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Raspberry Pi: Make a Workbench Computer
4.0 (236 ratings)
Course Ratings are calculated from individual students’ ratings and a variety of other signals, like age of rating and reliability, to ensure that they reflect course quality fairly and accurately.
4,127 students enrolled

Raspberry Pi: Make a Workbench Computer

Build a touch-screen driven application and control appliances and devices using a Raspberry Pi
4.0 (236 ratings)
Course Ratings are calculated from individual students’ ratings and a variety of other signals, like age of rating and reliability, to ensure that they reflect course quality fairly and accurately.
4,127 students enrolled
Created by Dr. Peter Dalmaris
Last updated 10/2019
English
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Raspberry Pi: Make a Workbench Computer
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This course includes
  • 9.5 hours on-demand video
  • 3 articles
  • Full lifetime access
  • Access on mobile and TV
  • Certificate of Completion
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What you'll learn
  • Create graphical applications on the Raspberry Pi
  • Understand the basics of controlling mains appliances using relays
  • Learn how to use a low-cost relay board to control large loads with your Raspberry Pi
  • Understand how to use a relay board to control large loads with your Raspberry Pi
  • Control DC devices
  • Use the camera to take snapshots, interval snapshots and videos.
  • Create a Python application that allows you to control external devices and appliances, and interact with sensors
  • Manipulate still images and video taken by the Raspberry Pi camera
  • Design a driver circuit for the external relays
  • Control mains appliances safely
  • Create an enclosure for your mains controller circuit
  • Setup a remote working environment for your Raspberry Pi
  • Design a printed circuit board for the relay circuit
Course content
Expand all 91 lectures 09:28:56
+ – Introduction
7 lectures 50:10
[0005] - Watch me first! A study guide
Preview 05:45


[0020a] - Required hardware, Part 1
Preview 12:11
[0020b] - Required hardware, Part 2
10:33

As of October 2017, Raspbian Jessie has been replaced by Raspbian Stretch. Everything I show in this course will work fine in Raspbian Stretch.

[0010] - Required software
Preview 08:20
[0030] - Things to drive on your bench with the Bench Computer
Preview 09:48
[0040] - Residual current device
03:09
A list of parts
Preview 00:24
+ – Basic setup
6 lectures 25:40
Introduction
00:25

As of October 2017, Raspbian Jessie has been replaced by Raspbian Stretch. Please download Stretch instead of Jessie. Everything I show in this course will work fine in Raspbian Stretch.

[0050] - Setup the Raspbian operating system on an SD card
05:23
[0060] - Attach the touch screen on the Raspberry Pi
06:29
[0070] - Boot your Raspberry Pi for the first time
05:43

NOTE the address configuration of the Piface board is controlled by a set of jumper wires. By default (i.e. as you receive your Piface in the box) those jumpers maybe arranged differently, and this will cause the I2C address of your Piface board to be different to what I show you in these videos. 

To avoid any confusion, please ensure that the address jumpers on your board match mine, or remember to change the I2C address in the software accordingly.

Look at the section "jumper settings" in the Piface Relay Plus Getting Started Manual (linked in the Resources).

[0080] - Attach the Piface Relay+ to your Raspberry Pi
07:21
Conclusion
00:19
Test your new knowledge
4 questions
+ – More setup: enclosure and networking
8 lectures 55:32
Introduction
00:22
[0090] - Make the enclosure for the Bench Computer
23:28
[0098] - Connect a Bluetooth keyboard
02:31
[0100] - Setup Wifi using a keyboard
07:19
[0110] - Setup Wifi using Ethernet
08:59
[0120] - SSH without password
07:04
[0130] - Setup Remote Desktop
05:28
Conclusion
00:21
Test your new knowledge
5 questions
+ – Taking photos and video with the RPi Camera
7 lectures 38:02
Introduction
00:19
[0140] - Connect the Raspberry Pi Camera
08:39
[0150] - Taking still images
15:27
[0160] - Taking video
05:01
[0170] - Converting H264 video to MP4
03:28
[0180] - Splitting video files to smaller files
04:49
Conclusion
00:19
Test your new knowledge
7 questions
+ – Control with the Piface Relay Plus
10 lectures 41:02
Introduction
00:59
[0190] - What is a HAT?
02:17
[0200] - The Piface Relay Plus
01:53
[0210] - Piface Relay Plus software setup and demo
03:35
[0220] - Piface Relay Plus blink script walkthrough
07:47
[0230] - Piface Relay Plus connect and control an LED strip
12:06
[0235] - Shrink tubing to protect a wire join
02:41
[0240] - Piface Relay Plus Connect and Control a 12V Fan
08:15
[0245] - Improving the wiring
01:14
Conclusion
00:15
Test your new knowledge
5 questions
+ – The DHT22 for environmental monitoring
5 lectures 30:10
Introduction
00:29

