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piweekly – New #RaspberryPi weekly newsletter is launched!

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piweekly

Well-known Pi enthusiasts Ben Nuttall (@ben_nuttall – Manchester Raspberry Jams) and Ryan Walmsley (@ryanteck – creator of Rastrack) have teamed up to create a new weekly newsletter called Piweekly, and it launched today!

Here’s a summary of what will be included in the newsletter:

The piweekly newsletter is a compilation of news from the Raspberry Pi community, including updates from the Foundation, developments in the technical realm and reports of various notable ongoings, as well as links to interesting projects from individuals and organisations around the UK and the rest of the world, not only technical hardware and software projects but also community events and initiatives.

Subscribe to Piweekly here and read more information about the newsletter and its creators.

Home automation, Internet of things, Robotics

The Foundation get a cloud-enabled #RaspberryPi controlled coffee machine (updated: Build your own!)

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Not that sort of Java | Raspberry Pi

Thanks to a generous gift from US-based company Zipwhip, the Raspberry Pi Foundation now has a coffee machine. But this is no ordinary coffee machine, Oh No! This one can be texted when coffee is needed and then sends a text back when it’s ready.

There is a small matter of a cup needing to be placed under the machine to prevent… unfortunate effects… but it’s a great toy!

Read more about the coffee machine here

UPDATE: Want to build your own? See this in-depth tutorial

Robotics

#RaspberryPi controlled robotic orchestra comes to Aberystwyth

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Fantastic news from the Welsh Daily Post website:

A robotic orchestra made of discarded instruments, a hoover and controlled by two tiny Raspberry Pi computers, will give its first public performance at the Bandstand at Aberystwyth on Saturday 22 June.

Designed and developed by Dave Price and Ian Izett from the Department of Computer Science at Aberystwyth University, the Raspberry Pi orchestra intend to bring some robot rock to Aberystwyth, their repertoire includes traditional Welsh folk tunes such as Ty Crwn (Roundhouse) and recent chart hits including the dance-hit Gangnam Style by South Korean musician Psy.

One of the tiny Raspberry Pi computers is the musician, generating music via a form of computer communication called MIDI, while the other is its conductor, giving digital direction to the unlikely orchestra of instruments.

The orchestra lineup includes a keyboard, a glockenspiel and a pipe organ

Robotic orchestra to bring some robot rock to Aberystwyth for their first gig - North Wales Weekly News

The Robotic Orchestra and other digital creations will be on show at Beach Lab, a free public event at Aberystwyth bandstand, promenade and beach from 11am to 3pm on Saturday 22nd June.

Read more about the orchestra here

Geeky Techiness, Robotics, Silliness

RAPIRO – turn your #RaspberryPi into a cute robot

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RAPIRO: The Humanoid Robot Kit for your Raspberry Pi by Shota Ishiwatari — Kickstarter

The Foundation just featured this on their blog and I thought I’d follow suit. Shota Ishiwatari has just started a Kickstarter project to fund the RAPIRO. This is a dangerously cute white robot with a Raspberry Pi as its brain and has 12 servo motors for movement. It can move its neck, waist, arms, hands and legs. This is a fantastic kit for under £200 (if you’re quick). Even if you only support it with a £1 donation, please do as it’s just a lovely Pi-based project.

Read more and see more pictures on the Kickstarter page