Everything You Need to Know About the Raspberry Pi

The online tech community is wild about the soon-to-be released Raspberry-Pi. The cleverly named device is a $25 Linux computer that is the size of a credit card (right). With impressive specs and even more impressive performance, the Raspberry Pi has been seen running Quake 3(bottom), XBMC, and Air-Play, without lag. The R-Pi is due to start sales to consumers later this February, with the construction of the first 10k finishing on Feb 20th. Only the 'B' version will initially be for sale and will be priced at $35.

The device has an 700 MHZ ARM11 processor, and 128MB of RAM. The upgraded ‘B’ version sports a 10/100Mb Ethernet port and 256MB of ram. For the less-techy people out there, the specs are just short of a modern smart-phone (but can easily outperform the newest iPhone4s). The R-Pi is capable of HD video playback, and outputs through HDMI and RCA (the circular yellow plug on older devices). It has 2 USB 2.0  ports which share the same USB Controller. On the ‘B’ version, the Ethernet port also shares the USB controller. R-Pi will boot off of an SD card (sorry, it will not be able to boot off of USB) and will be powered by micro USB cable. The picture below shows the board’s layout.

On a more technical note, the board also has 16 accessible GPIO (general-purpose I/O). All of the pins are unpopulated and will be digital only. But chances are if you plan on using them, then you probably have a spare A/D converter laying around anyways. Another board referred to as the GertBoard will be released at some-point soon as well. This will allow users to more-easily drive high-power motors and sensors on a shield-like board (the GPIO do not have pull-down resistors or diodes to prevent reverse current attached. It is assumed that users using this will have enough common sense to not fry their board). Because of how easy the GertBoard will be to use, the Raspberry Pi may be able to start a new revolution in the hacking community; the same way Arduino has. The most popular Arduino board, the Uno, currently sells for ~$30 and doesn’t have nearly the speed of the R-Pi.
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The Raspberry Pi is being developed with the purpose of bringing computer programming back to schools, and not languages like HTML, that most schools currently consider adequate. With a low cost, the R-Pi may be treated as a form of textbook in some tech classes, and will finally allow students to bring home a computer to learn with (without worrying about bricking their parent’s). More high-end languages will be able to be taught like C, or Java and students will also be able to learn more about the structure of operating systems - because the Pi will be completely Open Source and un-brickable. Hopefully, schools will be able find space for Raspberry Pis in their curriculum and buy a few. A $25 computer is a lot cheaper than a $100 textbook...and a lot cooler.

One of the most recent pictures of a Raspberry Pi. The
final version will most likely look similar.

The hacking community is expected to be the main buyers of the first batch of R-Pis. With projects seen on the forums like a a cheap media station, a car PC, an Android Emulator, a robotics micro-controller, and home automation. I plan on buying one to make a multi-media station for my [parents] HDTV (network media streaming, Netflix, YouTube, Interwebs, picture sharing, music, etc). The reason that the first batch is not going to schools is because the R-Pi foundation is hoping that the hacking community will help develop the learning materials, software and tutorials for the less-advanced users. Within the first month I can guarantee that you will see thousands of easy open-source projects using the Pi...Maybe even here on RoboTechEd!

If you plan on getting a R-Pi then I recommend you follow the organization on Twitter and forwarding their tweets to your phone. They don’t expect their inventory to last very long (I give it 10 minutes), even though they are limiting initial sales to 1 per person. The store will open at some point after Feb 20th and before the end of the month. The foundation also plans to ship world-wide from day one. If you want to get a few of these for your school, then you will have to wait for a little later in the year, the foundation will be selling bulk to schools at some point after they get a feel for their sales. Either way you should hop onto the R-Pi forums and check out some cool project ideas, and contribute to the development!

