Raspberry Pi | The Future Tech

Now-a-days, computer is not only a luxury but also a necessity for every person in today’s world. Raspberry pi is a credit-card sized computer aimed at providing a computer to every person in the world. Raspberry Pi is intended to provide a base on which kids can learn programming while enthusiasts can do different types of commercial programming. It serves as an efficient base due to its low cost and the number of interfaces available. The Raspberry Pi can be used instead of a personal computer, but with some limitations due to its limited processing power.

INTRODUCTION

At this point the Raspberry Pi is a modern legend. This series of tiny, low-powered computers provides an inexpensive and relatively easy base for electronics projects – everything from a tiny web server to an actual spaceship. Here are some of the fascinating, weird, and wonderful ways that creative engineers and programmers have put the Raspberry Pi to use.

The Raspberry Pi is a low cost, credit-card sized single board developed at United Kingdom. It was designed and manufactured by Raspberry Pi Foundation from UK with the intention of stimulating the teaching of basic computer science in schools students and every other person interested in computer hardware, programming and DIY (Do-it Yourself) projects. It acts like a computer when plugs into a computer monitor or TV, and uses a standard keyboard and mouse.

It has been ready for public consumption since 2012 with the idea of making a low-cost educational microcomputer for students and children. The main purpose of designing the raspberry pi board is to encourage learning, experimentation and innovation for school level students. The raspberry pi board is a portable and low cost. Maximum of the raspberry pi computers is used in mobile phones. It enables people of all ages to explore computing, learn programming languages like Python and can be used for many tasks that a computer does, like games, browsing internet, word processing, spreadsheets and also playing video.The Raspberry Pi is manufactured in three board configurations through licensed manufacturing deals with Newark element14 (Premier Farnell), RS Components and Egoman. These companies sell the Raspberry Pi online.

THE CREATION OF PI

The idea behind a tiny and affordable computer for kids came in 2006, when Eben Upton, Rob Mullins, Jack Lang and Alan Mycroft, based at the University of Cambridge’s Computer Laboratory, became concerned about the year-on-year decline in the numbers and skills levels of the A Level students applying to read Computer Science. From a situation in the 1990s where most of the kids applying were coming to interview as experienced hobbyist programmers, the landscape in the 2000s was very different; a typical applicant might only have done a little web design.

HISTORY

In 2006, early concepts of the Raspberry Pi were based on the Atmel ATmega644 microcontroller. Its schematics and PCB layout are publicly available. Foundation trustee Eben Upton assembled a group of teachers, academics and computer enthusiasts to devise a computer to inspire children. The computer is inspired by Acorn's BBC Micro of 1981. Model A, Model B and Model B+ are references to the original models of the British educational BBC Micro computer, developed by Acorn Computers. The first ARM prototype version of the computer was mounted in a package the same size as a USB memory stick. It had a USB port on one end and an HDMI port on the other.

HARDWARE

In the above block diagram for model A, B, A+, B+; model A and A+ have the lowest two blocks and the rightmost block missing (note that these three blocks are in a chip that actually contains a three-port USB hub, with a USB Ethernet adapter connected to one of its ports). In model A and A+ the USB port is connected directly to the SoC. On model B+ the chip contains a five point hub, with four USB ports fed out, instead of the two on model B.General purpose input-output (GPIO) connector.Raspberry Pi 1 Models A+ and B+, Pi 2 Model B, Pi 3 Model B and Pi Zero GPIO J8 have a 40-pin pin out. Models A and B have only the first 26 pins.

Operating systems

The Raspberry Pi primarily uses Raspbian, a Debian-based Linux operating system. Other third party operating systems available via the official website include Ubuntu MATE, Snappy Ubuntu Core, Windows 10 IoT Core, RISC OS and specialized distributions for the Kodi media center and classroom management.

Many other operating systems can also run on the Raspberry Pi.

ADVANTAGES

(a) It is credit-card sized single board computer.

(b) Due to its low cost, it is affordable.

(c) Due to its size, it can be hidden anywhere, behind television sets, within walls etc.

(d) It provides high performance.

(e) It provides basic computer functions like word processing, web browsing etc.

APPLICATIONS

Applications of raspberry pi technology are as follows:

(a) Used in programming concepts and hardware interfacing.

(b) Used for making digital photo frames, tablets etc.

(c) Used in robotics for controlling motions, sensors, etc.

(d) Can be used in creating and handling of small servers.

(e) Used in voice activated coffee machine.

(f) Used in automated system to detect leakage from microwave oven.

CONCLUSION

This article gives us the detail knowledge about raspberry pi technology. Also that raspberry pi is an innovative product which is available in market at a low cost. Due to its credit-card sized single board, it is very easy to handle. This device is really helpful to anyone who wants to learn electronics and computers. Raspberry pi helps to increase hardware knowledge and software applications related to it. Raspberry pi is an amazing piece of hardware because of the combination of the features of a traditional computer and an embedded device.