Kategorie: Mobile

  • 4 updates from the 2024 Google for Games Developer Summit4 updates from the 2024 Google for Games Developer SummitGeneral Manager

    4 updates from the 2024 Google for Games Developer Summit4 updates from the 2024 Google for Games Developer SummitGeneral Manager

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    Gaming can bring people together, which is why we’re committed to making the gaming experience fun and engaging for everyone. You can earn rewards for playing your favorite games on Play, connect with a passionate community of gamers on YouTube, discover new titles you’ll love through Ads, and enjoy secure, seamless gameplay powered by Cloud.

    This week at the Google for Games Developer Summit, we unveiled a suite of new tools and product features for developers and gamers. With these updates, developers can take their games to the next level so players like you can experience even more immersive worlds and have new ways to interact with your favorite titles. Here’s a look at what’s new.

    1. Play Pass gets even better

    Starting today, Google Play Pass subscribers in select markets will receive in-game items and discounts on popular games like EA SPORTS FC™ Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, MONOPOLY GO! and Roblox. This is offered in addition to our current catalog of over 1,000 ad-free games and apps, so you get even more value at the same monthly price

  • This animatronic CatNap is predictably creepy

    This animatronic CatNap is predictably creepy

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    Poppy Playtime is an interesting horror video game — or rather, an episodic series of games — that puts players into the eerie toy factory of fictional company Playtime Co., where they find that the company’s characters are alive and quite aggressive. A big part of the game’s appeal is the creepy character design, with the eponymous Poppy being just one example. But they’re all scary, as Jaimie and Jay of the Wicked Makers proved when they built this life-sized CatNap animatronic.

    The Wicked Makers aren’t strangers to this game, as they previously built an eight-foot-tall Huggy Wuggy. Their CatNap animatronic isn’t quite as tall, but it is still huge. And it is a faithful recreation of the monster seen in-game. It can move its head side-to-side, and its body sort of sways like a real, breathing creature’s would. It even breathes glowing red fog to represent the in-game sleeping gas formulated for children.

    As usual, that vast majority of the work here went into constructing the animatronic’s skeleton, body, and head. It is a masterful mishmash of PVC pipe, wire, foam, clay, and fabric. But the real magic comes from the movement, which is possible thanks to the use of an Arduino UNO Rev3. That controls the torso’s wiper motor via a relay, the servo motor that moves the head, the LEDs for the eyes and smoke, and the smoke machine.

    To simplify the animations, the Wicked Makers turned to Bottango software. That’s free and made specifically for controlling animatronics. It makes programming and uploading animations easy, so the Wicked Makers can alter CatNap’s behavior whenever they want.

    The result is just as terrifying as it is impressive.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fh6mimCibhQ?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post This animatronic CatNap is predictably creepy appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Getting more realistic camera movements in VR with an Arduino

    Getting more realistic camera movements in VR with an Arduino

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    In virtual reality, anything is possible, yet being able to accurately model things from the real-world in a digital space remains a huge challenge due to the lack of weight/feedback that would otherwise be present in physical objects. Inspired by working with digital cameras and the inherit imperfection they bring to their videos, Bas van Seeters has developed a rig that translates the feeling of a camera into VR with only a few components.

    The project began as a salvaged Panasonic MS70 VHS camcorder thanks to its spacious interior and easily adjustable wiring. An Arduino UNO Rev3 was then connected to the camera’s start/stop recording button as well as an indicator light and a potentiometer for changing the in-game focus. The UNO is responsible for reading the inputs and writing the data to USB serial so that a Unity plugin can apply the correct effects. Van Seeters even included a two-position switch for selecting between wide and telescopic fields of view.

    With the Arduino now sending data, the last step involved creating a virtual camcorder object in Unity and making it follow the movement of a controller in 3D space, thus allowing the player to track things in-game and capture videos. More details on the project can be found in van Seeters’ write-up here and in the video below!

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt5l4E0LUpg?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Getting more realistic camera movements in VR with an Arduino appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Argon ONE V3 M.2 NVME case review

    Argon ONE V3 M.2 NVME case review

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    This month we have the hotly anticipated Argon ONE V3 M.2 NVMe PCIe Case. Hopes are high for this one and we can tell you it hits home runs all the way. Redesigned for Raspberry Pi 5 this board combines the features of the Argon ONE V2 with the – previously separate – M.2 Expansion Board add-on to create an all-in-one computer case with super-fast, and super-large, storage that also cleverly uses passive cooling and heatsinks to keep everything running. This is the one we have been waiting for.

    Underneath Argon ONE V3 is a removable thermal heatsink to fit the M.2 NVMe drive. Here we can also see the power button, full-sized HDMI slot, 3.5mm audio jack and Raspberry Pi 5 ports

    All together now

    The Argon ONE is Argon40’s flagship case, containing a daughterboard for Raspberry Pi that adds additional features such as full-sized HDMI sockets and an infrared (IR) receiver.

    On the base of Argon ONE V3 is a removable cover that provides access to the M.2 NVMe socket. Here you can insert any M.2 NVMe with M-Key up to 2280 size. The flap is marked “THERML” which nods to its aluminium heatsink and a long strip of thermal pad is included to transfer the heat out into the case.

    Two more silicon pads are included to connect Raspberry Pi’s CPU and PMIC (Power Management Integrated Circuit) to the case.

    Alongside this impressive passive cooling is a redesigned 30mm fan and blower. This is repositioned at an angle to be “more efficient and quiet”, and we found it unobtrusive even when stress testing.

    Argon ONE V3 now sports Raspberry Pi’s RP2040 microcontroller to control various functions like fan speed and power management (via jumper pins on the daughter board). The power button is less of a novelty now that Raspberry Pi 5 itself features one. However, the presence of a 3.5mm audio jack will be a welcome addition for audio buffs now that it has been removed from Raspberry Pi 5’s main board.

