Raspberry Pi

How can a mini circuit board has the ability to interact with the outside world?

Introduction:

The main purpose of my project is to show you how to create a credit-card sized computer that can easily work if you connected into a TV, or a computer. This chip's purpose is to power a cheap computer with a basic level of functionality. It is a capable little device that enables people of all ages to explore computing, and to learn how to program in languages like Scratch and Python. It's capable of doing everything you'd expect a desktop computer to do, from browsing the internet and playing high-definition videos, to making spreadsheets, word-processing, and playing games. All this amazing things can be accomplished with a little credit-card sized and affordable computer.

Problem

I'm trying to test the input­-output theory with my project.

The input is basically you can turn things on and off. Think of it like a switch you can turn the light on and off. The output would be that the Raspberry Pi can turn on and off. You can program the pins on the Raspberry Pi to interact in amazing ways with the real world. Inputs don't have to come from a physical switch; it could be input from a sensor or a signal from another computer or device. For example, the output can also do anything, from turning on an LED to sending a signal or data to another device. If the Raspberry Pi is on a network, you can control devices that are attached to it from anywhere and those devices can send data back. The Raspberry Pi with connectivity and control of physical devices over the internet can be one of the most amazing and interesting things to interact with.

Hypothesis

How to create a credit-­card sized computer that can easily work if you connected into a TV or a monitor. With the use of a small circuit called: “Raspberry Pi”, I’ll be able to operate the majority of things that a common desktop computer can do. Can I create a credit card size computer by using an open source software? With the open source software ”Linux”, I’ll be able to launch the NOOBS software in the Raspberry Pi.

Variables

The only file that I used to format the SD Card was the “FAT 32”. The only two that I could use were the FAT 16 and the FAT 32, because the Raspberry Pi's bootloader only has support for reading from FAT (both FAT16 and FAT32) filesystems. If my SD Card was 64 GB or larger, I would have to reformat it as FAT32 first, before copying the NOOBS files to it.

Materials:

• Raspberry Pi

• USB Keyboard

• USB Mouse

• HDMI Monitor + HDMI Cable OR VGA Monitor + VGA to HDMI Converter + VGA Cable

• AC Adapter for the Raspberry Pi

• 8GB or above Micro SD Card

• Computer with Internet Connection

• Ethernet Cable

• • • • • Description of images.

          • • Each image shows the materials I used for my project, and also how it was connected to make it work. The last image is how it looks when everything is connected and running.

Click here to see my data table and graph

Analysis

The best working format file I used was the FAT 32. Everything run well and it was really easy to setup the Raspberry Pi with the software inside the SD Card. It worked at the first attempt. In my opinion, if it's your first time trying to setup the Raspberry Pi I suggest you to use either one of the FAT files (FAT 16 or FAT 32).

Procedure:

First of all you will have to download the Linux Distribution named NOOBS (New Out of The Box Software), in order to start the set up of the Raspberry Pi.

• First connect the USB Keyboard and USB Mouse into the USB ports of the Pi.

• Then connect the HDMI Cable or HDMI to VGA adapter depending on the monitor you are using.

• Next plug in the (Micro) SD Card into its slot. Its contacts will be facing upward when you plug it in while the Pi is upright.

• Lastly connect the power adapter into the power connector.

Now the first boot is simple. As the Pi is powered you will see the display showing you a menu of OS to choose from. You will choose the first option which is Raspbian and click on Install. And then Ok on the prompt box. The setup will work its magic and install the OS. Once installed it will tell you that OS is installed. After that you will click OK and then reboot the Pi by removing the power and reconnecting it. It will boot up and after going through some initialization process it will show the Configuration Setup. There you will select the third option and select Boot to Desktop. Then again reboot the Pi like before. So you are done. You have successfully installed Raspbian on your Raspberry Pi.

CONCLUSION

In this project, I proved the input-­output theory and was able to operate it like a normal computer but with a different software. I was able to browse in the internet, make presentations, word-­processing, play games, and viewed how to create games and music with programming. The conclusion of this project is how a mini circuit board has the ability to interact with the outside world.

