Kategorie: Mobile

  • Get young people making interactive websites with JavaScript and our ‘More web’ path

    Get young people making interactive websites with JavaScript and our ‘More web’ path

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Modern web design has turned websites from static and boring walls of information into ways of providing fun and engaging experiences to the user. Our new ‘More web’ project path shows young creators how to add interaction and animation to a webpage through JavaScript code.

    A colorful illustration of a snail, a penguin, and a person with short dark hair against a blue background. There is a large question mark in the middle.

    Why learn JavaScript?

    As of 2024, JavaScript is the most popular programming language in the world. And it’s easy to see why when you look at its versatility and how it can be used to create dynamic and interactive content on websites. JavaScript lets you handle events and manipulate HTML and CSS so that you can build everything from simple animations, to forms that can be checked for missing or nonsensical answers. If you’ve ever seen a webpage continuously load more content when you reach the end, that’s JavaScript.

    Two girls code together at a computer.

    The six new projects in the ‘More web’ path move learners beyond the basics of HTML and CSS encountered in our ‘Introduction to web’ path. Youn people will explore what JavaScript makes possible in web developmnent, with plenty of support along the way. 

    By the end of the ‘More web’ path, learners will have covered the following key programming concepts: 

    HTML and CSS JavaScript 
    Navbars, grid layouts, hero images and image sliders

    Form design and handling user input

    Accessibility and responsive design

    Sizing elements relative to the viewport or container

    Creating parallax scrolling effects using background-attachment

    Fixing the position of elements and using z-index to layer elements

    Local and global variables, and constants

    Selection (if, else if, and else)

    Repetition (for loops)

    Using Console log

    Concatenation using template literals

    Event listeners

    Use of the intersection observer API to animate elements and lazy-load images

    Use of the localStorage object to retain user preferences

    Writing and calling functions to take advantage of the Document Object Model (DOM)

    Use setTimeout() to create time delays

    Work with Date() functions

    We’ve designed the path to be completed in six one-hour sessions, with one hour per project. However, learners can work at their own speed and the project instructions invite them to take additional time to upgrade their projects if they wish.

    Built for our Code Editor and with support in mind

    All six projects use our Code Editor, which has been tailored specifically to young people’s needs. This integrated development environment (IDE) helps make learning text-based programming simple, safe, and accessible. The projects include starter code, handy code snippets, and images to help young people build their websites. 

    A screenshot of the code editor interface showing a garden with colorful flowers, an umbrella and a watering can.

    The path also follows our Digital Making Framework, with its deliberate format of six projects that become less structured as learners progress. The Explore projects at the start of the path are where the initial learning takes place. Learners then develop their new skills by putting them into practice in the Design and Invent projects, which encourage them to use their imagination and make projects that matter to them. 

    Meet the projects: Welcome to Antarctica (Explore project 1)

    An animated image of a penguin and a seal on a snowy surface.

    Learners use HTML and CSS to design a website that lets people discover a place they may never get a chance to visit — Antarctica. They discover how to create a navigation bar (or navbar), set accessible colours and fonts, and add a responsive grid layout to hold beautiful images and interesting facts about this fascinating continent. 

    Comic character (Explore project 2)

    An animated illustration of a man with short red hair on the left, a woman with short dark hair on the right, and a yellow lightning bolt in the center.

    In the second Explore project, young people build an interactive website where the user can design a superhero character. Learners use JavaScript to let the user change the text on their website, show and hide elements, and create a hero image slider. They also learn how to let the user set the colour theme for the site and keep their preferences, even if they reload the page. 

    Animated story (Explore project 3)

    An animated image of a snail reading a book.

    Young people create an interactive story with animated text and characters that are triggered when the user scrolls. They will learn how to design for accessibility and improve browser performance by only loading images when they’re needed.

    Pick your favourite (Design project 1)

    An animated checklist with numbered boxes. A cursor hovers over the middle box. Various icons surround the checklist, including a video game controller, a guitar, a basketball, and a book.

    This is where learners can practise their skills and bring in their own interests to make a fan website, which lets a user make choices that change the webpage content. 

    Quiz time (Design project 2)

    A white question mark in the center of a purple background. Animated icons of various shapes surround the question mark, including a television, musical notes, an X, and two cards with numbers "12" and “9”.

    The final Design project invites young people to build a personalised web app that lets users test what they know about a topic. Learners choose a topic for their quiz, create and animate their questions, and then show the user their final score. They could make a quiz about history, nature, world records, science, sports, fashion, TV, movies… or anything else they’re an expert in!

    Share your world (Invent project)

    An illustration of a computer screen displaying a web page. The web page has a blue background and a white arrow cursor hovers over a blue section. A globe icon is located below the cursor.

    In this final project, young people bring everything they’ve learnt together and use their new coding powers and modern design skills to create an interactive website to share a part of their world with others. They could provide information about their culture, interests, hobbies or expertise, share fun facts, create quizzes, or write reviews. Learners consider what makes a website useful and informative, as well as fun and accessible. 

    Next steps in web design

    Encourage your young learners to take their next steps in web design, learn JavaScript, and try out this new path of coding projects to create interactive websites that excite and engage users. 

    Two young learners using a laptop, one of them points at a laptop screen.

    Young people can also enter one of their Design or Invent projects into the Web category of the yearly Coolest Projects showcase by taking a short video showing the project and the code used to make it. Their creation will become part of the Coolest Projects online gallery for people all over the world to see! 

    Website: LINK

  • Understand artificial intelligence in The MagPi magazine issue #141

    Understand artificial intelligence in The MagPi magazine issue #141

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Learn how AI really works by building your own language models, image diffusers, and smart robots

    Raspberry Pi AI Made Clear

    Our Raspberry Pi AI Made Clear feature demystifies artificial intelligence by showing you how to develop generative technologies using Raspberry Pi and open-source software. Create personal image diffusers, generate large language models, and assemble intelligent-acting robots, cameras, and speech assistants. All while keeping one eye on the ethics at play!

    Use CDP Studio and Kinematics to learn how to control industrial robots

    Control an industrial robot arm

    This month we use CDP Studio and its Kinematics framework to program a Raspberry Pi-powered robot arm, the myCobot 280 Pi we reviewed in The MagPi magazine issue 137. CDP Studio is an ‘out of the box’ software development tool to build industrial control, automation, and edge systems. Yet it’s fairly easy to get to grips with its low-code programming environment.

    Raspberry Pi 5 cases on test

    Raspberry Pi 5 cases

    We’ve got 10 Raspberry Pi 5 cases on test this month. We’ve tested cooling effectiveness and Wi-Fi signal alongside each case’s capacity for mounting HAT hardware and access ports. Keep your Raspberry Pi in the best case!

    Discover and control devices on a home network with Home Assistant Yellow

    Home Assistant Yellow

    Home Assistant has been around for nearly as long as Raspberry Pi has. You can even find it in our Raspberry Pi Imager. It’s no surprise then that Home Assistant Yellow branded hardware is pretty high quality. This neat board finds devices on your home network enabling you to take direct control of them with a dashboard interface.

    This Pi-DP10 mainframe recreation brings a classic machine back to life

    PiDP-10 Mainframe

    After tackling the PDP-8 and PDP11, Oscar Vermeulen goes mainframe with DEC’s PDP-10. PJ Evans fires up the big iron and looks at this incredible Raspberry Pi project that brings a classic mainframe computer to life.

