Description :
A Raspberry Pi is a single-board computer i.e. it has a processor, R.A.M, I/O and other features that a computer is required to have on a single circuit board. It does not have a long term memory of its own so instead it uses a SD card for that purpose.
The Raspberry Pi is extensively used in portable appliances. Moreover, since it is programmable and can control devices, it can be moulded in to some very exciting gadgets. Herein you will find some creative examples of using a raspberry pi in some cool projects.
1. Control Things Around The Home With Remote Control Raspberry Pi
What is better than controlling all the appliances in the house without getting up from your comfortable sofa? Just imagine how annoying it is to wake up in the morning and realise you left the lights and the fan on, or when someone asks you to turn off the water pump in the lawn while you are watching an intense major league baseball match. That hurts big-time!
Here is the solution to all such ‘getting up and do work’ problems. Thanks to the miniaturized computer, and a simple combo of hardware cum software, you can sit back and relax all day long with your remote control, cleverly avoiding trivial work stuff. For this project items needed are :
- Raspberry pi
- Programmable remote control
- Remote control switches
- Lego pieces (to make your Raspberry Pi look cool)
2. Remote Control Raspberry Pi Boat Another interesting idea is a remote control boat
There’s no need to mention how much fun you can have with a project of this type playing with it in a local pond or swimming pool.This might be considered a project for the big kids, but the reality is that engineers are working on a drone water vessel called FishPi to sail on the Atlantic Ocean and collect data. So it may not be long before there is a prototype model for this project.
How a motor can be controlled by a Raspberry Pi? For this purpose a USB controlled motor driver is necessary and it needs to be configured to the projects needs. Other than the controller, two small DC motors are needed; one for the propeller and the other for controlling the direction of the propeller. The wattage of motors depends on how large the vessel is going to be. You can command the direction of the boat using a low-profile Wi-Fi dongle but the key component is of course the Raspberry Pi.
3. Physical Gmail Notifier
Now there’s no need to be in front of the PC to know that a new email has arrived. Get notified about the newly received mail through the physical email notifier. All this cool gadget needs is :
- An LED
- A GPIO(General Purpose Input/Output) module
- Internet enabled raspberry pi
- Software required : Python
Configure GPIO with one Gmail account using Python, with GPIO-pin status as true if email is received, else status should be false. Connect GPIO output pins with terminals of LED. The LED will glow if a new inbox message has been received.
Of course some intricate electronic components are involved in each of these projects but as they say, “Well begun is half done” and projects begin with ideas. It doesn’t end here…you too can think of some creative ideas and with some effort you can achieve something great. Just a little brain storming is needed and you’re off!
We managed to get a Raspberry Pi computer on its first release in February from Premier Farnell Element 14. This has kicked off an avid obsession into exploring its capabilities and the creativity of others in the Raspberry Pi community.
*by andreascy*