    One advantage over the Argon ONE V2 board is that the M.2 NVMe now connects directly to the PCIe socket on Raspberry Pi 5. This leaves all four USB-A sockets available.

    A removable magnetic flap on top of the case provides access to repositioned GPIO pins alongside a handy pinout guide.

    Assembly and testing

    Putting together the Argon ONE V3 was a relatively painless process thanks to the included assembly instructions. Raspberry Pi 5 is connected to the HDMI daughterboard, and the PCIE cable is used to connect the bottom half of the case to Raspberry Pi 5. Then the whole thing is screwed together. Finally, the M.2 NVMe storage is connected to the underside making it possible to upgrade the drive without opening the whole case.

    As with previous Argon ONE cases, the microSD card is hidden away and can’t be used without opening up the case. This is less problematic these days as a USB thumb drive flashed with Raspberry Pi OS can be used to run Imager and flash the storage drive. Attach an Ethernet cable and you can also use Network Install with Raspberry Pi 5.

    Speed-testing of the NVMe drive tells you much more about the quality of your drive than the case itself. We used a 500GB WD Blue storage stick and measured the speed using Raspberry Pi OS’s built-in Raspberry Pi Diagnostics tool to test performance. It returned a sequential write speed 789590 KB/sec (790 MB/s) almost 80 times faster than the recommended pass speed for a microSD card. It’s fast.

    The heat test is also interesting. We used stress –cpu 4 and measured the output with the script found here for 15 minutes.

    Raspberry Pi 5 inside the Argon ONE V3 case idles at around 54°c (down from the 65°c baseline of an uncooled Raspberry Pi 5 without a heatsink). We found the fan kicked in at the 60°c mark after five minutes and kept the Raspberry Pi 5 hovering around 61°c for another 10 minutes. At no point did Raspberry Pi OS reach the 80°c mark where performance throttling begins. It compared favourably to a Raspberry Pi 5 and an official Active Cooler unit.

    Put it to use

    One optional extra we should mention is an internal Argon ONE BLSTR DAC audio board upgrade, which will be sold separately. Alongside the 3.5mm jack this will make Argon ONE V3 ideal for audio fans. We didn’t have one for testing and can’t see it on the Argon40 website just yet, so hopefully that will come down the line.

    All of this transforms Raspberry Pi 5 from a hackable board to a desktop computer. A role our favourite computer is increasingly fulfilling with aplomb. The built-in infrared connection, large storage, and full-sized HDMI connection also ensure Argon ONE V3 becomes the perfect media player or home games console. This case is highly recommended.

    Verdict

    10/10

    An excellent case that sees a lot of Argon’s ideas reach fruition. Turn your Raspberry Pi 5 into a smart desktop computer, media player, games console or DAC audio player.

    Specs

    Components: Argon ONE Pi 5 V3 case, M.2 NVME carrier board, Video/Audio PCB extender (daughterboard), GPIO & Fan board, RP2040-based microcontroller

    Input/output: Adjustable M.2 NVME with M-Key up to 2280 size, 2 × standard (type A) HDMI ports, Ethernet, 4 × USB-A ports, USB-C power port, 3.5mm audio jack

    Cooling: Aluminium alloy case for passive cooling, blower type PWM programmable 30mm fan

  • Build yourself this simple app-controlled robot dog

    Build yourself this simple app-controlled robot dog

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    If you have an interest in robotics, it can be really difficult to know where to start. There are so many designs and kits out there that it becomes overwhelming. But it is best to start with the basics and then expand from there after you learn the ropes. One way to do that is by building MertArduino’s adorable app-controlled robot dog.

    This is a little more complex than a typical line-following rover kit, but it is still approachable for beginners. It uses eight inexpensive MG90S hobby servo motors to walk on four legs, plus one more servo to rotate the head. The tutorial explains how to create a smartphone app for controlling the robot and there is an ultrasonic sensor hidden in the dog’s eyes to help it detect obstacles. 

    To construct this robot, you will first need to 3D print the body, legs, and head. Those parts are small enough to print on almost any model of 3D printer. You’ll then need the custom PCB, onto which all of the electronic components attach. You can order that from any PCB fabrication service. Using basic through-hole soldering techniques, you can populate that PCB with an Arduino Nano board, an HC-05 Bluetooth module (for communication with a smartphone), and various miscellaneous components like resistors and a voltage regulator. Power comes from a pair of 18650 lithium battery cells.

    After assembly, you can begin controlling the robot using the provided app. Or you can follow the instructions to make your own app with the help of MIT’s handy block-based Scratch programming tool.

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

    If you want to dip your toes into the world of robotics, this seems to be a fun way to do it.

    The post Build yourself this simple app-controlled robot dog appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • SNES XL

    SNES XL

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    Button management

    Every button on SNES XL controller has its own custom PCB, created using PCBWay an online service for producing PCB prototypes. Each board is shown fully working by Arnov on YouTube. Tactile switches on the custom boards are positioned just below the 3D-printed buttons, such that pressing a button toggles its switch. Each of the switches is wired up to a pin on a XIAO SAMD21 development board from Seeed Studio (see Figure 1). When SNES XL is connected to a computer (in this case Raspberry Pi 4), the Seeed XIAO appears as a gaming controller icon and can be selected for gameplay.

    Figure 1: The buttons are switches wired up to a pin on a Seeed XIAO SAMD21 board

    Too big to print or hold

    Arnov designed the controller housing in Fusion360. It had to be 3D printed in three separate parts due to its size, before being superglued together. More videos and images can be found on Arnov’s Instructables.

