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Trimpot

A trimpot (trimmer potentiometer) is a type of variable resistor. By turning its knob, you change the resistance, which the micro:bit reads as an analog value. This allows you to create projects where input can vary smoothly rather than being just ON or OFF.

What It Does

This example reads the analog value from the trimpot and shows how it changes as you rotate it.
The output ranges from minimum to maximum, depending on the position of the knob.

Real-World Applications

Potentiometers and trimpots are used in many devices where adjustable control is needed:

  • 🔊 Volume Knobs – Adjust sound levels in speakers and amplifiers.
  • 💡 Light Dimmers – Smooth control of brightness.
  • 🕹ī¸ Control Interfaces – Joysticks, sliders, or adjustable inputs.
  • ⚙ī¸ Calibration Tools – Fine-tuning circuits or sensor values.
  • 🎮 STEM Projects – Controlling motors, LEDs, or variables in code interactively.

Using analog inputs like a trimpot helps students understand how to handle continuous values in coding.

✅ Once you can read analog values, you can use the trimpot to control LEDs, motor speed, buzzer pitch, or even act as a game controller input.

Code