Connected Plot kit with micro:bit Board

Quick Answer: The Connected Plot kit with micro:bit Board is a project kit for building a connected marker post, a plot in the French sense of a small post or marker cone, whose light is controlled by the included micro:bit to signal status or instructions. Students assemble it, program it and design how it will be used.

What a Connected Plot Is

Plot is the French word for a small post, stud or marker cone, the kind used to mark a lane, a queue or a sports drill. A connected plot adds a light and a controller so that the marker can say something: green for go, red for stop, a flashing colour for your turn. Kits of this type light the plot with a ring of RGB LEDs inside a 3D-printed body, and the micro:bit decides what the ring shows.

The design brief is what makes this kit useful in technology lessons. Students start from a need, perhaps a marker for a reaction drill in PE, a queue signal for the canteen or a warning light for a school event, and decide what the plot must sense and display. The micro:bit supplies useful inputs of its own: buttons, an accelerometer that notices when the plot is knocked over, and a radio that lets several plots coordinate so only one lights at a time.

Because the plot is a connected object, the project raises the questions engineers ask about any such device: how it is powered, how long the battery lasts and what happens when a message is missed. The listing title confirms that a micro:bit board is included. The printed body, battery arrangement and any interface board should be confirmed, as 3D-printed parts are not always supplied with kits of this family.

Design Challenges

• Reaction-training markers for PE that light at random and time each response
• Queue or crossing signal for a school event, switched by a steward’s micro:bit
• Knock alarm that flashes when the plot is moved, using the accelerometer
• Comparing design options for visibility, battery life and robustness

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Keep plots out of rain and puddles, because the electronics are not waterproof.
• Limit LED brightness in code to save battery and avoid dazzling users.
• Inspect printed bodies for cracks after outdoor sessions.
• Take the batteries out for storage.

Why Choose LabEquip

PE departments and technology teachers use the connected plot for design-and-make projects with a real user in mind. It is part of the STEM kits range at LabEquip, and the Stoplight 3D Kit is a related light-signalling project. Order class sets through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does plot mean in the Connected Plot kit?

Plot is French for a small post or marker, such as a sports cone or a lane marker. The kit turns that marker into a connected object that signals with light.

Is the micro:bit included with the Connected Plot kit?

Yes, the listing title states that the kit comes with a micro:bit board. Batteries and any 3D-printed body parts should be confirmed at enquiry.

How can several plots work together?

Each plot’s micro:bit can send and receive radio messages. Set them all to the same radio group, then give each plot an ID number so a controller micro:bit can choose which one lights up.

How should students choose the light colours?

Colours on an RGB ring are mixed from red, green and blue values set in code. Choose colours with clear meanings and add flashing patterns, so that users with colour-vision differences can still tell the signals apart.

Can the plot detect when it is knocked over?

The micro:bit’s accelerometer detects shaking, tilting and falls. Students can program the plot to change colour or send a radio alert as soon as it is moved.

Can the plot be used outdoors?

For short, dry sessions such as a PE lesson on the field, yes. The electronics are not waterproof, so bring plots indoors if it rains and do not leave them outside.

Last Updated: September 2026