    Retro game emulation here comes courtesy of Recalbox. Power Pi, a Raspberry Pi dock/enclosure with an integrated lithium cell battery pack that Arnov also designed, provides power.

    Inside the giant 3D-printed case

    Arnov has to set the controller flat on the table to play games, because it’s too big to hold comfortably. Our favourite Raspberry Pi builds are the ones that are so absurd they turn out to be unusable for their originally intended purpose. The BFG would have no problem, but we’re still not sure if he’s real or not. We’ve let Nessie and Bigfoot go, but we’re hanging onto our oversized childhood friend.

    Gamer geek

    Arnov has graced us with his Raspberry Pi-powered gaming kit twice before. The first time was with SANDWICH DOT IO, an all-in-one desktop gaming system based around Raspberry Pi 3B+ and featuring on-board power as well as a dedicated cooling layer.

    The SNES XL is fully working (although hard to hold). Here, Arnov is using it to play a game of Doom!

    PALPi, a handheld games console with a retro aesthetic that’s powered by Raspberry Pi Zero W, is another of Arnov’s creations. Let’s start taking bets on what he builds next. We’re thinking he might go to the other end of the size spectrum and come up with something miniature. Maybe a teeny, tiny, thimble-sized Wii controller for dainty indoor tennis and golf.

  • A single stepper motor drives this mechanical seven-segment display clock

    A single stepper motor drives this mechanical seven-segment display clock

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    It is amazing how much technological progress humanity has achieved over the past few centuries. But while our capability with electronics has shot ahead, it seems that we’ve almost regressed when it comes to mechanical and electromechanical design. Watches and clocks are great examples of this, as pre-digital craftsmen were capable of astonishing feats that are still impressive today. But some people are keeping those traditions alive, as evidenced by this mechanical seven-segment display clock driven by a single stepper motor.

    This clock is truly a work of art. It shows the time across six digits, each of which is a seven-segment display. But those aren’t segments lit by LEDs, they’re physical pieces of plastic. A complex series of gears flips them in and out in the appropriate sequence to display the numeric characters. That is very impressive when you consider that the segments don’t actuate in an order that correlates with the numerical value — the number 4 isn’t simply turning “on” one more segment than the number 3. But even so, the clock progresses through the numbers in order.

    That’s only possible because of the genius mechanical design of the clock. Further increasing the wonder is the fact that the clock and all of its parts were 3D-printed — no precision machining necessary. An Arduino Nano board controls the stepper motor that drives the whole series of gears. That ensures that the motor turns at a constant rate, which is required to keep accurate time.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmxXhfyIY5g?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post A single stepper motor drives this mechanical seven-segment display clock appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • This kinetic light installation illuminates the Finnish snow

    This kinetic light installation illuminates the Finnish snow

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    If you’re ever driving through rural Finland about an hour south of Jyväskylä, you might come across the Haihatus art center. That includes KITA, “the house of kinetic arts.” You’ll recognize it right away by its bold swaths of vibrant paint. And if you come by at night, you’ll see the snow illuminated in dancing colors by a kinetic art installation built by Niklas Roy and Kati Hyyppä.

    Because the building is unheated and can reach temperatures as low as -30°C (-22°F), KITA remains closed through the winter. Roy and Hyyppä approached this project with the goal of turning the building itself into a kinetic art piece for people to enjoy through the cold months. To achieve that, they lit the windows and added movement. Lights inside the building move along tracks and motors pull them with spools of twine. An Arduino Nano development board controls the motors through H-bridge drivers. Various reflectors and filters alter the lights as they move.

    To make that even more dynamic, they animated the illumination and introduced sound. A control box built into an old tool case contains another Arduino Nano that can switch the lights through relays. That Arduino also generates sounds and melodies from algorithms based on random inputs, but synced to the lights. 

    This project came with unique challenges related to the weather, as many electronic components act unpredictably at these extreme temperatures. But the installation worked well enough to unveil on New Year’s Eve 2023, when the people living in the town of Joutsa got to enjoy the dazzling inauguration.

    The post This kinetic light installation illuminates the Finnish snow appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Fostering collaboration in the Global Clubs Partner network

    Fostering collaboration in the Global Clubs Partner network

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    We partner with educational organisations around the world to bring coding activities to young people in their regions through Code Club and CoderDojo. Currently involving 52 organisations in 41 countries, this Global Clubs Partner network shares our passion for empowering kids to create with technology.

    Students in a Code Club run by CSEd Botswana.
    Learners in a Code Club run by CSEd Botswana, one of our Global Clubs Partners.

    A key aspect of how we foster the Global Clubs Partner network is to promote connections between partners. It’s one reason we host regular online meetings and regional in-person events, and connect partners one on one to facilitate information sharing. Today, we’re highlighting three stories from partner organisations that have benefited from working with each other.

    Aruba and the Netherlands

    In March 2023, the Foundation hosted the first Clubs Conference for educators and volunteers involved with Code Club and CoderDojo. As this event took place in Cambridge, UK, the majority of attendees were from the UK and Republic or Ireland, but a small number came from further away. Much further away, in some cases.

    A panel discussion on stage at the Clubs Conference.

    Bruce Harms and his colleague Thanya Croes (Full Stack Vision Foundation, Aruba) were attending the Clubs Conference to share their work to increase digital literacy in Aruba through CoderDojo clubs. At a special conference session for international attendees, they connected with Sanneke van der Meer and Marloes van der Meulen (CoderDojo Netherlands), who were also presenting as part of the session.

    Two people smiling at the camera.
    Thanya and Bruce at the Clubs Conference in 2023.

    After the Clubs Conference, the two organisations remained in touch. Later in the year, Bruce and Thanya attended the DojoCon Netherlands 2023 in the Hague. ”It was an amazing day with great workshops and lots of other CoderDojo Champions”, Bruce said. He and Thanya have plans to invite the CoderDojo Netherlands team to Aruba and hope to collaborate on future projects together. 

