Learning to code, especially on electronic devices, is not without its challenges. Is the connection correct, is the board designed to work, is the code correct? All of these issues can be fatal to a learner’s progress. Learning to fail and try again is an important skill, but it requires some success. pico brick aims to help learners easily code and create electronic circuits using our favorite microcontrollers. Raspberry Pi Pico.
There are 3 kits. A basic $59 kit that provides the mainboard and some additional components. The IOTExpert kit is available for $84 and includes additional components to work with smart greenhouses, servo controls and sensors. The top-of-the-line kit is the $117 Zero to Hero kit, which includes an IOT kit, servo-controlled robot, robot chassis, RFID reader, and many other sensors.
Pico Bricks are marketed for educators, but can you teach this old dog a few new tricks? , I created some projects from ebooks. Note that my review kit is a blend of IoT and Zero to Hero kits.
Specifications of Picobrick
| SoCs | RP2040 Arm Cortex M0+ dual core (133 MHz), 264 KB RAM, 2 MB flash storage. |
| connection | 10 connectors for embedded components |
| Header pins for through-hole electronics | |
| component | 0.96 inch OLED screen |
| WS2812B RGB LEDs | |
| lead | |
| I press the button | |
| DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor | |
| relay | |
| potentiometer | |
| light sensor | |
| buzzer | |
| ESP8266 header | |
| L9110S motor driver |
Pico brick setup
The Pico Brick’s visual aesthetic is clear and easy to understand electronics. No flashy design flair, just simple labels to identify the components. The PCB is housed in a plastic base. At first I thought it was 3D printed, but it appears to be injection molded. The PCB can be removed from the base, but be careful as it will be a tight fight.The base is there to prevent accidental shorts. A protoboard that allows you to solder your projects is great when learners are ready to create their own circuits.
The beauty of Pico Bricks is that they require little to no setup. The hardware is pre-connected. Just install the relevant software. Our online guides and eBooks provide the knowledge you need to do just that. Conversely, the most difficult to set up is the easiest to code. MicroBlocks is an open-source block-based editor for microcontrollers that requires custom firmware installation.
Once the firmware is installed, the browser-based editor can communicate with Pico and execute code. Using MicroPython requires the tried and true method of downloading the latest firmware and dropping a UF2 file onto your drive. When trying to set up the Arduino, the first failed because I forgot to unplug the Pico, hold BOOTSEL and then plug it back in. Otherwise the Arduino IDE will fail to upload the code.
Using Pico Bricks
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Pico Bricks considers all levels of users and this is what I like. All components, whether part of the frame or extras included in the kit, can be controlled using MicroBlocks, MicroPython and Arduino. They can also be controlled using C/C++ and CircuitPython, or one of the many other Pico supported languages.
Pico Bricks offer an easier hardware interface. In my testing, I stuck with the suggested languages, and I can report that most of them worked as expected. and found it easy to understand, except for one.
The greenhouse tutorial uses an ESP8266 (ESP-01) module for Wi-Fi connectivity. The guide showed me all the blocks I needed to connect, but I didn’t know how to get them. didn’t even tell me. The MicroPython and Arduino projects included code, but didn’t explain how to import the modules/libraries to use some of the components. Luckily I know how to do this, but when someone migrates from a block project to a text code project it creates a big problem. For now, the hardware is solid, but the included ebook is a mixed bag.
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Hardware is the star of the show. I’m a huge Stemma QT and Grove connector fan, so I really like this layout. It reminds me of Seeed’s Grove Beginner Arduino Kit in terms of the components scattered around the Raspberry Pi Pico. The $4 Raspberry Pi Pico is connected via a series of header connections, with additional connections available for legacy components. Headers allow you to replace your Pico with a Raspberry Pi Pico W and benefit from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Around the Pico is a series of white connectors. These connectors work with embedded components. In fact, they are labeled according to their position. No need to use the supplied wires. Embedded components are electrically connected to the Pico via PCB traces. This means you can easily start building your project with components.
Connectors really shine when used with external components. My review kit, which is a combination of IoT and Zero to Hero kits, had even more components to connect. Embedded components can be detached and used externally. This is useful for embedding in robots or data collection projects. The $59 base kit offers the same functionality as my more expensive review kit, but without the extra components needed for every ebook project.
Can I use the extensive collection of Grove components with Pico Brick? The short answer is yes, but there is a caveat. I used Grove leads to connect the Grove relay to the LED connector. After a while I got into a loop of clicking and opening and closing relays. The connections between the Grove reeds and the Pico Bricks’ connectors were a little flimsy, but they were fine. Attempting to use Pico Bricks cables with Grove components hits a wall. It just didn’t fit. Pico Bricks connector shape seems to be different
This means you can’t press the lead into place without stressing the plastic. A top tip is to use Grove leads if you have Grove components. If you are planning to purchase Grove components, please purchase leads as well.
The component selection is not original, Cytron’s Maker Pi Pico introduced ESP-01 modules to the format, and Seeed’s Arduino-based Grove Beginner Kit introduced many components. Pico Bricks introduces relays and motor drivers. The relay is a standard module rated up to 250VAC. He does not recommend using 250VAC with this component. High voltage can be lethal and all appropriate safety precautions must be followed. The best safety measure is to not mess with it. I’ve had mains electric shocks a few times. It’s not fun.
The motor driver is the L9110S, a capable motor controller for basic robotics. I tested it with an electric pump (included in the review kit) and it worked with minimal code.
Who are Pico Bricks for?
Pico Bricks has a clear focus on education. Ease of use and ebooks are clear indicators of that. The all-in-one design is suitable for educators who want their classes to progress quickly and with minimal fuss. With embedded components, you don’t have to wire up and clean up at the end of your session.
Conclusion
At $59 for the basic kit, it’s not cheap. It has some nice features, but the price of the base kit needs to be lowered to make it more attractive to home users. Educators, your best bet is the Zero to Hero Kit.
The extra cost brings you a kit of handpicked parts, all guaranteed to work with Pico Bricks, and comes with an ebook to help you with your lessons. is curious. If you have kids, Pico Bricks are a convenient way to introduce coding and electronics without requiring a dedicated drawer for components.
If you just want a simple connectivity system for your Raspberry Pi Pico electronics, get the $4 Seeed Grove Shield. Not all components are available, but you can buy just what you need for a fraction of the cost. I loved my time at Pico Bricks, even though it wasn’t the layer I intended. A fun kit worth considering.
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