    Get your copy today

    Grab your copy of The MagPi magazine today! Straight from our Raspberry Pi Press Store.

  • Celebrating Earth Day with a solar-powered E Ink weather station

    Celebrating Earth Day with a solar-powered E Ink weather station

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    The world just recognized Earth Day and it was a good reminder that we all have a responsibility to protect the planet. Unfortunately, many of our devices suck up energy in direct opposition to that goal. But the market has proven that we aren’t willing to sacrifice convenience. Luckily, that isn’t always necessary. To demonstrate that, overVolt built this solar-powered weather station that features an E Ink display.

    The first — and usually easiest — step in the right direction is reducing energy consumption. And it is often possible to make efficient devices that don’t require any sacrifices at all. In this case, overVolt achieved that with the use of an E Ink screen and a power-sipping Arduino Nano ESP32 board

    E Ink technology is perfect for this application, because a weather station doesn’t need to update often. The display only consumes power during a refresh and the rest of the time it continues showing very readable content without any power. 

    The next step was to eliminate any energy from fossil fuels. Because this weather station consumes so little power, it can run entirely on the power coming from a small solar panel. Sunlight isn’t always available, so overVolt added a lithium battery to store power through dark periods. 

    The Arduino monitors temperature and humidity with a DHT11 sensor, as well as air quality with an MQ-135 sensor. And because this is a Nano ESP32, it can also connect to the internet to pull weather forecasts. 

    While lithium batteries aren’t great from an environmental perspective, overVolt’s weather station proves that we can take positive steps without sacrificing convenience.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkD2fdQSjOU?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Celebrating Earth Day with a solar-powered E Ink weather station appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • 5 Google Play features for poetry lovers to try5 Google Play features for poetry lovers to tryDirector, Product Management, Google Play Books

    5 Google Play features for poetry lovers to try5 Google Play features for poetry lovers to tryDirector, Product Management, Google Play Books

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    April is National Poetry Month — the perfect time to discover your favorite poems. Whether you want to dive into a powerful sonnet or enjoy the playful simplicity of a haiku, Google Play Books has features to help you enjoy reading poetry. Here are handy tips and tricks to take your poetry reading up a level — from writing notes about your favorite lines to hearing stanzas read aloud to organizing your digital poetry book collection.

    Annotate and highlight poignant lines of poetry

    Poetry often inspires personal reflection. With Google Play Books, you can easily capture your thoughts and annotations so you can revisit them later. Highlight the lines that move you or add bookmarks for quick reference. You can even add notes and easily access them through Google Drive for when you want to reflect back.

    Customize your reading experience

    Just as every poem has its own style, every reader has their own preferences. Customized fonts, layout, lighting and more, let you personalize your poetry reading experience to match your individual taste. You can choose a font that reflects a poem’s theme or adjust the line spacing on the page so it’s easier for you to read.

    Let the poetry speak to you

    Experience poetry as spoken word with our curated poetry audiobook library. The collection features poems from a variety of genres so you can actively immerse yourself while you listen verse by verse.

    And for poems that don’t have an audiobook, Google Play Books’ Read Aloud accessibility feature provides you with the option to listen to the poem aloud. In addition to text-to-speech, you can select a natural-sounding, more human-like voice for reading aloud and change its speed to more accurately capture the inflection and emotion of the work.

    Organize and personalize your (virtual) bookshelf

    Google Play Books lets you organize and sort books on a virtual shelf, making it easier to filter by author, genre and more. You can also name a shelf — perhaps for your favorite poet or types of poetry — to better organize your library and quickly find your favorite poems.

    Become a self-published poet

    While Google Play Books is a destination for readers, our Google Play Books Partner Center helps aspiring writers to self-publish and reach potential readers in over 75 countries. After filling out basic information and agreeing to the terms, you can become a self-published poet and share your poetry with the world!

  • A guide to visualize your Raspberry Pi data on Arduino Cloud

    A guide to visualize your Raspberry Pi data on Arduino Cloud

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    Hey there, DIY IoT enthusiasts! Ever build a cool gadget with your Raspberry Pi, only to get stuck figuring out how to show off its data? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Lots of makers like you face the same challenge: turning that awesome sensor data into something easy to see and interact with on your phone or laptop. 

    The good news is, there are simple and reliable ways to bridge that gap and shed light on your data without losing time.

    Visualize your Raspberry Pi data: Get started

    Raspberry Pi and other Linux-based platforms have become popular in the IoT space due to their versatility and ease of use. However, a common issue is finding an effective way to visualize their data and connect them to visualization platforms.

    At the end of the day, what do you want? You have your code which is producing data and you want to have a dashboard to visualize it both in real time and its historical evolution. Furthermore, you would like to interact directly with your application from that dashboard too!

    Let’s explore what kind of solutions you have at your disposal.

    Choosing a visualization platform for your Raspberry Pi

    You can visualize your device’s data by installing a visualization platform on your device or sending data to an external platform, self- or cloud-hosted. Each has its pros and cons, and the choice depends on your skills, time, and the complexity of the solution.

    Installing a visualization platform on your device also implies setting up local data storage, like a database. This process along with the platform installation and maintenance can be complex and time-consuming, especially for beginners.

    Transferring data to an external platform is typically easier as they usually offer a simple API to interact with them, but the type of solution can add complexity:

    • If you opt to establish your own platform and infrastructure, it may seem like you have more control over the solution. However, it can quickly become an overwhelming task for beginners, and ongoing maintenance can be even more challenging.
    • Choosing a cloud-hosted solution often seems like the most balanced option. However, it can also be complicated due to the wide range of alternatives, varying levels of complexity, and pricing models that can be difficult to understand.

    Some of these alternatives were also described in a previous article, where we explored several ways to visualize data coming from Arduino or ESP32 based boards. 

    Choosing the right programming language for your Raspberry Pi

    But now, what? You have to program your application to collect data. Selecting the right programming language can depend on many different factors. Knowledge of the environment or simply your preference can be a deciding factor. But sometimes the decision is not so simple. Here we have some insights about some popular IoT programming languages

    • Python: Python is a top choice for IoT development due to its simplicity, rich library ecosystem, and active community. Its dominance in AI allows seamless integration of machine learning models.
    • JavaScript: JavaScript, with Node.js as a server-side runtime environment, is also a go-to language for IoT device development. It’s versatile and its event-driven nature aligns seamlessly with IoT requirements.  It’s particularly popular for applications that interact with web pages, thanks to the potential for significant code reuse.
    • Node-RED: Lastly, low-code programming environments like Node-RED have become very popular for IoT. It allows you to create your applications with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, connecting hardware and platforms, and controlling anything from tiny sensors to the cloud.

    Note: While other languages like C/C++ and Rust are also relevant, this blog post focuses on Python, JavaScript, and Node-RED due to their popularity and relative ease of use. 

    Creating IoT monitoring dashboards with Arduino Cloud 

    The Arduino Cloud is a cloud-hosted platform that provides a user-friendly environment to create customizable insightful dashboards used to monitor and control your IoT devices.

    We recently announced that you can now seamlessly connect Python, MicroPython and JavaScript applications with the Arduino Cloud.  