    Malawi and Tanzania

    Sylvester Mtumbuka (Computers for Enhanced Education, Malawi) and Mrisho Habibu (AMCET Innovation Hub, Tanzania) first connected at our Global Clubs Partner meetup in Malaysia in late 2022. Sylvester said: “We were the only ones from Africa there and we are from neighbouring countries. We happen to have a lot of goals in common, and we started discussing possible opportunities for collaboration.”

    A group of educators.
    The attendees of the Global Clubs Partner meetup in Malaysia in 2022.

    The result is the Tanzania and Malawi (TaMa) Innovation Initiative, which is dedicated to fostering the educational, technological, and entrepreneurial development of young people in Tanzania and Malawi. It aims to empower young people in under-served communities, offering support for sustainable livelihoods and entrepreneurship, and it is already yielding great results.

    Global Clubs Partners in Africa.
    Sylvester and Mrisho signing their partnership agreement.

    As part of their ongoing partnerships with us, Sylvester and Mrisho attended our Global Clubs Partner meetup in South Africa a year later —  the perfect opportunity to sign their partnership agreement.

    Greece and Portugal

    A chance meeting between Homero Cardoso (TAGUSVALLEY, Portugal) and Manos Zeakis (CoderDojo in Greece) at DojoCon Netherlands 2022 in Almere had unexpected consequences. “We discussed a lot of things, including the difficulty in finding venues for our Dojos in Greece”, Manos said. “Then in October 2023, we met at a Global Clubs Partner call and we talked again. With Homero’s help I contacted a Greek company, and they were immediately enthusiastic about helping us. After a few weeks, the Nea Ionia Dojo was live and the first Ninjas had their first session!”

    Someone presenting to a room of people.
    Manos holds a workshop.

    Homero added: “Getting to know Manos was transformative for me as well. Because of that chance encounter in Almere, this year 7th and 8th grade students are participating in Astro Pi Mission Zero for the first time, mostly due to the inspiring example of Manos’s United Dojos project presented at DojoCon.”

    Could your organisation become a Global Clubs Partner?

    To find out more about our Global Clubs Partner network and how your organisation might get involved, visit the CoderDojo or Code Club websites, or contact us directly about a partnership.

    Website: LINK

  • Mac Mini KVMac16

    Mac Mini KVMac16

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    The right tools

    Ivan values Raspberry P’s modularity which allows him to create unique devices and has previously used various models including Compute Module 4 in his Compute Blade, an energy-efficient alternative to a rack-mounted server. He praises the “relatively cheap minicomputer with a huge community, which greatly lowers the threshold of entry and increases trust”.

    For the Mac Mini KVMac16 project – Ivan describes it as “a console for 16 Mac minis on a shelf that occupies a 6U space in a server rack” – Raspberry Pi is used as a KVM (kernel-based virtual machine) while “the PiKVM HAT is used for video capture and keyboard/mouse command transfer”. Ivan chose Raspberry Pi because it both supports the components and offers long-term software support. He says: “Raspberry Pi 4 with 4GB is easily sufficient for the task”.

    KVMac16 helps get an offline Mac mini back up and running should an update or other issue cause it to be out of action

    As Ivan’s blog explains, should a Mac go down due to a failed update or any another reason, the only way to reboot it is to physically press its power button. This is not something that can be done remotely, and is the issue his KVMac device addresses. “To provide full control, with the ability to completely reinstall the OS, you need to press the power button and there are no other options.” Ivan has created the optimal workaround: a Servo HAT and self-written Python scripts control the servos used to physically push buttons on the Mac mini. He also uses RS232 to control a regular KVM switch from the user interface between a Raspberry Pi PiKVM HAT and 16 Mac minis, through which he can connect to any of them.

    Third time’s a dream

    As Ivan details on his Uplab blog, creating the KVM Mac Mini project involved three different versions, with improvements each time focusing on ease of installation and overall reliability. PiKVM is at the heart of the project, and provides a basic user interface, “but the ability to physically push buttons, and the 16 Mac mini install stand itself, are designed by me from scratch [as were the] custom scripts and UI modifications to give the user full control”.

    Ivan’s “perfect shelf’ for his Mac mini project allows air to circulate while being very robust

    Many of the challenges were because the project uses servos and levers to push buttons on the Mac minis, which need to work with maximum reliability. He started the project from scratch three times and counsels other would-be makers that if you find your project moving in the wrong direction, stop, reappraise and “have the strength to start over from scratch”. Ivan did this twice here, and says it strengthened his project as well as validating the potential for both a four-Mac mini model and a potential CI/CD one (Continuous Integration Continuous Deployment).

    It is just as well that Raspberry Pi proved a good option. Ivan says there are “simply no alternatives. This project was only possible thanks to Raspberry Pi and PiKVM.

  • Controlling 3.6kW of solar EV charging with an Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi

    Controlling 3.6kW of solar EV charging with an Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi

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    The EV (electric vehicle) versus ICE (internal combustion engine) debate is more complicated that it may seem, but one fact is quite simple: it is much easier to generate electricity at home than it is to refine fossil fuels. This means that it is possible power a vehicle for free after the initial investment. But doing so takes quite a lot of hardware, which is why Shawn Murphy developed this charging system controlled by an Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi.

    Murphy owns a Ford Lightning electric pickup truck, which is inefficient by EV standards thanks to its weight. But even at just two miles per kWh of electricity, he estimates that he can break even on the cost of his solar charging system within four to five years. After that, the electricity to power the Ford will, essentially, be free. Any excess energy can power his home or feed back into the grid.

    Just powering the truck alone will require a lot of electricity, so Murphy acquired 10 used 360-watt solar panels. Those feed to a battery backup array, which supplies power to the Ford charging station. 