OnLive's PlayPack Free for a Month Thanks to GameSpot

Thanks to my friends at OnLive Informer I discovered Gamespot’s OnLive PlayPack offer. If you’re unfamiliar with OnLive then you should know that OnLive is a video game streaming service, which enables all devices to become gaming platforms. iPhones (and iPads!) to netbooks, can now all play high end video games like Assassins Creed, Batman Arkham City, and Saints Row the Third. OnLive does this by processing the gaming on their servers, and streaming you the live video with some specialized codec. I have been an OnLive fan for months because of their competitive prices, and simplicity. And now, Gamespot has brought about a way to allow all gamers to experience the fun of OnLive.

If you go and fill out the form HERE you will get unlimited access to OnLive’s PlayPack for a month. Some of the games include Batman Arkham Asylum, Homefront, and F.E.A.R. 3. On top of the unlimited gaming of over 100 titles, you will receive 30% off any game that you do decide to buy - making the newest Assasin’s Creed priced just under $35 USD. The play-pack is a $10 value that Gamespot is offering free for a month to all new members so make sure you make an account and check it out while you can! Be warned though, the promotion does require you enter a Credit Card.

Siri Hacked - Cheaper iPhone4s' Incoming

Unless you’ve been living under a rock you probably know about Apple’s newest iPhone - the iPhone4s. The name really hasn’t changed much besides the ‘s’ slapped on the end and to be honest the hardware isn’t a huge jump either. The 4s has a better camera (8MP up from 5MP), a slightly faster processor (dual-core), and a better battery (allthough recently the battery life has been significantly worse due to buggy software). So what makes the iPhone4s better? The ‘s’ is exactly what; Siri.

Siri is Apple’s new voice command software which is built into the 4s. It can do tons of cool things and save tons of time. But Siri is software, and that’s all. Therefor there isn’t any logic reason as to why Siri couldn’t run on older iPhones, except maybe due to a possible lag. Below I have a video from 9to5mac.com which shows Siri hacked to run on an old iPhone4 and working! 

When Siri first came out it was hacked to run on an iPhone4, but the servers that do Siri’s commands wouldn’t respond to the outdated iPhone. Assuming that this video is real, there is a lot of hope to iPhone4 users out there and could hopefully save a lot of money down the road. Now to just get the guy to release the programs he used and a walkthrough (although, I’m sure that he intends to and is working on it as afst as he can right now). Check back here in the future for when the walkthrough is released and hopefully you too will be able to get an iPhone4s at the cost of the regular iPhone4.

Arduino Based Computer Temp Sensing

The Problem

I bought a new graphics card for my computer recently, just to realize I didn’t have a power supply large enough to properly power the new card - causing it to overheat (temporarily, I opened the side of my computer and used a desk fan to cool it). After buying the correct power supply, I decided I needed some type of temperature indicator on my computer...Hello Arduino! (I actually used my Uno32 for this project, to view my review on it click HERE)

Now, this hack is very simple, versatile, and easy to implement. All you need is a general purpose temperature sensor, an RGB LED (or more if you want your computer to look really flashy), and some appropriate resistors so you don't blow up your LED. The Arduino fades an RGB LED from blue to red depending on the temp of your component. When it is over 50°C, the LED will be red. (50C is close to what most NVIDIA GFX cards can handle). I also have a processing sketch in progress to read the value of the temp sensor and store it into a .txt file, and a C++ program (in progress) to alert you when the .txt file says that your computer is too hot.


The Set-Up

Below is the schematic. I know that it isn’t standard, but it’s much easier to read for electronics beginners. I recommend giving yourself a pretty good length in wire so that you can attach the LED(s) wherever you need to. Also, HEAT SHRINK ANY VISIBLE METAL so that you don’t end up messing up your computer. Often, your computer will use the casing as a ground, so any visible wires would be really bad. 

Once you’re all soldered up and ready to go, you’ll want to attach the temp sensor wherever you think has a chance of overheating. To attach it I recommend using electrical tape, and just taping it down (If you have better ideas then let me know). Then put your LED anywhere you think will be easily visible. I recommend taping the wires down with electrical tape as well, or zip-tying it down. You then want to zip-tie all loose wires and attach them to the Arduino somewhere that you have free space. I recommend putting electrical tape on the bottom of the Arduino AND Velcro-ing it down, that way your Arduino doesn’t short, and it won’t move.

