MicroPython: The Python For MCUs

The power of Python is well-known and widely accepted.

- Priya Ravindran

Easy to learn and systematic to script, the effortless way to express complex behaviour is what makes this language tick. Here we explore the adaptation of this popular language to a popular branch of electronics, the embedded systems.

Introducing MicroPython

Whether it is to make a light emitting diode (LED) blink, read voltages, make motors and servos move, communicate wirelessly or control robots, MicroPython comes to one’s aid. The software is built to exploit the powers of Python programming to create efficient embedded systems. A brainchild of Damien George and funded by a Kickstarter campaign, this is a selected subset and a lean implementation of Python 3.x, optimised to run on microcontrollers (MCUs) and in constrained environments.

With full Python programming language at your disposal, you can write functions and classes, make lists and dictionaries, do string processing, read and write files, and have more sophisticated features such as generators, closures, list comprehension and exception handling. The possibilities for programming are endless!

Stretch to accommodate

To extend the capabilities of the MCU-MicroPython combination, exclusive drivers in pure Python have been implemented. Creating an Internet of Things (IoT) application is easy, thanks to CC3000 Wi-Fi module. If the Ethernet is the protocol supported, use WIZ820io module, and low-power implementation is not far with support for nRF24L01+ wireless module. The serial peripheral interface (SPI) port of the MCU board can be exploited to include the above modules.

Getting better by the day