Scientific Principal/Essential Understanding:

The input and output theory.

The input is basically you can turn things on and off. Think of it like a switch you can turn the light on and off. The output would be that the Raspberry Pi can turn on and off.

You can program the pins on the Raspberry Pi to interact in amazing ways with the real world. Inputs don't have to come from a physical switch; it could be input from a sensor or a signal from another computer or device, for example. The output can also do anything, from turning on an LED to sending a signal or data to another device. If the Raspberry Pi is on a network, you can control devices that are attached to it from anywhere and those devices can send data back. The Raspberry Pi with connectivity and control of physical devices over the internet can be one of the most amazing and interesting things to interact with.

Real Life Connection/Further Applications:

The raspberry pi can be used in various fields in our daily life. It can make our life easier because of its great precision and accuracy to complete tasks in a short amount of time. It can be used at home for work, entertainment and other purposes. For example, it can be used to manage home budget, play computer games, office work, gather information, and chatting. This project can replace smart TV's, because the raspberry pi can gain internet by using the Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi connection with a WI-FI USB adapter. Also using the raspberry pi you can do the same things as a smart TV, the only difference is that the smart TV will have better quality. It would mostly be used in educational places. Locations where people are looking forward into programming, but the usage of this project can also be in home. To self-learn programming and understand how is it used. The Raspberry Pi is the most easiest and fastest way to learn programming. Is the base where you can start of and continue further into programming. In conclusion, it can perform various tasks that make our life easier in the office, hospitals, business organizations, schools, and more.

Where and how it is currently being used?

The Raspberry Pi can usually be used to connect devices that you want to turn on or to be able to program it to do certain things. Such as to play a game, to make something move, play music with a certain time, etc. Also you can use the Raspberry Pi as your own cheap mini computer. You can access the internet and use it to do homework, watch movies connecting it to your television, etc.

How does it benefit our society?

The Raspberry Pi can benefit our society in a very healthy and productive way. It can interest children, kids, teenagers, to approach to the programming branch. Kids can learn easily how to program things with the Raspberry Pi. It is a more basic and easy to understand software that can help one realize how beneficial it can be using it in the outside world. It can change the way people thinks about technology, and therefore persuade them into programming branches, or in general engineering and technological branches.

What are some future benefits and application of this project?

It can facilitate students, workers, mostly the ones that are interested in programming in way that it will be more easy to acquire a job or that students can be accepted easily to universities. The Raspberry Pi can revolutionized the way everybody works, can make life easier with a few instructions of programming. It will help many people, specifically students that are seeking the engineering and technological branches. It will benefit people's lives. Persuading people to take this path and getting future and well paid jobs.

Post Investigation

What is a raspberry pi?

Is a credit-card sized computer originally designed for education, inspired by the 1981 BBC Micro. Creator Eben Upton's goal was to create a low-cost device that would improve programming skills and hardware understanding at the pre-university level. But thanks to its small size and accessible price, it was quickly adopted by tinkerers, makers, and electronics enthusiasts for projects that require more than a basic microcontroller (such as Arduino devices).

What are the functions that the raspberry pi can display?

The raspberry pi can display a diverse of very useful functions in the everyday life of a person. One of them is that it can be utilized as a web server. One will be able to communicate with the device. Also you will have the opportunity to change a laptop to only using the raspberry part with only adding a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. One last interesting example would be that the raspberry pi can also be used as a home alarm. It is called Home AlarmPlus Pi. Is an open source home alarm monitoring system using Raspberry Pi, and with the help of Netduino Plus, ATtiny 85, and a typical home alarm system. It is better than a regular home alarm because it reports any sensor and motion detector activities via email, local web server, and notifications.

What is better the raspberry pi or a regular computer?

The Raspberry Pi is slower than a modern laptop or desktop but is still a complete Linux computer and can provide all the expected abilities that implies, at a low-power consumption level. Besides, the raspberry pi it's more focused in programming.

References