Raspberry-pi

[Lessss]

Is anyone using a Raspberry-pi to monitor their batteries act as a speedometer etc??

[youtube]zd3hn9q1vhw[/youtube]

 

[velias]

why would they? sounds like a stupid thing to use to do that.

 

[garfong]

It's a computer that costs $35. It's more powerful than an arduino. Others could probably comment on the pro and cons of this vs an arduino better than I.

 

[spinningmagnets]

I'm not tech-savvy enough to understand what a tiny cheap computer could be made to do, but I recently found a short article on how to put the parts together to make a paper-back book sized laptop for only $340-ish (using a cars 3-1/2 inch DVD screen, 7-inch screen available for $20 more).

It uses a solid-state memory chipset for 64-GB of storage, and the battery would last 10 hours, and it includes WiFi and Bluetooth. The HDMI port allows you to plug it into a larger computer screen or a TV. If you like watching Hulu or Netflix, a disc drive is no longer needed to watch entertainment.

Perhaps it could function as a generic linux-based smart-phone?

http://blog.parts-people.com/2012/1...i-computer-build-your-own-portable-rpi-to-go/

 

[circuitsmith]

The Arduino has an A/D converter and D/A PWM channels built in.
Does the Raspberry?
It (Rapberry) has a lot of stuff not needed for an embedded system.

 

[spinningmagnets]

This is what I'm trying to wrap my head around. What possibilities are the Arduino best for, and what is the R-Pi useful for? I have no idea what could be done with either of them.

edit: found an Arduino projects list and "how to", also found the same for R-Pi:

http://blog.makezine.com/arduino/

http://blog.makezine.com/category/electronics/raspberry-pi/

 

[dm9876]

Raspberry-Pi (RP) has some general purpose I/O but not like Arduino (no analog inputs if I recall)... but it is orders of magnitude more powerful and runs Linux (compiled for ARM cpu architecture so not 100% of Linux stuff can be re purposed here, since most is compiled for x86 architecture and some cannot be easily recompiled), whereas Arduino has no operating system as such.

you can always team them up and use an Arduino as an I/O module for the Pi

So if your application is more in the computer domain where you want to leverage all the standard libraries etc, then RP is not a bad choice. There are alternatives out there, but the popularity of the RP has reached a critical mass in a similar way that the Arduino has in the land of DIY micro-controllers.

One application I am thinking of (though actually I will not use the RP if I ever get around to it). is like a Cycle Analyst but with no display... you would run a web server on the RP with a wifi-dongle and it would act like a wifi access point... connect your phone to the wifi access point and access the web page of your electric vehicle to view realtime + historical performance data / configuration data etc.

Dean

 

[TheBeastie]

I was quite interested in the r-Pi for a while as I was looking at the idea of running a cheap low power tweakable security camera for my shed. With Linux+USB webcam+ "Motion" linux program that is a very script friendly program that can monitor for movement and send an email/sms etc of a photo or video of what your USB cam sees.

Anyway I thought r-PI would be the best solution for it but at least for version 1 it lacked a few things like a decent CPU, 1GB RAM, Wifi etc.
I was going to order one and saw on forums how people were complaining how they been waiting for ever to receive theirs which is just another downside.
Then I noticed all these computers on a USB stick with Andriod on them for around $50 that often have dual core CPU etc. So Rasperry-pi while cheapest for a few dollars more you can get quite a powerful dualcore setup that is just more convenient to work with etc. Merely skip a macca's drive thru one day and your be streets ahead.....
This one I have been eyeing. very small and fully featured: http://dx.com/p/mk808-dual-core-android-4-1-1-google-tv-player-w-1gb-ram-8gb-rom-wi-fi-tf-hdmi-961160535?utm_source=dx&utm_medium=edm&utm_campaign=20130104hd-media-players

But there are a ton of them out there.
http://dx.com/c/eu-au-direct-100099/au-direct-stocking-100003/consumer-electronics-100103/hd-media-players-100106

 

[Lessss]

smaller pic of what was posted

The reason for the back orders is they sold much much faster than expected with a high back order demand. they are shipping.

 

[dm9876]

@TheBeastie, that's the sort of platform I was planning to use, mainly due to built in Wi-fi etc. Yeah I forgot to mention that the RP, while more powerful than an Arduino is weak by PC standards. Those USB form factor Android pc's are much better. You should note that the MK808 while dual core / more powerful than MK802, The MK802 apparently has better linux compatibility (google Allwinner A10 vs Rockchip RK3066)... if your sticking with the Android ROM built in then its ok.

note that there are a few variants of the MK802 too (ram etc)

http://tabletrepublic.com/forum/mk802/mk802-mk802-mk802-ii-comparison-2781.html

Dean

 

[spinningmagnets]

Fun 4-page article on the R-Pi, provides some insight into the capabilities.

http://www.zdnet.com/we-thought-wed-sell-1000-the-inside-story-of-the-raspberry-pi-7000009718/

 

[endomorphosis]

I have both a raspberry pi (android capable), and an arduino + USB shield (android capable). I would like to do the programming to perhaps use an arduino instead of an CA, but I'm still assembling my bike, and I dont even have a functioning controller yet, much less the money to afford a fancy one with CA abilities yet.

if someone has a 36v controller with CA functions they would be willing to sell me on the cheap, I will get to programming it after I've assembled my bike, and would open source all the code and designs.