    The main benefit is its ease of use. You get rid of installation or maintenance headaches, while you connect your devices in minutes and visualize the data in your dashboards either from your browser or your mobile phone. You can create and customize your dashboards with an intuitive interface using drag-and-drop widgets. These dashboards provide real time interaction with your IoT devices and insightful historical information that can be additionally downloaded for offline analysis.

    But there are many other cool features:

    • Real time alerts: You can receive notifications based on criteria configured in the Cloud. Learn more in this post.
    • Mobile phone app: You can access your dashboards using the IoT Remote app. 
    • Work collaboratively: You can share your code and dashboards with others.
    • Out-of-the box integrations: You have seamless integration with popular platforms like IFTTT, Zapier, Google Services, Alexa or Google Home.

    Want to learn more? Check out this recent article announcing four new IoT monitoring dashboard features that may seem small, but pack a big punch for your connected projects. They include the ability to duplicate IoT Dashboards, IoT Value Widget customization, new data aggregation method and more.

    How to connect your Raspberry Pi to Arduino Cloud

    Connecting your Raspberry Pi to Arduino Cloud couldn’t be easier. You only have to follow these steps:

    1. Set up an Arduino Cloud account.
    2. Add your device to the Arduino Cloud as a Manual device.
    3. Create your Thing and add your variables.
    4. Create the code for your Raspberry Pi using your preferred development language and environment.
    5. Create the dashboards for data visualization.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jGudEP40hI?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    So, do you want to remotely monitor your Raspberry Pi creations and control them from anywhere? Stay tuned! Upcoming posts will showcase real-world examples of connecting your Raspberry Pi to the Arduino Cloud, enabling you to visualize sensor data and interact with your projects remotely. In the meantime, here’s a project from ProjectHub showing an integration with Raspberry PI using Python to show VCO2 data from a SGP30 sensor.

    Start with Arduino Cloud for Free

    Arduino Cloud is free to use. So, if you’re looking to streamline data visualization of your Raspberry Pi applications, consider giving the Arduino Cloud a try and leverage its full potential for your projects. You can explore the premium features for enhanced functionality.

    The post A guide to visualize your Raspberry Pi data on Arduino Cloud appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Win an ED-HMI3020 Touchscreen

    Win an ED-HMI3020 Touchscreen

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  • Learning from our hybrid training programme for youth and community organisations

    Learning from our hybrid training programme for youth and community organisations

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    At the Raspberry Pi Foundation, we aim to democratise access to digital skills and technologies. One of the ways we do this is via partnerships with youth and community organisations that deliver frontline services to young people experiencing educational disadvantage.

    Two smiling adults at a computer.

    In 2023 we delivered a hybrid training programme to 14 youth organisations in the UK to help youth leaders and educators incorporate coding and digital making activities into their provision to young people. The training programme was supported by Amazon Future Engineer. In this blog, we summarise what we’ve learned from our evaluation of the training and its impact.

    Youth workers feel prepared to run digital making activities

    In total, 29 youth leaders and educators participated in the training, which consisted of 12 modules delivered across 4 online sessions and one in-person day. We asked participants to complete surveys at several points throughout the programme to enable us to explore their feedback, the training’s impact on their confidence in facilitating computing sessions, and their experiences of running activities with young people.

    The educators on this programme were already well motivated to run digital making sessions. But one of the main challenges youth organisations report to us most often is that their staff and volunteers need more confidence in their ability to deliver coding activities on an ongoing basis. It was therefore great to see that, following the training, every participant felt at least moderately prepared to run coding activities, with 2 out of every 5 participants feeling very prepared. Furthermore, we recorded positive impact of the training on participants’ readiness: after the training, 4 out of every 5 participants agreed they had the skills they needed to facilitate activities for young people.

    “It was pitched right for the majority of attendees with no knowledge of Scratch[.]” – Karl Nicholson, Manchester Youth Zone

    The training was well received

    Educators found the training to be high quality and, in almost all cases, beneficial. Participants reported that attending two online sessions in preparation for the in-person training day had improved their experience of the in-person activites.

    “It was really great. The online courses are excellent and being in-person to get answers to questions really helped. The tinkering was really useful and having people on hand to answer questions [was] massively helpful.” – Liam Garnett, Leeds Libraries

    Some participants told us they struggled with the second online training session. This may be because it contained more challenging content: moving from block-based coding (Scratch) to text-based coding (Python), a transition we know many people new to programming can find difficult.

    This feedback has helped inform the next iteration of our training programme for youth and community organisations.

    A Learning Manager is supporting two adult educators during a training session.

    Youth workers are now running digital making sessions

    Since the training, attendees across the 14 organisations have reported that, so far, 39 digital making sessions have taken place, reaching 422 young people. Youth leaders and educators who have already run sessions also told us they intend to continue with coding and digital making activities with their young people in the future.

    Young learners in a coding club.

    Among these youth leaders was Marie Henry, founder of Breadline London, a grassroots charitable organisation based in Haringey, London, that supports families and young people to break the cycle of poverty through financial education, training, and practical workshops.

    Since the training programme, Marie has gone on to start a regular coding club in her local area.

    “We are immensely grateful to the Raspberry Pi Foundation team for their encouragement and unwavering support in empowering us to launch our own coding club. Their guidance, expertise, hands-on training workshops, and provision of essential equipment and devices have been instrumental in our journey towards building a positive community for our young coders.

    With their help, we’ve gained the confidence, knowledge, and skills needed to inspire the next generation of coders and innovators. We still have a lot to learn, but with them by our side, we are confident that our coding club will be a great success.

    Thank you, Raspberry Pi Foundation, for believing in our vision and helping us turn it into reality.” – Marie Henry, Founder of Breadline London

    Some of the organisations that participated in the training have not yet run sessions, but plan to start delivery within the next 1 to 3 months. They continue to face some logistical challenges, ranging from staff shortages and volunteer availability, to encouraging local young people with limited prior exposure to computing to join the digital making activities. We are continuing to support these organisations to get up and running as soon as possible.

    “Oh my what a great coding after school session I’ve had this afternoon…Scratch not only sets a starting point for children in their ITC learning, but is also a fun way to learn and build on skills they can take with them as they grow.

Planting the seeds of aspirations!” – Heather Coultard, Doncaster Children’s University

    Our ongoing support to youth and community organisations

    Our previous blog highlighted the importance of increasing young people’s sense of belonging within a coding club environment, to appeal to marginalised youth. Our findings suggest we are on the right track. Overall, participants felt positive about the training and found it to be of high quality, and it has helped them to deliver digital making sessions to young people in their communities. The organisations’ detailed feedback and impact reporting will continue to inform and improve the development of our training programmes going forward.

    We thank Amazon Future Engineer for helping us run this rewarding programme. 

    For more information about how we can support youth and community organisations in the UK in starting their coding clubs, please send us a message on the subject ‘Partnerships’.

    Website: LINK

  • DIY shifter knob gets a beautiful integrated LED gear indicator

    DIY shifter knob gets a beautiful integrated LED gear indicator

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    We recently covered Vaclav Krejci’s stick shift project, in which he designed a board that surrounds the shift lever and uses Hall effect sensors to detect its position. It then displayed the current gear on a small OLED screen. The idea was that the user could mount that screen wherever they wanted on the dashboard or center console. But now Krejci is back with a more satisfying solution: an LED display built into the shifter knob itself.