    To maximize efficiency, Murphy wants the solar panels to pivot on one axis to follow the sun. He estimates that will increase their output by 20-25% throughout the day, which is a significant amount of energy with a solar panel array this large. An Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi board controls the tilt of the panels via linear actuators. Murphy originally used “dumb” actuators, but is switching to “smart” models from Progressive Automations that include positional feedback through Hall effect sensors.

    A GIGA Display Shield gives Murphy access to an interface, which he can also access through the Arduino Cloud. In addition to controlling the linear actuators, the Arduino monitors power generation and consumption.

    This is still a work in progress as Murphy continues to make improvements, but he’s well on his way to “free” energy for his truck.

    The post Controlling 3.6kW of solar EV charging with an Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • This Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi project turns a coffee maker into a more accessible appliance

    This Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi project turns a coffee maker into a more accessible appliance

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    While many of the things we interact with every day have become more usable by people with disabilities, the kitchen remains as one important area of our lives that still lacks many accessibility features. One of these commonplace appliances is the coffee maker and its array of small buttons or even a touchscreen that can be hard to see/touch. Orlie on Instructables has developed a set of wireless buttons and an accompanying receiver that translate simple actions into an easy, end-to-end brewing experience.

    Each button started as a custom 3D-printed shell with compartments for a AA battery holder, large arcade button, and the perfboard that also contained the ESP8266 microcontroller. In this system, the ESP8266 communicates with the Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi board via Wi-Fi and an MQTT message broker running on a host PC. This enables each button to be assigned a unique message that dictates the desired task to be performed.

    At the coffee maker, the GIGA R1 WiFi was wired into a pair of ULN2003 stepper motor driver modules that move a gantry across a set of linear rails and eventually push the corresponding buttons once the correct position has been reached. Ultimately, this allows for those with less mobility and/or dexterity to select what they want from anywhere in the house — all over Wi-Fi.

    To see how this project was built in greater detail, you can read Orlie’s write-up here on Instructables.

    The post This Arduino GIGA R1 WiFi project turns a coffee maker into a more accessible appliance appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • NVMe Base review

    NVMe Base review

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Before attaching the NVMe Base to the underside of Raspberry Pi 5 using the supplied standoff kit – demonstrated in Pimoroni’s installation video – you’ll want to insert your NVMe SSD stick into the Base’s M.2 key slot. The board is long enough to accommodate 2280 size SSDs, and has mounting holes for this plus 2230, 2242, and 2260 drives – so you can secure it with a bolt and nut.

    Securing the Base

    The next step is to attach M2.5 standoffs to the top of the Base using the four mounting holes. The kit helpfully includes both short and long bolts – the latter are useful if you want to securely mount another HAT on top of Raspberry Pi 5.

    The NVMe Base comes with a standoffs kit, flat flexible PCIe cable, and four rubber feet

    Connecting the Base’s PCIe slot with the one on Raspberry Pi 5 is done using a small, flat S-shaped cable that flexes and has labels to help you orient it correctly – the end for the Base is slightly wider, at 18 pins. It’s easier to connect Raspberry Pi 5’s PCIe slot first, then the Base’s, due to the latter’s less fiddly flip tab. You can then fold the flexible cable over so the Base is underneath Raspberry Pi 5 to form a sandwich, before using a small screwdriver and bolts to secure it. The only downside is that the extra height means it won’t fit in a standard case.

    With the hardware installed, you’re ready to start using your SSD… that is, once you’ve checked that your system is up to date and you have the latest bootloader version selected in raspi-config: Advanced Options > Bootloader Version > Latest, then select ‘No’ and reboot. The drive should then appear in the /media directory, and be shown by the lsblk command. If not, make sure it is formatted (you can use Raspberry Pi Imager).

    Drive compatibility

    While the majority of NVMe M.2 drives should work fine, Pimoroni’s product page notes that a few models have quirks or have proved troublesome. The safest option is to choose a tested model listed there, or purchase the NVMe Base bundled with a compatible 250GB or 500GB SSD.

    The slimline NVMe Base fits snugly under Raspberry Pi 5, secured by bolts and standoffs

    Raspberry Pi 5 officially only supports the Gen 2.0 version of PCIe, but adding an extra line to /boot/config.txt will force Gen 3.0 for extra speed. In our tests, using the dd command, we achieved a write speed of 514MB/s and a read speed of 858MB/s. While far from our SSD’s maximum (due to only using one of its PCIe lanes), it’s still many times faster than microSD (typically around 30MB/s write, 90MB/s read), and also better than an SSD connected via speed-limiting USB. Check out Pimoroni’s own tests on various SSDs at.

    You’ll want to make Raspberry Pi 5 boot from the SSD instead of the microSD card. This is easily achieved by writing the OS to it with Raspberry Pi Imager and then selecting Advanced Options > Boot Order > NVMe in raspi-config. For our drive, this cut around four seconds from the average boot time. We also noticed that some apps, such as Chromium, seemed a little snappier.

    Verdict

    9/10

    A slimline adapter that sits neatly under Raspberry Pi 5 and enables fast PCIe read/write speeds with a suitable SSD

  • Motion control interface facilitates robot operation for those with paralysis

    Motion control interface facilitates robot operation for those with paralysis

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Henry Evans suffered a brain-stem stroke 20 years ago that left him paralyzed with quadriplegia. He can move his head, but other than a small amount of movement in his left thumb, he can’t control the rest of his body. To help Evans live a more independent life, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science developed a motion control interface that lets him operate a mobile robot.

    The robot is a Stretch model from Hello Robot, which can navigate a home on its mobile base, interact with objects using its arm and gripper, and provide a live view through a pair of cameras (one on its head and one on its gripper). But this telepresence robot doesn’t have any provisions for operation by a person with quadriplegia like Evans. That’s where the SCS team came in.