I was lucky enough to have a working USB port INSIDE my computer, so that I could leave my Arduino plugged in. The unlucky one’s out there will need to upload the code before they put it in and power it off of a battery, or find some way to get a programming cable inside of their case. After the Arduino code (below) is uploaded, everything should work fine. I set the default room temperature as 17C because that’s how it is in my boiling dorm- but that could easily be changed.
int bluepin = 5; int redpin = 6; int tempPin = A0; int blueout = 0; int redout = 0; float conv = 0.55555; //Wouldnt let me do 5/9 float tempC; int limitinC = 50; void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); pinMode(bluepin, OUTPUT); pinMode(redpin, OUTPUT); } void loop() { float tempVolts = (analogRead(tempPin) * .004882814); //Reads temp sensor and converts it to a voltage level float tempF = (tempVolts - .5) * 100; //Converts the voltage level into a temp(F) float tempC = (conv * (tempF - 32)); //Converts the temp into Celcius //Serial.print("tempC ="); //Commented out for testing //Serial.println(tempC); //Serial.print("tempF ="); //Serial.println(tempF);
float CelConstraint = (tempC - 15); //The average temp of my room in C (limiting the colors to be blue at 15 and red at 50) float CelCtoVal = (CelConstraint*29.68);//converts the value //Serial.print("CelCtoVal = "); //Commented out for testing //Serial.println(CelCtoVal); 
redout = CelCtoVal; blueout = ((512 - CelCtoVal) + 512) //Inverts the colors so 1024 = 0 and 0 = 1024 //redout = ((redout+CelCtoVal)/2); //Use these lines instead of the above if the sensor sometimes is flickering (averages the values) //blueout = ((((512 - CelCtoVal) + 512)+blueout)/2); //Serial.print("blueout ="); //Commented out for testing //Serial.println(blueout); //Serial.print("redout ="); //Serial.println(redout); analogWrite(bluepin, blueout); analogWrite(redpin, redout); if (tempC > limitinC){ Serial.print(1, BYTE); //Send 1 to Processing sketch if too hot delay(100); } else{ Serial.print(0, BYTE); //Send 0 to Processing sketch if cold delay(100); } }

Work In Progress

Below, I have a processing sketch that will read whether or not your Arduino is overheating and write a ‘1’ into a .txt file if it is. I also have a C++ program that will read that file. This is a work in progress. I just started to learn processing and only know very basic C. I hope eventually to make a program that will print the temp in C, F, and to pop-up when the temp is greater than a certain temperature.


Download Everything


Let me know how this works for you guys! If you have any comments/questions be sure to post below or tweet me!

The Uno32 - A Cheaper and Better Arduino

If you’re looking for a solid new Arduino with better specs, then you should check out the ChipKIT Uno32 by Digilent. The Uno 32 has over double the regular Uno’s IO pins (20 vs 42), a much faster processing speed(16MHz vs 80MHz), and a massive amount of flash memory (32k vs 128k). I recently bought one to test it out, so let’s dive into the review. ( If you want a head start preview, check it out HERE)

Comparison
The major difference between the Uno and the Uno32 is their operating voltages. The Arduino Uno operates at 5v while the Uno32 at 3.3v(Don’t worry though! The Uno32 still has a 5v output pin for your projects). The only issue because of this, is shield compatibility. Some Arduino shields won’t work with 3.3v, but can be rigged to using a transistor and a pull-up resistor. Also, all of the I/O pins are safe for 5v input, just in case you forget (which I have to admit I did...quite a few times). To find out if your shield can be used, go HERE.

Ease of Use
The Uno32 operates almost exactly as a regular Arduino. The IDE looks the same as Arduino’s, and all of the example programs are able to be used on the 32’. The setup and programming all work exactly the same as the regular Uno as well...Honestly there is no obvious difference.