    The rest of the hardware, aside from the display, is the same. A custom PCB surrounds the shift lever and contains the Hall effect sensors. Jumper cables connect those to a shield on an Arduino UNO Rev3, which looks at the signals from the sensors and calculates the approximate position of a permanent magnet attached to the shift lever. That position tells the Arduino the current gear.

    The difference is in how it displays the gear to the user. Before, it was a loose OLED screen. Now, it is a bright Pimoroni 7×11 LED matrix display integrated into the shifter knob. The knob is an inexpensive aftermarket model that Krejci modified for this project. He removed the top half of the knob and replaced it with a 3D-printed version with a cavity where the LED matrix can sit. A sheet of tinted translucent plastic helps to diffuse the light and hide everything else.

    This looks absolutely fantastic and would be really cool to see in a car.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcP48uCBzDQ?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post DIY shifter knob gets a beautiful integrated LED gear indicator appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Creating a low-cost EV charging station with Arduino

    Creating a low-cost EV charging station with Arduino

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    The high cost of EV (electric vehicle) chargers may lead you to believe that they’re complex systems. But with the exception of Tesla’s Supercharger, that isn’t true. They’re actually quite simple — basically just glorified switches. All of the nitty gritty charging details are the responsibility of the car’s onboard circuitry. With that in mind, EV owners may want to follow Pedro Neves’ guide on building an affordable Arduino-based EV charging station.

    Because the car deals with all of the particulars of charging, the only purpose of the “charger” is to provide a connection to the electrical grid. “Charger” isn’t even the right word, as this is more accurately EVSE (electric vehicle supply equipment). For safety reasons, the car and the EVSE communicate with each other. The car can tell the EVSE when it is safe to provide power and the EVSE will then connect a switch between the charging plug and the electrical grid. It really isn’t any more complex than a $15 smart outlet and most of the cost of an EVSE is the heavy-gauge wiring. 

    Here, Neves proves that with a DIY EVSE designed around an Arduino UNO Rev3 board. It has a custom shield with relays for switching power and to power the Arduino itself with mains voltage. A few LEDs act as status indicators. EVSE protocols are standardized, so Neves was able to program the Arduino to communicate with any connected car. Once the Arduino receives permission from the car, it switches the relays to provide mains voltage. A heavy-duty 3D-printed enclosure contains those components, with a breaker switch and weatherproofing.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR548_tpS-c?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Creating a low-cost EV charging station with Arduino appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Build an adorable arcade cabinet with custom controls

    Build an adorable arcade cabinet with custom controls

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Arcade machines are a dying breed and that’s a shame, because their purpose-built approach to gaming is so wholesome. There is something intrinsically satisfying about a device that does one thing and does it well. If you want to bring that beauty into your own home, Migi has a great Instructables tutorial that will walk you through building your own arcade cabinet with custom Arduino-based controls.

    Migi’s cabinet design is inspired by Capcom’s Mini Cute line, which was a series of small arcade machines popular in Japanese cafes. But while it is smaller than standard arcade cabinets, it is still big enough to feel substantial. An old laptop runs MAME or whatever other emulation software the user desires. Because a CRT (cathode-ray tube) display is a must for an arcade cabinet, Migi used a 14” Sony PVM (Professional Video Monitor). Those tend to be pretty pricey these days, so anyone replicating this build may want to entertain other CRT options.

    Arcade games need rock-solid controls, so Migi designed this to utilize Sanwa buttons and sticks. The cabinet has controls for two players, with an Arduino UNO Rev3 dedicated to each set of controls. Migi set it up that way to make the software setup easier, as each Arduino will appear as its own gamepad in the emulation software. 

    Migi constructed the cabinet itself using a combination of MDF and acrylic. A big laser cutter made that fabrication a snap, but less well-equipped hobbyists may have to utilize alternative tools like handheld routers. With a coat of paint and some printed graphics, it looks fantastic. And the Sanwa controls should hold up to decades of heavy use. 

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzBWauK4t-g?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Build an adorable arcade cabinet with custom controls appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • How to make energy saving really work

    How to make energy saving really work

    Reading Time: 4 minutes

    Conserving energy is something every animal does, and we humans are no exception.

    Especially when energy costs are high — something many of us have been uncomfortably aware of in recent years — figuring out ways to live life without burning through excess fuel (and polluting the environment) is a serious priority.

    Technology has promised many solutions here, with all kinds of energy-saving products on the market claiming to cut energy bills in half while saving the planet. But how many of these gadgets actually work? And could it be better to make your own?

    In this article, we’ll look at some of the most common energy-saving devices and some examples of homemade alternatives from Arduino users.

    Why is energy saving important?

    There are several good reasons to focus on saving energy, both for your own benefit and to help others. These include:

    • It saves money. Energy costs are still high around the world, and being careful about managing your energy usage can have a significant impact on your energy bill.
    • It helps save the planet. The burning of fossil fuels contributes to climate change, and wasting less energy means your personal impact on this will be lower.
    • It’s healthier. Carbon emissions and other fuels can pollute the environment and negatively impact our collective health. According to one report, cutting energy consumption by 15% for one year could save six lives and save up to 20 billion US dollars in health costs.

    What are energy-saving devices?

    Energy-saving devices are products designed to help you cut down on your energy usage, and they can approach this task from many different angles. Here are a few of the most common examples:

    • LED light bulbs that use significantly less electricity than their traditional incandescent counterparts.
    • Smart energy meters that keep track of your usage, suggest adjustments when energy is being wasted, and help you make more efficient and informed choices.
    • Energy-efficient appliances like washing machines and AC units, designed to use minimal energy with no waste.

    Do energy-saving devices really work?

    So, do these devices really work, or is it just hype and marketing?

    The (perhaps unsatisfying) answer is… sometimes. Some energy-saving devices like LED bulbs and highly rated efficient appliances can have a tremendous impact on your usage and save you noticeable amounts of money.

    Others — especially more complicated-sounding devices that don’t come with official accreditation — may end up being a waste of money.

    The third category here is devices that can work as long as you use them correctly. This applies to tools like smart meters, which can help you make extremely useful changes to your energy usage as long as you pay attention to them and act on the insights they provide. 

    3 ways to save energy with Arduino

    You don’t have to buy your energy-saving devices from the store, of course. With some basic coding knowledge and a few simple components, you can put together your very own projects at home. Many Arduino users have done exactly that, with impressive results.

    Let’s check some out!

    Smart energy meters

    One Redditor and Arduino user decided to develop their own version of a smart meter to help monitor energy usage and save costs.

    The device monitors amp, watt, and unit energy and allows you to view this data from your Android phone. Even more impressively, you can also turn devices on or off from your phone, managing your home’s energy usage from wherever you are. On top of that, if your devices consume more than 500W, the tool will turn them off automatically.

    This Arduino IoT-based energy meter is another great example of how to carefully track your energy usage through the Arduino Cloud.

    Glasses that save power

    If your eyes are closed, do you even need the lights to be on?

    That’s the idea behind a pair of glasses that automatically turn off the lights in your home whenever you close your eyes, helping you save on your electricity bill. 

    To add some extra spice, you can even add a TENS unit to make the glasses physically shock you into keeping your eyes closed longer. Evil, perhaps. Hilarious — definitely. Check out the video here.

