Introduction: Halloween Microbit Lantern

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About: Dr. Kadam Bhambari , is an Educator at SkoolofCode with Ph.D. and MTech in Electronics. She is an expert in Microbit, Arduino, and Artificial intelligence.

My project DIY Halloween-themed lantern made is from recycled plastic bottles, Micro:bit and LEDs. This project is designed to encourage creativity, sustainability, and the celebration of Halloween. By repurposing old bottles and incorporating Microbit and LEDs , it offers a unique and eco-friendly way to create captivating lanterns making your Halloween celebrations more festive and environmentally responsible.

Supplies

Alligator Cables: https://www.amazon.com/WGGE-WG-026-Pieces-Colors-Alligator/dp/B06XX25HFX/ref=sr_1_9?keywords=alligator+clips&qid=1698646992&sr=8-9

Micro:bit V2 : https://www.amazon.com/GeeekPi-BBC-Micro-Programming-Batteries/dp/B0BB6QY82Y/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=2N50U6ZX3H1D0&keywords=microbit+v2&qid=1698647038&sprefix=microbit+v2%2Caps%2C562&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1


LEDs Red (Diffused LED Red 10 mm): https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10632


Recycled Bottle (2 litres)

Step 1: Cutting and Marking the Recycled Bottle for DIY Halloween Lantern

The recycled bottle is cut with a warm knife. the length of the cut-out bottle used in the project is 5 inches. After this, the eyes and nose are marked on the bottle with a permanent marker as shown in Figure 1. The marked eyes and nose are cut. 

Step 2: Decorate the Bottle

After making the incisions the bottle is painted with orange colour and the eyes and nose are outlined with brown colour. To give it a more realistic effect a slight brown colour stroke is used throughout.

The cutout eyes and the nose are supposed to be covered with paper (from inside the bottle). You can use any paper for that. However, I have used the paper of teabags (open the teabag, take the tea out and use the paper).


Step 3: Creating Circuit

When connecting an LED, as with any component, it’s important that we connect it the right way around. On closer inspection, you will notice that your LED has one leg shorter than the other. The longer leg (Anode) connects to a power source and the shorter leg (Cathode) connects to GND (Ground). Connecting your LED the wrong way around will most likely cause your LED to blow!

Attach the two LEDs to Pin 1 and Pin 2 of Microbit through Alligator clips. The Ground terminals of both the LEDs are connected to the GND pin of Microbit. The


Step 4: Code the Micro:Bit

Open the Makecode Editor and code the Microbit. You can also open the code from the link below.

https://makecode.microbit.org/_3oaY58VWeLfp

The code is uploaded and the Micro:bit.

Step 5: Testing the Circuit

After checking the circuit place the two LEDs on the eyes of the Halloween (as shown in the picture ) and then place the microbit on the mouth of Halloween. Make the connections of the circuit again (from inside the bottle). Fix the LEDs and micro:bit using cello tape (from inside the bottle). Make sure the microbit is connected in such a way that the port for connecting the Microbit to the laptop comes on the downward side of the bottle.

Step 6: Halloween With LEDs and Micro:bit in Action

We all are ready now to test our final creation. The Microbit is attached to the laptop (for power ) . However, you can attach the battery to Micro: bit. In that case, you don’t need to connect it to a laptop (for power). The video of the project is attached for your reference.


Attachments

Step 7: Conclusion

This captivating project has been road-tested with the enthusiastic students of Skoolofcode, where young minds delved into the realms of DIY creativity and reveled in the wonder of Micro: bit technology. It's an ideal experience for coding classes for kids, welcoming beginners to a world of imagination and innovation. Witness the magic unfold as they craft, code, and create with this hands-on journey that bridges art and technology in a spooky, yet educational adventure.