Advantages
The Uno32 has tons of advantages besides the obvious ones I stated in the beginning. The Uno32 has many more user controlled LEDs, as well as more indication LEDs (ex: USB data LEDs). There are also multiple jumpers across the top of the board that can change whether the board is an SPI Master/Slave, if a pin can be used as PWM output, or even if the 5v output goes through the voltage regulator or not (could be handy for some AC signals?). There is also a huge forum dedicated to the Uno32. Having professionals at your disposal is always an advantage!

Disadvantages
Besides the 3.3v operating voltage, there are two more drawbacks that you should know before buying the Uno32. The Uno 32 has 1 less PWM output than the Arduino. Pin 11 cannot be used as one because of the actual limitations of the chip. Also, not every port on the Uno32 can be used as interrupts, only a few (not a big deal considering I rarely use more than 1 anyways in my projects).

Price
The ChipKIT Uno32 sells for £17.99 at Farnell, which is less than $25 USD. This makes the Uno32 CHEAPER than the Arduino Uno (Yes, at least double Arduino’s specs, at a cheaper price)...A pretty obvious buy for anyone looking into buying a new microprocessor.

Rating
I highly recommend ChipKIT’s Uno32 to anyone looking into an Arduino replacement - 5/5 gears!

-Example Video Coming Soon-

Roboweek Day Three - Self Replicating Printers

RoboTechEd’s third #robotofnote for Roboweek isn’t a stereotypical robot. It doesn't walk, talk, or really have much user feedback. But what it lacks it makes up with it's ability to create. Makerbot is a stationary robot that is completely open platform, and arduino controlled - pretty sweet if you need a 3D printer (you guessed it, Makerbot is a 3D printer). A Makerbot kit costs a small price of $1,300 but is way cheaper than a commercial 3D printer. And the best part is that once you have one, the Makerbot can self replicate!

Also available online is a huge amount of CAD files that are known to work on the Makerbot, from coffee mugs, to nuts and bolts. The Makerbot is able to make these things by melting plastic into the desired shape - anything up to 4”x4”x6”. To find out more on the Makerbot, click HERE and make sure to check out the video below to see it in action. And if anyone makes or buys one of these let me know, selling copies of the original may be somewhat fruitful (no...for real, a self replicating 3D printer is pretty sweet)!

Are you celebrating Roboweek? If you're making something cool, would you use a Makerbot to help?less than a minute ago via web Favorite Retweet ReplyTaylor Niver
RoboTechEd

Are you celebrating #roboweek? What are you doing to celebrate? A good idea would be to download the RoboTechEd Chrome App! Check it out, and tweet @roboteched or @roboweek with any #robotofnote!

Dorm Room Automation 01 w/ Arduino

So my year is almost over, and I have some overly ambitious goals for next year. My future room mates and I want to automate our dorm room (Yeah, that IS my college life). And with my new Arduino and Ethernet shield, I definitely have the materials. And after a few late nights, I now have a working code.

In the video below you see me display a message, and change a RGB LED. I used an LED instead of a motor because I only have one motor, and my Arduino doesn't give out enough power to run it. But the code is the same, you just hook up the LED output to a transistor or even directly to a motor (if you need to change the code, feel free to ask for help). The hookup is pretty simple, and is typed out in the code itself - but could change depending on what LCD screen you have, so yet again feel free to ask for help (tweet me @roboteched or post below).

This part of the code in my final room automation will take place every 30 seconds, so that other code can be executed in-between (like temperature, light switch controls, etc). To do this I use the Time library on Arduinos website. My next goal is to control the LCD using a ShiftOut IC. If you have any ideas, or know how to do this, let me know and I’ll reference you! Check back sometime within the next week for an update on my next project.

CODE DOWNLOAD

My Vex Programming Guide - Still In Noob Version

Are you a novice or beginner programmer? Or are you even a pro? Either way, I have the PDF for you! I have been writing this for some time now (about half a day), and it is about 40% done so far - It’s a C programming guide! It focuses in teaching beginner programmers (preferably high school), how to program their Vex Robot efficiently, as well as understanding what is actually going on. We all know how to work computers, but knowing how they work and why they work that way opens countless doors (yeah, it just got deep).