You will need to download Adafruit's DHT module from Github with this command:

git clone https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit/Adafruit_Python_DHT.git

[0250] - DHT22 wiring and demo
10:08
[0260] - PIGPIOD deamon
11:51
[0270] - Getting the PIGPIOD to auto start
07:27
Conclusion
00:15
Test your new knowledge
4 questions
+ – Controlling mains loads with an external relay
7 lectures 35:35
Introduction
00:46
[0300] - Using a 5V relay with the Raspberry Pi
09:08
[0310] - Calculate the relay driver circuit
07:54
[0320] - Test the relay driver circuit on a breadboard
05:18
[0330] - Design the relay PCB
07:05
[0340] - Test the relay driver PCB
05:06
Conclusion
00:18
Test your new knowledge
8 questions
+ – Construct the relay controller box
8 lectures 01:17:17
Introduction
00:33
[0350] - Create an enclosure Part 1: Walkthrough
22:14
[0351] - Create an enclosure Part 2: Testing
08:44
[0352] - Create an enclosure Part 3: Tools
13:08
[0353] - Create an enclosure Part 4: Demonstration
06:54
[0360] - Relay box controller external wiring
11:49
[0370] - Test the finished relay controller box with software
13:26
Conclusion
00:29
Test your new knowledge
5 questions
+ – Meet Tkinter
10 lectures 52:03
Introduction
00:33
[0380] - Introduction to Tkinter
13:21
[0381] - The Tkinter Label widget
04:38
[0382] - The Tkinter Event
03:43
[0383 ] - The Tkinter Entry Box widget
04:13
[0384] - The Tkinter Image widget
03:28
[0385 ] - The Tkinter custom styling
04:42
[0386 ] - The Tkinter Notebook widget
05:32
[0387 ] - The Tkinter grid layout
11:35
Conclusion
00:18
Test your new knowledge
5 questions
+ – Write the Bench Computer application
8 lectures 01:12:14
Introduction
00:25
[0390 ] - User Interface design with a wireframe
07:04
[0400 ] - Step 1: Create the skeleton application
15:19
[0 410 ] - Step 2: Implement Tab 1 - The control Tab
15:30
[0420] - Step 3: Implement Tab 2 - The camera Tab
19:57
[0430] - Step 4: Implement Tab 3 - The environment Tab
09:07
[0440] - Test the Bench Computer application
04:24
Conclusion
00:28
Test your new knowledge
6 questions
Requirements
  • A basic understanding of the Raspberry Pi
  • A basic understanding of electronics
  • Ability to install free software on your computer
  • Parts and tools, as listed in a free lecture in section 1
Description

** UPDATED JANUARY 31, 2018 **

The latest update includes a whole new section in which you will learn how to build your Raspberry Pi Bench Computer using a low cost relay board instead of the (hard to find) Piface Relay+. You will also learn how to use a GPIO breakout board that makes it very easy to secure wires to your Raspberry Pi

This Raspberry Pi project course will show you how to integrate a variety of components into a gadget that you can use to automate your work bench.

I call it "The Bench Computer".

With the Bench Computer, you will be able to control any device and appliance on your electronics work bench, like turn on and off your bench lights, soldering iron and fume extractor.

The Bench Computer provides a great framework on which you can build your own home automation projects Out of the box, you will be able to control anything with a simple on/off switch, like lights, fans, heaters etc. 

I have designed this course to help you get started. What you get the Bench Computer to do is entirely up to you!

Here are the main components (software and hardware) that you will learn about by taking this course:

  • The Raspberry Pi (version 3 is recommended, but any model with a 40-pin header will do)
  • The Raspberry Pi 7-inch touchscreen
  • The Raspberry Pi Camera v2
  • The Piface Relay+ HAT (contains the small relays used to control 12V devices) OR a Keyestudio 4 Channel Relay board
  • A GPIO board breakout
  • Larger external relays used for controlling mains appliances like lights and your soldering iron
  • Python 3 and the Tkinter framework for building the application
  • Things that you want to control, like low-power 12V LED strips and fans, and mains appliances like a soldering iron.

Scroll further down for a list of learning objectives for this course.

All code is available on Github, and is free to download and use as you wish.

A list of parts is available in the first section of the course (free to view).

In 9 hours of video content and over 70 lectures, you will learn the necessary skills for interfacing you Raspberry Pi with your workbench. 

Who this course is for:
  • Anyone familiar with the Raspberry Pi looking to expand their skills
  • Anyone interested in home automation
  • Anyone looking for a challenging project