Raspberry Pi

..
Raspberry Pi credit-card-sized computer

Raspberry Pi – a credit-card-sized single-board computer developed in the UK by the Raspberry Pi Foundation with the intention of promoting the teaching of basic computer science in schools.

The Raspberry Pi plugs into your TV and a keyboard. It’s a capable little PC which can be used for many of the things that your desktop PC does, like spreadsheets, word-processing and games. It also plays high-definition video.

The dramatic digitalization of our world requires future generations to be equipped with special skills, enabling them to steer the helm of the computer age. To address this, computer scientists from University of Cambridge developed the Raspberry Pi , a tiny and highly affordable computer that can be used by people all over the world. INDEX Award

  • We don’t think that the Raspberry Pi is a fix to all of the world’s computing issues; we do believe that we can be a catalyst. We want to see cheap, accessible, programmable computers everywhere; we actively encourage other companies to clone what we’re doing. We want to break the paradigm where without spending hundreds of pounds on a PC, families can’t use the internet. We want owning a truly personal computer to be normal for children, and we’re looking forward to what the future has in store. —Raspberry Pi Foundation

Raspberry Pi site provides everything for Raspberry Pi users and anyone interested in the project. (video 1:29)

What’s the problem?

The idea is pretty simple. Through many iterations, the developers came up with a design for the Raspberry Pi that provides all the features and functions that can be manufactured and sold cheaply.

  • Ask – Who needs to know how to program a computer? Why is knowing about how a computer works important?
  • Imagine – What is the cheapest computer available? Is this a price that most people can afford? Can computers be manufactured and sold for this price?
  • Plan, Create – Manufacturing and distribution takes money and organization. There has to be a way to provide documentation, training and support. Who will teach people to use cheap computers? How can they be used?
  • Improve – Sometimes people have trouble imaging how they could use something like the Raspberry Pi. Seeing what others are doing and having instructions to follow are often all it takes to get started. What do people need to get inspired to try building and programming?

That’s engineering

  • programmable – the ability to program a computer — provide it with a set of instructions for execution — without physically reconfiguring the machine is a fundamental design feature of most computers.

Engineering ideas

  • programming, system design, computer manufacturing, distribution, applications

Do it
Now it is your turn. Here are some challenges for you to work on…

  • find some examples of Raspberry Pi projects

http://makezine.com/2013/04/14/47-raspberry-pi-projects-to-inspire-your-next-build/
Learn more…

Published by ..