Raspberry Pi: Make a Workbench Automation computer

Build a touch-screen driven application and control appliances and devices using a Raspberry Pi

What's Inside

This Raspberry Pi project course will show you how to integrate a variety of components into a gadget that I call "The Bench Computer".

Using your own Bench Computer, you will be able to control any device and appliance on your electronics work bench. Or, your kitchen, desk, entertainment system, and even your home!

The Bench Computer provides a great framework on which you can build your own home automation projects. I have designed it to help you get started!

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 relays used to control 12V devices)

- External relays for controlling mains appliances

- Python 3 and the Tkinter framework for building the application

- Things that you want to control, like 12V LED strips and fans, and mains appliances like a soldering iron.

By completing this course, you will learn:

- How to create a Python application with a graphical user interface

- How to create a Python application that allows you to control external devices and appliances, and interact with sensor

- How to use the camera to take snapshots, interval snapshots (i.e. every few seconds) and videos. This is a perfect way for documenting your work.

- How to manipulate still images and video.

- How to design a driver circuit for the external relays

- How to control mains appliances safely

- How to create an enclosure for your mains controller circuit.

- How to setup a remote working environment for your Raspberry Pi

- And, much more!

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

All parts are listed here.


Course Curriculum

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Peter Dalmaris

Peter is Chief Explorer at Tech Explorations. He is fascinated by technology because of its ability to make amazing things happen, and science because of its ability to make nature transparent.

He is an Electrical and Computer Engineer, has a PhD (most of which was spent reading philosophy of knowledge) and a couple of Masters in Information Systems.

He has been a lecturer for over 13 years in a variety of IT (and occasionally management) subjects. During this time, he has developed a hands-on teaching style, whereby he invites and challenges his students to learn by doing. He has taught thousands of students in dozens of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Peter is also a software developer at Futureshock Enterprises, making applications using Ruby, Ruby on Rails, and iOS.

Peter has been an electronics enthusiast since he remembers himself when he wrecked his sister's digital watch and his parents VCR. He replaced the watch but managed to fix the VCR.

Now, he is particularly fascinated by the rapid prototyping opportunities that the Arduino and similar platforms has brought about.

He lives in Sydney, Australia.

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