    They created a head-worn motion control interface consisting of an Arduino Nano board, a Bosch BNO055 IMU and an HC-05 Bluetooth module. The Arduino monitors Evans’s head movement with the IMU, then sends cursor movement commands over Bluetooth to the computer running the software that controls the Stretch robot. That lets Evans move the cursor on the screen, and then he can click a mouse button thanks to the limited movement of his left thumb.

    During a week-long testing session, Evans successfully used this system to perform many tasks around his home. He was able to use the robot to pick up tissues and bring them to his face, and even to adjust the blinds on his bedroom window. Clever “Drivers Assistance” software lets the robot operate semi-autonomously in order to complete tasks that would have been difficult for Evans to accomplish through manual control.

    While the Stretch robot is expensive at about $25,000 dollars, the HAT (Head-worn Assistive Teleoperation) control interface is affordable. This is just a prototype, but a device like this could help many people around the world living with quadriplegia and other conditions that affect motor control.  

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuQKCFJ3-V8?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post Motion control interface facilitates robot operation for those with paralysis appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Opta: Enhanced cybersecurity after HWG Sababa’s testing

    Opta: Enhanced cybersecurity after HWG Sababa’s testing

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Connecting machines and equipment to the internet became easier than ever when we launched the Arduino Opta micro PLC, enabling real-time control, monitoring, predictive maintenance and more – in industries ranging from smart agriculture to large-scale manufacturing to building automation. 

    Supporting our well-known Arduino sketch programming experience and any of the five IEC 61131-3 PLC standard languages, the Opta was designed to be powerful yet easy to use from the start – as well as highly secure. Indeed, the Opta supports OTA firmware updates and ensures data security from the hardware to the Cloud thanks to the physical onboard secure element and X.509 Standard compliance. 

    In addition, as part of the go-to-market for this innovative hardware solution, we actively committed to verifying its security against the threats posed by cyberattacks. 

    To this end, in late 2023 we started a collaboration with global cybersecurity provider HWG Sababa: their Offensive Team engaged in a penetration test that lasted weeks, assessing Opta’s security posture and pinpointing any weaknesses. Their meticulous report allowed us to remedy any vulnerabilities before they became actual issues, and now we are proud to say the Opta is more secure than ever.

    The software patches and configuration updates we carried out are part of our ongoing commitment to providing you the most robust solutions on the market in every respect – including against ever-evolving cyber threats. The rigorous testing process and following activities our team completed only confirms Opta as an ideal candidate for any industrial automation project you have in mind. 

    To find out more about the testing process itself, check out the case study published by HWG Sababa. 

    The post Opta: Enhanced cybersecurity after HWG Sababa’s testing appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Troubleshooting Raspberry Pi in The MagPi magazine #139

    Troubleshooting Raspberry Pi in The MagPi magazine #139

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Solve new problems with our Raspberry Pi Troubleshooting Guide 2024

    Raspberry Pi Troubleshooting Guide 2024

    Raspberry Pi star PJ Evans wants to sit you down, hand you a tissue and ask how he can help. This month’s cover feature is jam-packed with advice. From power supply issues to video errors, audio problems, networking, and more. 

    Take part in 2024's #MonthOfMaking event and build something remarkable

    #MonthOfMaking 2024

    Every March we enter #MonthOfMaking, where we all come together to build incredible things and share them with one another. This month, we’ve scoured for the most extravagant and elaborate projects out there – genuine Rube Goldberg devices that utilize Raspberry Pi to produce unique DIY projects!

    Add an M.2 drive to Raspberry Pi 5 with NVMe Base

    NVME SSD Drive options

    The PCIe port on Raspberry Pi 5 is perfect for adding super-fast, and super-large, SSD drives. It’s a huge upgrade from the microSD card and we’ve got the first of two pieces of kit in for testing: Argon ONE V3 M.2 case and NVME Base. With two very different approaches to providing SSD storage, we put each device to a full test.

    This interactive climbing wall uses Raspberry Pi to light up the way

    The best projects! Like PeggyBoard

    Every month we strive to cover the very best of Raspberry Pi’s amazing community. One of our standout projects this month is Pegor Karolglanian’s PeggyBoard. This incredible climbing wall features LEDs to provide interactive routes and help train climbers. 

    Yet Another Flux Capacitor uses a digital screen to replicate the prop from Back to the Future

    YAFC Flux Capacitor

    Great Scott! It’s “Yet Another Flux Capacitor” built with the power of Raspberry Pi. Ambrogio Galbusera’s Flux Capacitor recreates the energy flow using a video screen, rather than the LED strips found in other projects. 

    One maker built a fully-working giant SNES controller with Raspberry Pi and custom PCB boards

    SNES XL

    Sometimes the very best projects are a little daft! Like this gigantic (but fully working) SNES controller. Inside is a Raspberry Pi so you can play games, and each button has its own custom-built PCB board.

    Turn an old Sonos speaker into a super-smart SOMA FM radio player

    Upcycle a Sonos

    Raspberry Pi is ideal for upcycling kit (rescuing old equipment that is no longer supported). PJ has taken an old Sonos speaker and used Raspberry Pi to turn it into a SOMA FM radio player. He walks you step-by-step through the process.

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

  • New Portenta Machine Control library boosts industrial project performance

    New Portenta Machine Control library boosts industrial project performance

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    At Arduino, we’re committed to providing developers with tools that make the coding process smooth and efficient. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce the new Arduino_PortentaMachineControl library, an upgraded version designed to replace the deprecated Arduino_MachineControl library. It comes with a number of improvements, from a revamped structure to enhanced documentation, making it easier than ever to manage the features of the Arduino Portenta Machine Control.

