Alex Eames is currently running a series on programming a Kickstarter tracker script on the Pi using Python. He’s just published part 2. Part 1 can be found here.
First industrial application board with the Raspberry Pi Compute Module
In what I think is a first for the Compute Module, French company CALAO Systems has just announced the launch of the PInBALL board – a platform for industrial Raspberry Pi users. It has the following specs:
- SoC / Memory / Storage – Via Raspberry Pi Compute Module – Broadcom BCM2835, 512MB RAM, 4GB eMMC Flash.
- Other Storage – 1x 2Kb I²C EEPROM with EUI-48 MAC Address & 128 bit Serial Number (AT24MAC402).
- Video Output – 1x HDMI Out, 1x CVBS Out (BCM2835)
- Audio Output – 1x HDMI, 2x S/PDIF Out / Optical & RCA (WM8804),
- Connectivity – 1x Fast Ethernet (LAN9514), 1x Micro-SIM Socket
- USB – 2x USB 2.0 Host (LAN9514), 1x USB Device,
- Serial Ports – 2x TTL Serial Ports (BCM2835), 2x TTL Serial Ports (MAX3109)*
- Other I/Os
- 1x CAN Bus (MCP2515)*
- 2x MiPi DSI*
- 2x MiPi CSI*
- 3x Industrial Inputs (Téléinfo, Interface S0 or Standard Opto-isolated , 24VDC Output)*
- 3x Industrial Outputs (1x Relay COM / NO or NC, 2x Isolated Outputs, 24VDC Input)*
- Sensors – 1x Humidity & Temperature Sensor (Si7020)*
- Expansions
- 1x Mini PCIe Slot (USB 2.0 only, no PCIe)*
- 1x Mini PCIe Slot (I2C, SPI, UART, USB & GPIOs)*
- x KNX BAOS 820 module (KNX/TP1)*
- Debugging – 1x JTAG port for BCM2835 (ARM11 or VideoCore GPU)
- Misc – 1x RTC (DS3232) with BR1632A lithium battery, power/reset/user push buttons & LEDs,
- Power Supply
- Main: 12VDC / 2A (9-36 VAC/VDC),
- Auxiliary Power Input: 9-36 VAC/VDC for 2nd power supply or external battery charger system,
- Temperature Range – -20°C to +70°C
- Dimensions – 100 x 120 mm
You can read a good summary over at CNX Software and you can view CALAO’s wiki pages on the board here.
Oh… the Compute Module is underneath 🙂
Ethical hacking experiment uses Raspberry Pi
In June, European law enforcement agency Europol, backed by German ethical hacking company SySS, conducted an experiment in London. The experiment involved setting a mobile Raspberry Pi unit up as a wifi hotspot to allow connected devices access to the internet. It was set-up as a public hotspot so anyone could connect to it. They just had to agree to the terms and conditions… And therein lies the catch. The T&Cs contained a ‘Herod clause’ by which users agreed to hand over their first born child to the company. Although the company has no intention of enforcing it, of course, it does show that you should always be careful about what you sign up for. The hotspot also contained no encryption so anyone using it found their passwords were transmitted in plain text, according to this report from the Guardian.
The experiment was deployed in Canary Wharf and also near the Houses of Parliament.
Weather station controlled by a Raspberry Pi
Year 12 students Liam and Nico from Howick College, New Zealand, have created a Raspberry Pi-controlled weather station.The Weather Station can log readings from 1 minute upwards. It logs temperature, pressure, humidity, rainfall and wind speed.The logged file and the Pi can be accessed remotely from any location. It was entered into the Brights Spark Competition 2014.
Pi-Top finalises design and announces smallest Raspberry Pi robot
Pi-Top, the company behind the upcoming crowdfunding Raspberry Pi-powered laptop, have just announced that they’ve finalised their design. Speaking to 3dprint.com, they’ve also announced their expected price point, which is around $300 (Earlybird backers can expect a discount on this). The package will include the following:
- Injection molded case
- 3D printer STL files compatible for all 5″+ print bed sizes
- PCBs – Power Management, HDMI to LVDS Bridge and Keyboard & Trackpad Controller
- Electronics breadboard
- Battery
- Keyboard
- Trackpad
- 13.3” HD LCD Screen
- WiFi adapter
- Acrylic slice
- Wiring
- DC wall plug
- Build instructions
- Online & integrated lesson plans
$300 seems an awful lot considering that you can get a much higher-powered Chromebook for less money, but I guess they know what they’re doing. The Pi does, of course, have advantages of it’s own (such as the GPIO) but bearing in mind that Kano priced their kit at $99, Pi-Top may find less enthusiasm about their price point.
Perhaps more excitingly is that they have also announced a HAT which will be run what they claim to be is the smallest Raspberry Pi-powered robot ever.
Raspberry Pi irrigation controller
Jennifer Fox has constructed an irrigation controller using a Pi, a relay and a solenoid irrigation valve (amongst other bits and pieces). She’s posted the whole thing up on Instructables as a tutorial and also covered creating a capacitive soil moisture sensor on her blog.