One million kids in Britain are getting a free tiny computer

After months of delays, the BBC has finally started delivering micro:bit mini computers to students across Britain. 

The tiny computers will be available to all 11- and 12-year-old students, and the BBC is planning to roll out up to a million units, Gizmag reports.

The computers are totally free for students; the program is being sponsored by the BBC's Make It Digital, a UK initiative designed to inspire kids to get creative with coding, programming and technology.

Here's a closer look at the mini computer, which operates on ARM's mbed platform for writing software that controls cloud-connected hardware and includes 25 LED lights, Bluetooth compatibility, and several programmable buttons. The computer can be powered by an external battery pack or via USB connection. 

Students can program their new computers to do simple tasks, like flash messages with the LED lights or use the programmable buttons to skip songs on a playlist, the BBC explains. They can also use them for more complex tasks, like this program designed to help kids with autism communicate their emotions. 

"The BBC micro:bit has seemingly limitless potential, especially when paired with other hardware, and we can't wait to see what students will do with it," Sinead Rocks, head of BBC Learning, said in an interview with the BBC. 

Learn more about the mini computers here or watch the video below.