The Spiker:bit
What is the Spiker:bit?
The Spiker:bit allows you to develop DIY Brain Machine Interfaces (BMI) or sometimes called Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI). A BMI is a computers that interfaces directly with the electrical signals of your body. The Spiker:bit has a port to connect to a micro:bit (computer), and a port to record from your body.
Technical Specifications
| Power source | 2x AA Battery |
| Recording Modes | EMG, ECG |
| Outputs | 1x Servo, 1x Expansion Port |
| Inputs | 1x Orange Electrode Cable |
Hardware Overview
The Spiker:bit has a slot that accepts a V1 or V2 micro:bit. The electrode required for recording is our orange cable with 3 leads (2 recording electrodes and a ground).
You can select between EMG (Muscle) or EKG (Heart) on the Signal Select switch. A Servo controller is provided on PIN 8. There is also an expansion port on the bottom to get clean access to additional pins for your project.
Pin Out
What Will You Need?
To get started, you will need:
- 3x BYB Large Muscle Electrodes
- 1x BYB Orange Electrode Cable
- 1x Spiker:bit
- 1x micro:bit
Connect the micro:bit to the front slot on the Spiker:bit. Be sure that the LEDs are facing outwards. Connect the orange cable to the electrode on the Spiker:bit side port.
Connect the USB cable from your computer to the micro:bit.
Or download the micro:bit app on the App Store and program wirelessly.
You are now ready to start programming your Spiker:bit. The following tutorials will get you started. We have tutorials for Block Code, Python. The Block Code is the easiest way to get started.
Experiments and Tutorials
To get started on programming the Spiker:bit, take a look at the Getting Started with Block Programming or Getting Started with Python. To see how this can be used in a real-world project, take a look at the DIY Hand Neuroprosthetic page.