    Don’t know the Arduino Portenta Machine Control? It’s a versatile industrial control unit offering soft-PLC control, diverse I/O options, and flexible network connectivity. For more information about this product, visit the dedicated page.

    What you’ll find in the new library

    • Enhanced library structure: We restructured the library to improve its organization, making it more intuitive. This ensures that you can quickly locate and utilize the functions you need for your projects. 
    • Easier-to-understand names: We standardized function and class names for better consistency and readability. This change ensures a clearer and more understandable codebase. 
    • Optimized efficiency: We eliminated unnecessary functions, decluttering the library and focusing on the essential features needed for effective machine control. 
    • Refreshed and clearer examples: You’ll find reworked examples to showcase the library’s capabilities, providing a better demonstration of the board’s features and of their usage.

    User manual and migration tutorial

    But that’s not all! Alongside the library, we’re excited to release the official user manual for the Arduino Portenta Machine Control: an essential and in-depth guide to all the board’s features, readily available to all users.

    In addition – knowing that transitioning from the old Arduino_MachineControl library might pose some challenges – we’ve prepared a detailed migration tutorial to guide you seamlessly through the process. Make the switch confidently and take advantage of the improved functionality offered by the new library!

    And if that’s not enough, we’ve also included additional technical documentation with the library, ensuring that you have all the information you need to benefit from its new and improved capabilities.

    Ready to elevate your industrial product?

    Download the Arduino_PortentaMachineControl library through the Arduino IDE library manager or directly from the GitHub repository.

    Don’t forget to explore the user manual and the migration tutorial to make the most of the new features.

    We’re excited to see how this library empowers your projects and takes your Arduino development to new heights. Happy coding!

    The post New Portenta Machine Control library boosts industrial project performance appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Win! One of five Argon ONE V3 cases!

    Win! One of five Argon ONE V3 cases!

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  • The Hardware-Oriented Microprocessor Simulator illustrates the inner workings of microcontrollers

    The Hardware-Oriented Microprocessor Simulator illustrates the inner workings of microcontrollers

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Do you really understand what is happening within the mysterious black packaging of a microcontroller or microprocessor? Most people don’t — we just learn how to use them. That’s because they’re wildly complex circuits combining many different subsystems that are all abstracted away from the view of the user. To help students better understand these integrated circuits (ICs), Dr. Panayotis Papazoglou designed the Hardware-Oriented Microprocessor Simulator (HOMS). 

    Dr. Papazoglou is an associate professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), so he has a stake in creating an educational tool like this one. The goal of HOMS is to provide a visual and tactile demonstration of what happens inside an eight-bit microprocessor. For example, it will show a value moving from a counter to a memory register. That’s something that is difficult to visualize when using a microprocessor, even if you’re working close to “the metal” in assembly. 

    HOMS is a modular system, so students can experiment with blocks that represent different subsystem circuits within a microprocessor. Each module has an Arduino UNO Rev3 board to control its own functions, with all of the modules working under the coordination of a central Arduino Mega 2560 controller. One module may, for instance, represent memory and will show the data “written” to it on a display. Another module may have buttons and switches to allow user input.

    There are software simulation tools that seek to illustrate computing fundamentals in a similar way, but many people learn better through physical interaction. For those people, HOMS could be very helpful.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM6FMw1mrSM?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

    The post The Hardware-Oriented Microprocessor Simulator illustrates the inner workings of microcontrollers appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Not bigger, just better: Introducing the Nano 33 BLE Rev2

    Not bigger, just better: Introducing the Nano 33 BLE Rev2

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    The Nano 33 BLE is one of our most popular boards, and for good reason. It’s small and 3.3-V-compatible; it comes with an embedded nine-axis IMU featuring accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer; it has a powerful processor; it offers a powerful Bluetooth® Low Energy module with an internal antenna that can be used to transmit data between different devices using the ArduinoBLE library; and it can be programmed with MicroPython. 

    It’s basically everything you need for projects that span from wearable to advanced robotics. 

    So, why work on making it better?

    Because we listen to our community, that’s why. And based on your requests, we’ve come up with improvements to enhance your experience with a revised iteration of the Arduino Nano 33 BLE with a newly integrated IMU to expand experimentation possibilities, and a streamlined PCB design to grant easy access to essential features.

    And here is exactly what you can find in the new Rev2, compared to its predecessor:

    • It has a combination of two IMUs (BMI270 six-axis IMU plus BMM150 three-axis IMU) instead of a single, nine-axis one.
    • While retaining the compact form factor, the new Nano 33 BLE Rev2 incorporates new pads and test points for USB, SWDIO, and SWCLK, making it easier to access these crucial points on the board.
    • We introduced a new VUSB soldering jumper on the top side, allowing you to conveniently enable the VUSB pin while using the castellated pins.
    • In addition, the Nano 33 BLE Rev2 transitions the power supply component to the MP2322 to guarantee increased performance. 

    These updates collectively contribute to a more streamlined and robust device, ready for you to test and build just about any IoT project – and more. For example, the Nano 33 BLE Rev2 is still ideal to control RGB LEDs over Bluetooth®, using an app on your phone, and supports OpenMV’s fork of MicroPython. 

    If you already know the Nano 33 BLE from its first revision, you can easily migrate your sketches to use them with the new and improved version: if you need help, just follow our dedicated tutorial.

    After the launch of the Nano ESP32 earlier this year, it’s the perfect addition to the “tiny footprint, mighty features” family that has proven time and time again that we can ramp up features and performance while scaling down size. Don’t believe us? Check out the classic Arduino Nano or upgrade to the Nano 33 BLE Sense Rev2 if you want to include a complete set of sensors, too. 