    Snap circuits – energy saving

    The best way to build lifelong good habits around energy saving is to start young. 

    EDUcentrum’s snap circuits project is designed to introduce kids to the world of circuitry and electronic prototyping, while also teaching them about energy saving.

    The project teaches kids how to assemble their own snap circuits while learning about key topics like home automation and energy saving.

    Share your own Earth Day projects!

    Have you made any energy-saving devices or projects of your own? If so, we’d love to hear about them. Share the details in the comments below!

    Psst! For a limited time, we’re offering a special opportunity to create your own sustainable smart project with the Arduino Cloud, an all-in-one IoT solution to visualize your sensor data with stunning dashboards. Follow these three steps to give it a try:

    1. Visit Arduino Cloud plans and choose the Monthly Maker plan.

    2. Enter code EARTHDAY during checkout, valid between April 19th and April 30th, 2024.

    3. Unlock access to all advanced features, including over-the-air updates, unlimited shareable dashboards, data retention, real-time alerts and much more. 

    Whether you’re passionate about conservation or simply curious about the possibilities, now is your chance to join the community and make a difference. This offer is exclusively for new users not currently on any paid plan. You will have the flexibility to cancel at any time.

    Don’t miss out — embrace innovation while honoring our planet.

    The post How to make energy saving really work appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Young people’s Astro Pi code is sent to the International Space Station

    Young people’s Astro Pi code is sent to the International Space Station

    Reading Time: 6 minutes

    Young people taking part in the European Astro Pi Challenge are about to have their computer programs sent to the International Space Station (ISS). Astro Pi is run annually in collaboration by us and ESA Education, and offers two ways to get involved: Mission Zero and Mission Space Lab.

    Logo of the European Astro Pi Challenge.

    This year, over 25,000 young people from across Europe and eligible ESA Member States are getting their programs ‘uplinked’ to the Astro Pi computers aboard the ISS, where they will be running over the next few weeks. 

    Mission Zero teams send their art into space

    Mission Zero is an exciting activity for kids with little or no experience with coding. We invite young people to create a Python program that displays an 8×8 pixel image or animation. This program then gets sent to the ISS, and each pixel art piece is displayed for 30 seconds on the LED matrix display of the Astro Pi computers on the ISS.

    Two Astro Pis on board the International Space Station.
    Astro Pis on the ISS

    We picked the theme ‘fauna and flora’ as the inspiration for young people’s pixel art, as it proved so popular last year, and we weren’t disappointed: this year, 24,378 young people submitted 16,039 Mission Zero creations!  

    We’ve tested every program and are pleased to announce that 15,942 Mission Zero programs will be sent to run on the ISS from mid May. 

    Once again, we have been amazed at the wonderful images and animations that young people have created. Seeing all the images that have been submitted is one of the most enjoyable and inspiring things to do as we work on the Astro Pi Challenge. Here is a little selection of some of our favourites submitted this year:

    A selection of pixel art images and animation inspired by nature submitted by young people.
    A selection of Mission Zero submissions

    Varied approaches: How different teams calculate ISS speed

    For Mission Space Lab, we invite more experienced young coders to take on a scientific challenge: to calculate the speed that the ISS orbits Earth. 

    Teams are tasked with writing a program that uses the Astro Pis’ sensors and visible light camera to capture data for their calculations, and we have really enjoyed seeing the different approaches the teams have taken. 

    The mark 2 Astro Pi units spin in microgravity on the International Space Station.

    Some teams decided to calculate the distance between two points in photos of the Earth’s surface and combine this with how long it took for the ISS to pass over the points to find the speed. This particular method uses feature extraction and needs to account for ground sampling distance — how many square metres are represented in one pixel in an image of the ground taken from above — to get an accurate output.  

    We’ve also seen teams use data from the gyroscope to calculate the speed using the angle readings and photos to get their outputs. Yet other teams have derived the speed using equations of motion and sampling from the accelerometer.

    An example of features of the earth’s surface being matched across two different images.
    Feature extraction example taken from images captured by the Astro Pis

    All teams that took multiple samples from the Astro Pi sensors, or multiple images, had to decide how to output a final estimate for the speed of the ISS. Most teams opted to use the mean average. But a few teams chose to filter their samples to choose only the ‘best’ ones based on prior knowledge (Bayesian filtering), and some used a machine learning model and the Astro Pi’s machine learning dongle to select which images or data samples to use. Some teams even provided a certainty score along with their final estimate.

    236 Mission Space Lab teams awarded flight status

    However the team choses to approach the challenge, before their program can run on the ISS, we need to make sure of a few things. For a start, we check that they’ve followed the challenge rules and meet the ISS security requirements. Next, we check that the program can run without errors on the Astro Pis as the astronauts on board the ISS can’t stop what they’re doing to fix any problems. 

    So, all programs submitted to us must pass a rigorous testing process before they can be sent into space. We run each program on several replica Astro Pis, then run all the programs sequentially, to ensure there’s no problems. If the program passes testing, it’s awarded ‘flight status’ and can be sent to run in space.

    The Astro Pi computers inside the International Space Station.

    This year, 236 teams have been awarded flight status. These teams represent 889 young people from 22 countries in Europe and ESA member states. The average age of these young people is 15, and 27% of them are girls. The UK has the most teams achieving flight status (61), followed by the Czech Republic (23) and Romania (22). You can see how this compares to last year and explore other breakdowns of participant data in the annual Astro Pi impact report.  

    Our congratulations to all the Mission Space Lab teams who’ve been awarded flight status: it is a great achievement. All these teams will be invited to join a live online Q&A with an ESA astronaut in June. We can’t wait to see what questions you send us for the astronaut.

    A pause to recharge the ISS batteries 

    Normally, the Astro Pi programs run continuously from the end of April until the end of May. However, this year, there is an interesting event happening in the skies above us that means that programs will pause for a few days. The ISS will be moving its position on the ‘beta angle’ and pivoting its orientation to maximise the sunlight that it can capture with its solar panels. 

    A picture of the International Space Station.
    The International Space Station

    The ISS normally takes 90 minutes to complete its orbit, 45 minutes of which is in sunlight, and 45 minutes in darkness. When it moves along the beta angle, it will be in continual sunlight, allowing it to capture lots of solar energy and recharge its batteries. While in its new orientation, the ISS is exposed to increased heat from the sun so the window shutters must be closed to help the astronauts stay cool. That means taking photos of the Earth’s surface won’t be possible for a few days.

    What next?

    Once all of the programs have run, we will send the Mission Space Lab teams the data collected during their experiments. All successful Mission Zero and Mission Space Lab teams and mentors will also receive personal certificates to recognise their mission completion.

    Congratulations to all of this year’s Astro Pi Challenge participants, and especially to all successful teams.

    Website: LINK

  • AI-powered pet flap tracks where your furry friend is

    AI-powered pet flap tracks where your furry friend is

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    For those who own a pet with the freedom to move between the house and the yard, keeping tabs on where they are can be a challenge, especially if there’s a pet flap involved. Instructables member “madmcu” wanted to know where their cat was whilst away from the house on vacation, so they came up with an AI-driven solution that could log entrances and exits automatically.

