.

Repository Structure

Open Hardware and License

BitDogLab is open hardware. Its design and fabrication files are publicly available for study, modification, and manufacturing.

The project is licensed under the CERN Open Hardware Licence Version 2 - Strongly Reciprocal (CERN-OHL-S v2.0). See LICENSE.

Initiative and Contributors

• Initiative: Escola 4.0 - FEEC/Unicamp
• Project coordination: Prof. Dr. Fabiano Fruett
• Contributors: students and collaborators from Escola 4.0 and FEEC/Unicamp
• Support: IEEE-EDS STEM outreach program and CNPq - INCT Namitec