    For full tech specs, tutorials and inspiration on the Nano 33 BLE Rev2, head to the dedicated Arduino Docs page. Ready to get your own? The Nano 33 BLE with headers and without headers are now available on our Store.

    With headers
    Without headers

    The post Not bigger, just better: Introducing the Nano 33 BLE Rev2 appeared first on Arduino Blog.

    Website: LINK

  • Black role models in tech are making history every day

    Black role models in tech are making history every day

    Reading Time: 5 minutes

    It’s the last week of Black History Month 2024 in the USA, but by no means is the celebration over. The beautiful thing about history is that it’s not an isolated narrative about the past, but an ongoing dialogue in which we talk about how our collective past informs our present, and what more can be achieved in the future. The fact is this: we make history every single day. That’s why it’s so important for everyone to actively engage with history, and for us to celebrate the achievements of all.

    A young person with their project at a Coolest Projects event.

    When we talk about the history of STEM and computing, it’s necessary to highlight the achievements of people from groups that are still underrepresented in these fields: communities of colour, female and gender non-conforming people, people with disabilities, and underresourced communities. When we highlight their achievements, everyone can gain a fuller understanding of this history, and more young people from these groups can see they have a place in these fields and in moving them forward. 

    [When young kids of colour help inform the technology they use,] we end up with technology that is more inclusive to diverse communities […], and we help the kids become creators instead of just consumers.

    Qumisha Goss

    So to keep the conversation going about Black history in STEM and computing and how people make it every day, today we’re highlighting stories of Black community members. You’ll find out how they got involved in coding and creating with technology, and who their Black role models in tech are — past and present.

    Community spotlight: Qumisha Goss

    Meet Qumisha Goss, a brilliant source of inspiration and a shining light for youth in the ‘Motor City’ of Detroit, Michigan, USA.

    A smiling woman.

    Growing up, Qumisha always had an interest in tech, often tinkering and putting projects together, and her interest quickly transformed into a dream of becoming an engineer one day. Fast forward to now, and Qumisha has done exactly that and so much more.

    She’s the Interim Executive Director of Peer 2 Peer University, the Digital Literacy Subject Matter Expert for Connect 313, the Creator and Lead Instructor of Code Grow, and a Raspberry Pi Certified Educator. Talk about impact! We asked Qumisha a few questions to explore her incredible story and to learn how she’s giving back to her community today: 

    Which Black individuals have helped pave the way for you?

    Qumisha: “When I was a kid, my grandmas, Gloria and Cassandra, helped my brother and I make a shrinking machine out of a cardboard box, some batteries, and some lights. There was a minimum of science used, but my grandma swapped out our test ear of corn for a baby corn and my curiosity was rewarded with success. In elementary school, my ‘hero’ was Mae Carol Jemison, engineer, doctor, and astronaut. She was the first African American woman to go to space, in 1992 on the Endeavor. I found someone who looked like me who was doing something that I wanted to do, and that was encouraging.”

    Two young people using laptops at a Code Club session.

    Why is it important to encourage diversity in tech?

    Qumisha: “It’s important that young kids of colour help inform the technology that they use. The benefits are twofold: we end up with technology that is more inclusive to diverse communities because it is informed by them, and we help the kids become creators instead of just consumers.”

    How did you find your way into tech?

    Qumisha: “I eventually went to college to study engineering. I ended up switching majors and studying history and classical languages, but later returned to the tech world when I joined the Python and Raspberry Pi communities. I learned how to code outside of a traditional classroom and have been running physical computing classes and workshops for kids in my hometown of Detroit.”

    A Coolest Projects participant

    How do you believe your work is paving the way for more Black excellence in tech?

    Qumisha: “Even if kids don’t stick with it, they learn that coding — and lots of things — are not beyond them. The next Bill Gates might be sitting on the library stoop. The difference between them being able to make it or not is: ‘Did they ever get the opportunity to touch the thing that really sparks their genius?’ And for me, I want to help as many kids as possible interact with tech in a fun and engaging way so that they know that they can be technologists too.”

    The difference between [kids] being able to make it or not is: ‘Did they ever get the opportunity to touch the thing that really sparks their genius?’

    Qumisha Goss

    To connect with Qumisha and learn how you can support the incredible, history-making work that she’s doing, follow her on X at @QatalystGoss.

    Keep reading to meet more Black history makers across the USA, and to find resources to learn how you can help increase diversity in the technology sector in your community.  

    Ways to continue celebrating Black history

    Explore our research seminars for educators who want to learn how to make computer science more accessible to all.

    Listen to the stories of other Black community members who are making history all over the US. Siblings Sophia and Sebastian, researcher Randi Williams, and aspiring filmmaker Jordan chatted to us about their interest in coding, tech, and getting creative with digital tools.

    At Coolest Projects, a group of people explore a coding project.

    Try out one of our guided projects for young people to get creative with tech. Check out Coolest Projects, our free online showcase for young tech creators, and how you can get young people involved. 

    And if you want to share the story of how you got into tech and how you’re inspiring kids to do the same, reach out to us on social media so we can amplify your voice. 

    Happy Black History Month!

    Website: LINK

  • 9 new Android features to help you stay productive9 new Android features to help you stay productiveSr. Director

    9 new Android features to help you stay productive9 new Android features to help you stay productiveSr. Director

    Reading Time: < 1 minute

    6. View your health, wellness and fitness data in one place

    See a more complete picture of your health right in the redesigned Fitbit app through Health Connect — with data from your favorite wearables and apps like AllTrails, Oura Ring and MyFitnessPal. In the Fitbit app on your Android phone, head to the You tab to see data from connected apps next to your Fitbit data. And in the Today tab, you can see data like exercise, steps, calories burned, floors climbed and distance traveled from Health Connect-compatible apps.

    Website: LINK