    Because a closing flap will induce vibrations, madmcu started the project by adding a three-axis accelerometer just above the pet door’s hinge. The IMU was then connected to an Arduino UNO R4 WiFi in order to collect many data samples of a pet going through the flap. Every loop of the data collection program caused the three axes to be printed out over USB serial and sent to STMicroelectronics’s NanoEdge AI Studio application. It was in this app that madmcu set up and trained a classification model on the dataset using the two labels of either “inside” or “outside.”

    Once exported, the model was deployed back onto the UNO R4 WiFi along with an updated sketch that continuously classifies new accelerometer readings and prints the result if there is any. At the end of their project write-up, madmcu provides a couple ideas for adding alerts and even a dashboard thanks to the UNO R4’s built-in Wi-Fi capabilities.

    The post AI-powered pet flap tracks where your furry friend is appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • This DIY pet door helps keep a dog out of the cat’s litter box

    This DIY pet door helps keep a dog out of the cat’s litter box

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Science Buddies had a problem: their tiny little pug loves eating their cat’s poop. Because the pug is smaller than the cat, they couldn’t simply put the litter box behind a tiny cat door. So they came up with a more sophisticated solution: a motorized door triggered by a magnetic collar.

    Riley the pug’s responses to poop access prevention are awfully pugnacious, but she is also pretty skittish. Science Buddies surmised that a cardboard door would be enough to stop her. But that would also stop Trouble the cat, so the door needed to remain open for Trouble and only close when Riley tried to enter the area with the litter box. After experimenting with a few different solutions, Science Buddies landed on servo-actuated cardboard doors that close in the presence of a strong magnetic field.

    That magnetic field comes from a permanent magnet dangling from Riley’s collar. An Arduino UNO Rev3 board detects that magnet using several Reed switches arranged along the bottom edge of the door frame. When the magnet causes the Reed switches to close, the Arduino knows that Riley is trying to get to the cat poop. In then closes two cardboard doors using small hobby servo motors.

    It took some tinkering to position the Reed switches in a way that they’d trigger consistently, but Science Buddies found a reliable setup in the end. Now whenever Riley attempts to get to the litter box, the cardboard doors slam in her adorable pug snoot and she abandons her quest.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Djzx54j-2ZU?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post This DIY pet door helps keep a dog out of the cat’s litter box appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Raspberry Pi 5 and Raspberry Pi Pico

    Raspberry Pi 5 and Raspberry Pi Pico

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Raspberry Pi 5 and Thonny IDE

    The easiest way to program Raspberry Pi Pico is with MicroPython, a Python-compatible programming language developed to run on microcontrollers. With Pico connected to Raspberry Pi 5 via USB, you can use the Thonny IDE (integrated development environment) application to write MicroPython programs and run them on Pico. Packed with features, Thonny is very user-friendly and its ‘Shell’ pane will show you any output from the running Pico program, or error messages if something goes wrong. It also features a built-in debugger which lets you walk through a program step by step to show what’s happening at each stage, helping you to find bugs.

    Programming Pico

    We’ll connect Pico to Raspberry Pi 5 and write a MicroPython program to blink its on-board LED.

    1. To program Pico using MicroPython, we’ll use the Thonny IDE. With Raspberry Pi 5 connected to a monitor, open Thonny – found in (top left) Menu > Programming.

    2. Connect the larger end of the cable to any free USB Type A port on Raspberry Pi 5. While holding Pico’s BOOTSEL button, connect the other end of the cable to Pico’s micro-USB port to mount it as a drive.

    3. We need to install the MicroPython firmware on Pico. In Thonny, click ‘Local Python 3’ at the bottom right of the window. Select ‘Install MicroPython’ from the pop-up menu.

    4. In the next menu, click the ‘variant’ drop-down and select your Pico model type to get the correct version. Finally, click the ‘Install’ button to flash the MicroPython firmware to Pico.

    5. A message in the Shell pane will confirm the version of MicroPython installed on the connected Pico. You are now ready to start programming it.

    6. To use Pico’s GPIO pins, we need to import the Pin class of the

    machine

    MicroPython module. Add this code to Thonny’s main pane:

    from machine import Pin

    7. Next, we assign a variable (we’ve named it

    led

    ) to the LED’s GPIO pin on Pico and set it as an output:

    led = Pin(“LED”, Pin.OUT)

    8. To toggle the LED on/off, we add the line:

    led.toggle()

    Click Thonny’s Run button to run the program and turn Pico’s LED on. Run it again to turn it off.

    9. To save your program, click Thonny’s Save button and name the file with a .py suffix – we called ours blink.py – and opt to save it on Raspberry Pi Pico.

    10. To toggle the LED at regular intervals, we’ll alter the code. Under line 1, add the following to import the

    time

    module’s sleep class:

    from time import sleep

    11. Before

    led.toggle

    , add a new line to create an infinite loop:

    while True:

    Indent

    led.toggle

    by four spaces (so it becomes part of the loop).

    12. Add another indented line to the loop to add a one-second time delay each time:

    sleep(1)

    Now run the code and the LED should toggle on and off every second.

  • The best maker software by experience level

    The best maker software by experience level

    Reading Time: 6 minutes

    Today’s makers have access to the most advanced materials, resources, and support in history, and it’s improving all the time. The downside is that finding the right software can sometimes feel confusing and overwhelming. There are seemingly endless options, all with different attributes and advantages.

    In this article, we’re here to help make things easier. We’ll walk you through the best software for makers at each experience level — beginner, intermediate, and expert — and help you identify the right software for your needs.

    The best maker software for each experience level

    Beginner-level software

    If you’re new to the world of making, you’ll likely have some specific needs and requirements that won’t apply to more experienced folks.

    For example, you’ll want software that’s forgiving and beginner-friendly, that comes with more opportunities to learn the basics, and is easy enough that you won’t be discouraged from making.

    With that in mind, here are our top picks for the best beginner-level maker software.

    Arduino IDE

    Arduino is one of the most well-established and well-known platforms for makers of all levels. Arduino’s microcontrollers allow you to program projects with your own custom code, creating gadgets that work exactly the way you want them to.

    If you’re new to the game, you’ll want to start with a microcontroller that’s suitable for beginners. The Arduino IDE is perfect for this: it’s free, user-friendly, and leverages a simplified version of the C/C++ programming languages so you can learn the basics in a fun and rewarding way.

    TinkerCAD

    Since it first came onto the scene in 2011, TinkerCAD has been a great choice for beginners looking to get started with making their own projects.

    As a CAD (computer-aided design) software, TinkerCAD is a fantastic tool for designers and can be used to create models for 3D printing. 

    Due to its beginner-friendly nature, TinkerCAD is often used in schools to help learners get to grips with basic coding and design, building their own elementary tech projects. It’s also completely free of charge.

    The advantage of using TinkerCAD is that it also contains a simple circuit designer and visual code tool useful to generate the code for Arduino boards.

    Intermediate-level software 

    Once you’ve learned the basics of making, you’ll likely be craving some more challenging and stimulating projects.

    Taking your coding skills to the next level requires more sophisticated software, allowing you to be more adventurous and ambitious with your plans. The good news is that there is plenty of software out there for intermediate makers. Let’s take a look at some examples.

    Python

    Python is one of the most well-known programming languages out there, and it’s compatible with most maker-friendly platforms and microcontrollers.

    Python works well with Arduino hardware, and is especially well-suited for projects that use sensors and other components. You don’t need to be a coding wizard to start using Python in this way, but you will need some familiarity and experience.