This PDF isn’t very clear considering I’m the one who wrote it, and it’s not very in-depth (yet) because I JUST started it; but I’m hoping the more people who read it and utilize it, the better feedback I’ll get. Meaning the more accurate and efficient guide for the aspiring Roboticians. If you have any interest on helping with this project you can check it out HERE (or below). If you have any questions comments or concerns, tweet me or shoot me an E-Mail. Both which can be found on your favorite technology blog.

/** Reminder: This PDF focuses on programming Vex robots, so some information may be not completely accurate with the C language, and much information I purposely left out. **/

Best Buy Sale - My Favorite Store Gets Awesome'er

Yup, here comes another Superbowl commercial blog post. But at least this time it’s technology related, I promise (although the adorable Star Wars kid still rocks). Another popular commercial featuring Justin Bieber and Ozzy (as seen below) shows BestBuy’s ‘buyback’ policy, which for a limited time is free to all customers (meaning it normally costs something). The buyback program allows you to sell back your tech gear for a discounted amount; meaning we get the newer gear cheaper.

Seems like a pretty good deal if your already in the market for a new cellphone, laptop, TV, or even a tablet (good time to jump on the bandwagon). The disadvantage of the offer is that the offer only works for up to 2 years after you buy the device. Which is great for people like me, who want to keep up to date; but may not be such a plan for your parents. Either way, you can bet your buck that Best Buy is going to make huge money off of this, because in 2 years and 1 day from now, I guarantee you most people would have forgotten about the offer. But I guess with the offer currently being free; it’ll be worth the time now upgrading that old dumb-phone, or get yourself a tablet (iPad’s are excluded in the deal. It’s sad, I know).

OnLive - Streaming to a Device Near You

Yeah, I know I’m a bit obsessive, but seriously, the cloud has invaded our lives more than we know. And OnLive gaming is proof of that. OnLive is like a not-so-powerful XBox, or PS3...or a more powerful Wii (Sorry couldn’t resist). It streams gameplay online, so that your piece of hardware doesn't do all of the computing. What does that mean for you and me? No more scratched discs, no more expensive hardware, and no more annoying game updates.

So, there is a disadvantage to this epic game system (if it even qualifies as a game system). The current library of games is...less than expected. There are a few major titles like Borderlands and Assassins Creed, but overall there are just so few games that grab my attention. But, the system is new, and it must be hard for a new system to earn rights to popular titles, so one can only hope better games get adopted as this becomes more mainstream. And at a price of $66 through Jan 9 ($99 normally), how could a person NOT try it out? Think about it, the new Dead Space, or a new game system? Which I might add, allows you to play the games on your computer as well....umm...Maybe Dead Space was a bad example.

Oh yeah, must I add, it is unofficially going to bring these games to the iPad. Kind of cool considering the iPads low processing capabilities. Check out the video below, and make sure to check out their website HERE. Oh yeah, and if you get it or have one let me know how it is! I just bought it, and will soon be posting a review!

Vex Robotics

Vex Robotics is a cost-efficient way for any school to experience the excitement of a large robotics competition. Each competition requires teams to use prefabricated “Vex Official” parts, which levels the field for schools with all budgets. Each competition allows an unlimited number of teams; with a pre-made format, making each competition the same and understandable to new-comers. Above all, Vex is easy to learn, but doesn’t have any limitations. It will challenge an experienced student, and allows less experienced students to develop essential problem solving skills. Vex offers a variety of different parts, they especially allow a lot of freedom with equipment like sensors; ranging from digital push sensors, to analog accelerometers. The metals provided are steel and aluminum allowing for many types of design styles, combining strength and flexibility. The programming can be both block based, and written in C-Script, and gives multiple tutorials on how they can be written. Teams can be formed through Robot Events and all competition rules are posted on the Vex Robotics website.