I have also been fascinated with the idea of both autobalancing a bike using a motor with weight on the back, and doing autonomous driving sorts of things with my htc EVO 3D, extrapolating point cloud data to find the lane and correlate with GPS directions, and eventually use some vehicle data figure out how to steer the vehicle.

However this is probably at least another $2k out of my price range right now, not to speak of the development hours that its going to take to do it.

 

[endomorphosis]

Also i should mention, the android computer, raspberry pi, and arduino are meant for different things.

Arduino is a low power SOC, which is capable of running on a micro-amps, and great at collecting simple data, and sending signals to other devices .

Raspberry pi: is a fully funtional computer, that also has a pluggable bus which goes with a gertboard, and is great for doing complex DSP type stuff

android stick computer: consumer device with USB functionality, which can control an arduino or other USB host devices, also can run ubuntu based code and binaries.

 

[Lessss]

Ok got my pi but the power cable needed is not what I thought it is. I have two that look similar but are a little too big. Crap and my bike is out of commission.

 

[spinningmagnets]

R-Pi now has a $25 camera option...

http://arstechnica.com/information-...veil-camera-issue-challenge-to-photographers/

 

[spinningmagnets]

http://arstechnica.com/information-...-pi-into-tor-proxy-and-wireless-access-point/

The do-it-yourselfers at Adafruit have provided step-by-step instructions for turning a Raspberry Pi into a Tor proxy and wireless access point. A good project for users looking to anonymize their Internet traffic, "Onion Pi" requires just a Raspberry Pi, a few standard peripherals, and some work in the command line.

You'll need a Pi (of course), an Ethernet cable, a Wi-Fi adapter with an antenna, an SD card loaded with the Raspbian operating system, and a power supply.

 

[TheBeastie]

R-Pi now has a $25 camera option...

http://arstechnica.com/information-...veil-camera-issue-challenge-to-photographers/

Great!
I think there is a huge market for small DIY security cameras that email off to gmail etc some pics or short video based on motion detection that is half smart. Every home should have this at their entry etc.
Its 5 megapixel as well, impressive.
Security cameras seem to be one of the biggest rip off devices for the price you pay these days, (when you consider the price of smart phones and consumer super megapixel cameras/video recorders) hopefully the R-Pi can finally crush this problem away.

 

[Teh Stork]

ON topic: A microprocessor (RPI) shouldn't be used for an application where a microcontroller(Arduino, AVR, PIC etc) is needed.

(Seriously; you're discussing cameras, Wifi and internet encryption in a BMS thread.)

 

[TheBeastie]

ON topic: A microprocessor (RPI) shouldn't be used for an application where a microcontroller(Arduino, AVR, PIC etc) is needed.

(Seriously; you're discussing cameras, Wifi and internet encryption in a BMS thread.)

Well I was also thinking along the lines that if its going to be on the bike for speedometer and battery monitor the camera could be used as a bike video recorder etc, why have multiple devices when the R-Pi can do it all. I don't see why basic microcontrollers must be used in specific places, I am sure it started the same way with watches and phones, but since CPUs are so cheap and draw so little power they have become practical any many more places.

 

[friendly1uk]

I'm waiting for a camera solution that will record at some lowly resolution like HD, but upon seeing a registration plate will take a decent still. We have the technology, but the cameras we get for recording on the road are useless. You can see a car hit you, but can't read it's registration.

 

[Lessss]

@teh stork
No they have the right topic

Is anyone using a Raspberry-pi to monitor their batteries act as a speedometer etc??

 

[etriker]

A good ebike ride data log would have to include video ?

Play back that ride and be able to see all the data with the video, on your Android phone ?

 

[spinningmagnets]

Raspberry Pi competitors:

$65 Imagination Technologies, MIPS Creator C120
https://www.electricbike.com/lightning-rods-mid-drive-kit/

$45 Hummingboard
http://gizmodo.com/raspberry-pi-has-a-tiny-45-pc-competitor-1599677115

$45 BeagleBone Black
http://makezine.com/magazine/how-to-choose-the-right-platform-raspberry-pi-or-beaglebone-black/

$99-$129 Minnowboard Max
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/04/01/intel_announces_minnowboard_max/

Arduino Uno
http://codeduino.com/tutorials/arduino-vs-raspberry-pi/

CuBox
http://www.bitrebels.com/technology/cubox-pc-pocket-computer/

Allwinner A10
http://rhombus-tech.net/allwinner_a10/

Intel Galileo
http://www.mouser.com/applications/open-source-hardware-galileo-pi/

LinkIt One
http://www.seeedstudio.com/blog/2014/10/31/linkit-one-vs-edison-vs-raspberry-pi-vs-beaglebone-black/

 

[spinningmagnets]

Raspberry Pi now available with a 6X faster chip:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/02/02/raspberry_pi_model_2/

 

[ohzee]

I love the raspberry pi's. I use them as movie players and video cameras which they excel at epecially for their price point.

This is a pretty good writeup on how to use motion (an app you install to take video/picture) and use a raspberry pi as a nice video camera
with recording capabilities.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Raspberry-Pi-as-low-cost-HD-surveillance-camera/