    Check out this project — a Nicla Vision-based fire detector built by Arduino user Shakhizat Nurgaliyev using Python. Shakhizat created an entirely generated dataset and then trained a model on that data to detect fires.

    MicroPython

    MicroPython is an experimental, lean, and lightweight implementation of the programming language Python, and it’s designed specifically to be used with microcontrollers.

    This makes it ideal for use with Arduino projects, and it works especially well with those that use sensors and similar components. MicroPython does require a base of coding knowledge to use, but you don’t need to be an expert.

    Visual Studio Code

    Visual Studio Code, often abbreviated as VS Code, is an open-source editor created by Microsoft that is compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS. 

    It offers a range of features such as debugging support, syntax highlighting, smart code completion, snippets, code refactoring, and integrated Git functionality. Visual Studio Code can be used to develop code for Arduino boards, and, by using the available extensions, you can upload code directly to the Arduino boards.

    Node-RED

    Node-RED is built to bring hardware devices, software, and online services together, creating ever more interesting and advanced projects.

    It works especially well with IoT projects — and is a great choice if you want to integrate platforms like Arduino with other devices to build your own custom designs for use in your home.

    Node-RED’s browser-based editor and built-in library make it a powerful tool for those with some coding experience to make new projects.

    Arduino’s Portenta X8 can host a Node-RED instance running it on a container, making it easy to connect and integrate several different services, either locally or online with Arduino Cloud or third-party software. 

    In this project, David Beamonte used Node-RED and Arduino Cloud, to integrate a TP-Link smart Wi-Fi plug with other projects. This way, they were able to link multiple smart home devices together and control them from one central hub.

    Expert-level software

    Are you a true veteran of making and coding? Fluent in more programming languages than you can remember, with a host of impressive projects under your belt and a slot at next year’s Maker Faire?

    If so, you have the skills to achieve some truly exciting things. Let’s take a look at the software available for expert-level makers.

    MATLAB

    MATLAB is an advanced piece of software that works well with Arduino hardware and similar products. 

    It’s especially useful when building projects that require data analysis and complex, large-scale computations. Proficiency in MATLAB can lead to some truly impressive creations, but it takes a solid amount of experience and skill to realize those results.

    Arduino users MadhuGovindarajan and ssalunkhe used MATLAB to build their very own lane-following rover. The project used the rover from Arduino’s Engineering Kit, combined with an algorithm that allows the rover to stay within a designated lane while driving.

    The Arduino Engineering kit contains three different projects that involve physical hardware and MATLAB/Simulink to create amazing results. 

    C/C++ IDEs

    The programming languages C and C++ have been around for decades, underpinning the worlds of computer science and software engineering.

    If you have a solid base of coding ability, you can use C/C++ development environments to program Arduino boards and create ever more advanced and impressive projects.

    Other resources

    GitHub

    Do you want to share your code with your mates, or with the world? 

    If so, GitHub is the perfect place to do it. It’s an open-source community with multiple contributors and lots of integrations with developer-oriented software. 

    Inside, you’ll find more than 300 million projects, known as repos. Makers use the platform to share their work, but it can also be useful to take a look and draw inspiration from the trending repositories.

    AI/ML

    AI is making headlines all over the world, but it extends far beyond ChatGPT.

    Makers today have access to a wealth of fantastic tools to speed up work, correct errors, and document your shiny new code. Check out GitHub copilot and OpenAI Codex to get started.

    Using software with Arduino

    By combining the right software tools with Arduino’s products, you have the perfect recipe for your next awesome project.

    If you want to gain inspiration, or share your own work with our community, check out the Arduino Project Hub where you can search for projects and filter by type and difficulty level.

    The post The best maker software by experience level appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Machine learning makes fabric buttons practical

    Machine learning makes fabric buttons practical

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    The entire tech industry is desperate for a practical wearable HMI (Human Machine Interface) right now. The most newsworthy devices at CES this year were the Rabbit R1 and the Humane AI Pin, both of which are attempts to streamline wearable interfaces with and for AI. Both have numerous drawbacks, as do most other approaches. What the world really needs is an affordable, practical, and unobtrusive solution, and North Carolina State University researchers may have found the answer in machine learning-optimized fabric buttons.

    It is, of course, possible to adhere a conventional button to fabric. But by making the button itself from fabric, these researchers have improved comfort, lowered costs, and introduced a lot more flexibility — both literally and metaphorically. These are triboelectric touch sensors, which detect the amount of force exerted on them by measuring the energy between two layers of opposite charges.

    But there is a problem with this approach: the measured values vary dramatically based on usage, environmental conditions, manufacturing tolerances, and physical wear. The fabric button on one shirt sleeve may present completely different readings than another. If this were a simple binary button, it wouldn’t be as challenging of an issue. But the whole point of this sensor type is to provide a one-dimensional scale corresponding to the pressure exerted, so consistency is important.

    Because achieving physical consistency isn’t practical, the team turned to machine learning. A TensorFlow Lite for Microcontrollers machine learning model, running on an Arduino Nano ESP32 board, interprets the readings from the sensors. It is then able to differentiate between several interactions: single clicks, double clicks, triple clicks, single slides, double slides, and long presses.

    Even if the exact readings change between sensors (or the same sensor over time), the patterns are still recognizable to the machine learning model. This would make it practical to integrate fabric buttons into inexpensive garments and users could interact with their devices through those interfaces.

    The researchers demonstrated the concept with mobile apps and even a game. More details can be found in their paper here.

    Image credit: Y. Chen et al.

    The post Machine learning makes fabric buttons practical appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Sandeep Mistry profile

    Sandeep Mistry profile

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    After working for various companies as a software engineer in Ottawa, and also working remotely with Arduino, he started looking for a new way to use his expertise with embedded and mobile devices. There’s not much better place than Arm for that, and when an acquaintance of his mentioned a position coming up, he jumped at the chance.

    He’d already worked on a Raspberry Pi Pico project before joining Arm – if you cast your mind back to 2021 around the time Pico was released, he built a way to add Ethernet to Pico via the PIO. It was even featured on the blog. Since then, he’s been putting out software and hardware projects of varying levels of complexity, and has really shown off the power of Raspberry Pi in the process.

    Sandeep’s builds

    Give a plant a personality

    “[A favourite project of mine] was using Pico W to create a plant that texts you when it needs water, after it’s been watered, good morning/night, and random jokes,” Sandeep says. “It was the first time I used MicroPython, and it was fun to use the Pico W to give a plant a personality.”

    See sound in real time

    Building on the Pico microphone project, this project shows how you can create cool visualisers for sound using a display also hooked up to Pico. These specific visualisations are audio spectrograms, which display sound as amplitude over time for cool visual effects.

    Create a USB microphone

    Pico can do a lot with its PIO capabilities – and it also has an ADC (analogue-to-digital converter) onboard. Combining the ability to connect to a system as a USB device while also listening to a microphone means you can create a custom Pico-powered mic. It’s an interesting and fairly cheap way to add a mic to a computer.

  • Global Impact: Empowering young people in Kenya and South Africa

    Global Impact: Empowering young people in Kenya and South Africa

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    We work with mission-aligned educational organisations all over the world to support young people’s computing education. In 2023 we established four partnerships in Kenya and South Africa with organisations Coder:LevelUp, Blue Roof, Oasis Mathare, and Tech Kidz Africa, which support young people in underserved communities. Our shared goal is to support educators to establish and sustain extracurricular Code Clubs and CoderDojos in schools and community organisations. Here we share insights into the impact the partnerships are having.

    A group of young people outside a school.

    Evaluating the impact of the training 

    In the partnerships we used a ‘train the trainer’ model, which focuses on equipping our partners with the knowledge and skills to train and support educators and learners. This meant that we trained a group of educators from each partner, enabling them to then run their own training sessions for other educators so they can set up coding clubs and run coding sessions. These coding sessions aim to increase young people’s skills and confidence in computing and programming.

    We also conducted an evaluation of the impact of our work in these partnerships. We shared two surveys with educators (one shortly after they completed their initial training, a second for when they were running coding sessions), and another survey for young people to fill in during their coding sessions. In two of the partnerships, we also conducted interviews and focus groups with educators and young people. 

    Although we received lots of valuable feedback, only a low proportion of participants responded to our surveys, so the data may not be representative of the experience of all participating educators. 

    A group of young people coding on a laptop.

    New opportunities to learn to code

    Following our training, our partners themselves trained 332 educators across Kenya and South Africa to work directly in schools and communities running coding sessions. This led to the setup of nearly 250 Code Clubs and CoderDojos and additional coding sessions in schools and communities, reaching more than 11,500 young people.

    As a result, access to coding and programming has increased in areas where this provision would otherwise not be available. One educator told us:

    “We found it extremely beneficial, because a lot of our children come from areas in the community where they barely know how to read and write, let alone know how to use a computer… [It provides] the foundation, creating a fun way of approaching the computer as opposed to it being daunting.”

    Curiosity, excitement and increased confidence

    We found encouraging signs of the impact of this work on young people.

    Nearly 90% of educators reported seeing an increase in young people’s computing skills, with over half of educators reporting that this increase was large. Over three quarters of young people who filled in our survey reported feeling confident in coding and computer programming.

    The young people spoke enthusiastically about what they had learned and the programs they had created. They told us they felt inspired to keep learning, linking their interests to what they wanted to do in coding sessions. Interests included making dolls, games, cartoons, robots, cars, and stories. 

    A young person points at a screen.

    When we spoke with educators and young people, a key theme that emerged was the enthusiasm and curiosity of the young people to learn more. Educators described how motivated they felt by the excitement of the young people. Young people particularly enjoyed finding out the role of programming in the world around them, from understanding traffic lights to knowing more about the games they play on their phones.

    One educator told us:

    “…students who knew nothing about technology are getting empowered.” 

    This confidence is particularly encouraging given that educators reported a low level of computer literacy among young people at the start of the coding sessions. One educator described how coding sessions provided an engaging hook to support teaching basic IT skills, such as mouse skills and computer-related terms, alongside coding. 

    Addressing real-world problems

    One educator gave an example of young people using what they are learning in their coding club to solve real-world problems, saying:

    “It’s life-changing because some of those kids and the youths that you are teaching… they’re using them to automate things in their houses.” 

    Many of these young people live in informal settlements where there are frequent fires, and have started using skills they learned in the coding sessions to automate things in their homes, reducing the risk of fires. For example, they are programming a device that controls fans so that they switch on when the temperature gets too high, and ways to switch appliances such as light bulbs on and off by clapping.

    A young learner coding on a laptop.

    Continuing to improve our support

    From the gathered feedback, we also learned some useful lessons to help improve the quality of our offer and support to our partners. For example, educators faced challenges including lack of devices for young people, and low internet connectivity. As we continue to develop these partnerships, we will work with partners to make use of our unplugged activities that work offline, removing the barriers created by low connectivity.

    We are continuing to develop the training we offer and making sure that educators are able to access our other training and resources. We are also using the feedback they have given us to consider where additional training and support may be needed. Future evaluations will further strengthen our evidence and provide us with the insights we need to continue developing our work and support more educators and young people.

    Our thanks to our partners at Coder:LevelUp, Blue Roof, Oasis Mathare, and Tech Kidz Africa for sharing our mission to enable young people to realise their full potential through the power of computing and digital technologies. As we continue to build partnerships to support Code Clubs and CoderDojos across South Africa and Kenya, it is heartening to hear first-hand accounts of the positive impact this work has on young people.

    If your organisation would like to partner with us to bring computing education to young people you support, please send us a message with the subject ‘Partnerships’.

    Website: LINK

  • This beastly DIY bench power supply will satisfy any requirement

    This beastly DIY bench power supply will satisfy any requirement

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Every maker should have a bench power supply in their possession, ready to provide whatever voltage a project or particular component requires. But not all bench power supplies are created equal. Some only have a single output, some have a limited voltage range, and some can’t handle much current. In an attempt to eliminate such concerns forever, Doug Domke built “the Beast.”

    This is a beefy bench power supply that can easily handle any project an electronics tinkerer is likely to tackle. It has three outputs that can all operate at the same time. Two of them can be set anywhere from 2V to 30V and can supply up to 10A each, at 30V. However, the supply transformer is only rated for 240 watts. If both are pulling the full current, then setting them above 24V would exceed the rating. But that isn’t a situation many people will find themselves in. The third output comes from a 20W supply that can provide 3V to 30V (positive or negative).

    The user sets each output’s voltage with a simple potentiometer, but an Arduino Nano monitors the voltage and current of each using the analog input pins. The maximum 30V is far too high for the Arduino to work with directly, so it takes measurements through voltage dividers. With voltage and current readings, the Arduino can then calculate wattage. It displays the information for each output on a dedicated 16×2 character LCD screen, connected via I2C. 

    If you’re in need of a robust bench power supply, the Beast may just fit the bill.

    The post This beastly DIY bench power supply will satisfy any requirement appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • #MagPiMonday

    #MagPiMonday

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    Every Monday we ask the question: have you made something with a Raspberry Pi over the weekend? Every Monday, our followers send us amazing photos and videos of the things they’ve made.

    Here’s a selection of some of the awesome things we got sent this month. Remember to follow along at the hashtag #MagPiMonday!

  • Classify nearby annoyances with this sound monitoring device

    Classify nearby annoyances with this sound monitoring device

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    Soon after a police station opened near his house, Christopher Cooper noticed a substantial increase in the amount of emergency vehicle traffic and their associated noises even though local officials had promised that it would not be disruptive. But rather than write down every occurrence to track the volume of disturbances, he came up with a connected audio-classifying device that can automatically note the time and type of sound for later analysis.

    Categorizing each sound was done by leveraging Edge Impulse and an Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense. After training a model and deploying it within a sketch, the Nano will continually listen for new noises through its onboard microphone, run an inference, and then output the label and confidence over UART serial. Reading this stream of data is an ESP32 Dev Kit, which displays every entry in a list on a useful GUI. The screen allows users to select rows, view more detailed information, and even modify the category if needed.

    Going beyond the hardware aspect, Cooper’s project also includes a web server running on the ESP32 that can show the logs within a browser, and users can even connect an SD card to have automated file entries created. For more information about this project, you can read Cooper’s write-up here on Hackster.io.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYE-HdRBQnE?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Classify nearby annoyances with this sound monitoring device appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK