What is a Microcontroller? | Raspberry Pi Pico Workshop: Chapter 1.2

Summary

The Raspberry Pi Pico is a microcontroller board, distinct from a computer, designed for specific tasks with less power and heat. Unlike computers with operating systems, microcontrollers interface directly with hardware like sensors and motors through programmed code. Examples include automating plant watering, controlling garage doors, and tracking elephants in Kenya. Microcontrollers are ubiquitous in appliances, offering a cost-effective solution for simple, repeated tasks. Learning to use the Pico empowers individuals to create custom solutions for various problems.

Takeaways

• 💻 The Raspberry Pi Pico is a microcontroller board, not a single-board computer like other Raspberry Pi products.
• 🔄 Microcontrollers share similar hardware components with computers but are designed for specific tasks rather than general use.
• 🛠 Microcontroller boards like the Pico lack a user interface and instead allow direct hardware integration for specific functions.
• 💧 A practical example given is using the Pico with a soil moisture sensor and water pump to automate plant watering.
• 🚪 Another example is automating a garage door using the Pico's Wi-Fi capabilities for remote control via a smartphone.
• 🐘 The Mara Elephant Project in Kenya utilizes microcontrollers to track elephants' movements, aiding in conservation efforts.
• 🏡 Microcontrollers are prevalent in household appliances, acting as the 'brain' that controls their operations.
• 🔋 Microcontrollers are preferred in many applications due to their low power consumption, small size, and cost-effectiveness.
• 🛠 They are ideal for applications requiring repeated, simple tasks, as opposed to the varied tasks a computer is designed to handle.
• 🛠 Learning to use a microcontroller like the Pico empowers individuals to create custom solutions for specific problems, from home automation to wildlife conservation.

Q & A

What is the primary difference between a Raspberry Pi computer and the Raspberry Pi Pico?

The Raspberry Pi Pico is a microcontroller board, unlike the Raspberry Pi computers which are single board computers. While both have a processor and RAM, the Pico is designed for specific tasks and does not run a full-fledged operating system like Windows or Mac OS.

What kind of tasks is a microcontroller board like the Raspberry Pi Pico designed for?

A microcontroller board is designed for very specific tasks. It can be programmed to interact with hardware like sensors and motors to perform repetitive actions based on the input it receives.

How does a microcontroller board differ from a computer in terms of user interaction?

Microcontroller boards typically do not have a user interface that you can interact with using a keyboard or mouse. Instead, they are programmed to perform tasks based on the code written for them.

Can you give an example of a project where a Raspberry Pi Pico was used?

In one project mentioned in the script, a soil moisture sensor and a water pump were connected to a Pico. The Pico was programmed to check the soil's moisture level and water the plants if the soil was dry.

How was the Raspberry Pi Pico used in the automatic garage door example?

The Pico was connected to the garage door to send signals to open and close it. It was also programmed to use Wi-Fi capabilities, allowing the garage door to be controlled wirelessly from a phone.

What is the 'mara elephant project' in Kenya and how was the Raspberry Pi Pico used in it?

The 'mara elephant project' in Kenya involves attaching a Raspberry Pi Pico with GPS trackers and motion sensors to elephants. The Pico is programmed to wirelessly report the elephants' locations, aiding researchers in gathering data and helping local rangers protect the elephants from poachers.

Where else can microcontrollers be found besides the Raspberry Pi Pico?

Microcontrollers can be found in many household appliances such as washing machines, computer mice, microwaves, cameras, drones, and electric toothbrushes. They act as tiny conductors controlling these devices.

Why are microcontrollers preferred over computers in certain applications?

Microcontrollers are preferred for their lower power usage, smaller size, lower cost, and ability to perform specific and simple tasks repeatedly, which is ideal for many applications in appliances and devices.

What is the significance of learning how to use a microcontroller like the Raspberry Pi Pico?

Knowing how to use a microcontroller allows you to build custom solutions to specific problems, automate tasks, and even design and build your own products, providing a toolbox of skills for various applications.

What are some of the key features of a microcontroller that make it suitable for simple and repetitive tasks?

Key features include lower power consumption, less heat generation, smaller size, lower cost, and the ability to perform specific tasks repeatedly without the need for a complex operating system.

How does the Raspberry Pi Pico's programming work in terms of interacting with hardware?

You write code for the Pico that tells it what to do with the hardware you have connected to it. This code defines the actions the microcontroller should take based on the input from the hardware, such as sensors.

Outlines

00:00

🤖 Introduction to Raspberry Pi Pico as a Microcontroller

The script introduces the Raspberry Pi Pico as a microcontroller board, distinct from the Raspberry Pi single board computers. Unlike a computer designed for general tasks, a microcontroller is a small processor programmed for specific tasks. It includes hardware components like a processor and RAM but lacks a full operating system and user interface. Instead, it allows for direct hardware integration, such as sensors and motors, and is programmed to perform repetitive tasks based on the input from these components. The Pico's applications range from simple home automation to complex projects like wildlife tracking, showcasing its versatility and potential for creating custom solutions.

Keywords

💡Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi is a series of small single-board computers that have gained popularity for their versatility and affordability. In the context of the video, it introduces the Raspberry Pi Pico, which is a departure from the typical Raspberry Pi computers, being a microcontroller board instead.

💡Microcontroller Board

A microcontroller board is a small computer that is designed to manage specific tasks with a dedicated program. Unlike a general-purpose computer, a microcontroller is programmed for a single purpose and is used in various embedded systems. The Raspberry Pi Pico is an example of such a board, as mentioned in the script.

💡Processor

A processor is the brain of a computer or microcontroller, executing instructions and performing calculations. In the script, it's mentioned that a microcontroller has a processor, just like a regular computer, but its role is to perform specific tasks rather than general computing.

💡RAM Memory

RAM, or Random Access Memory, is a type of computer memory that can be read from and written to in any order, which is essential for the operation of a processor. The script highlights that microcontrollers, including the Raspberry Pi Pico, have RAM memory to store the program and data needed for their specific tasks.

💡Operating System

An operating system is the software that manages computer hardware and software resources. The script explains that while computers run full-fledged operating systems like Windows or macOS, microcontrollers typically do not, as they are designed for specific tasks without the need for user interaction.

💡Hardware Integration

Hardware integration refers to the ability to connect various physical components, such as sensors and motors, to a microcontroller. The script illustrates this with examples of plugging in a soil moisture sensor and a water pump to the Raspberry Pi Pico to create an automated plant watering system.

💡Programming

Programming is the process of writing code to give instructions to a computer or microcontroller. The script emphasizes the importance of programming the microcontroller to perform specific tasks, such as turning on a water pump when the soil is dry.

💡Soil Moisture Sensor

A soil moisture sensor is a device that measures the amount of water in the soil. In the script, it is used as an example of a sensor that can be connected to the Raspberry Pi Pico to create an automated irrigation system.

💡Wi-Fi Capabilities

Wi-Fi capabilities refer to the ability of a device to connect to the internet wirelessly. The script mentions using the Wi-Fi capabilities of the Raspberry Pi Pico to control a garage door remotely from a phone.

💡GPS Trackers

GPS trackers are devices that use the Global Positioning System to determine the precise location of an object. The script describes an application where GPS trackers attached to a microcontroller are used to track elephants in Kenya, allowing researchers and rangers to monitor and protect them.

💡Embedded Systems

Embedded systems are computer systems designed for specific tasks within a larger system, often found in appliances and devices. The script mentions that microcontrollers are found in many everyday appliances, acting as the control center for these systems.

💡Custom Solutions

Custom solutions refer to tailored applications or systems designed to solve specific problems. The script encourages the use of microcontrollers like the Raspberry Pi Pico to create custom solutions for various issues, from environmental conservation to home automation.

Highlights

Raspberry Pi Pico is a microcontroller board, not a single board computer.

Microcontrollers share hardware components like a processor and RAM with computers but are designed for specific tasks.

A microcontroller operates without a user interface, unlike computers with operating systems like Windows or Mac OS.

Microcontrollers allow for easy hardware integration, such as sensors and motors, for specific programmed tasks.

The Pico can be programmed to perform tasks like monitoring soil moisture and controlling a water pump for plants.

An example project includes using the Pico to automate and wirelessly control a garage door via Wi-Fi.

In Kenya, microcontrollers with GPS and motion sensors are used to track and protect elephants from poaching.

Microcontrollers are ubiquitous in everyday appliances, acting as tiny conductors controlling various devices.

They are preferred for specific applications due to their lower power usage, smaller size, and cost-effectiveness.

Microcontrollers are ideal for tasks that require repetition of simple operations.

Learning to use a microcontroller like the Pico enables building custom solutions to specific problems.

The Pico can be used for a wide range of applications, from conservation efforts to home automation.

The Pico offers the potential to design and build unique products tailored to individual needs.

The goal is to provide users with a toolbox of skills to create innovative and useful projects.

The Pico empowers users to decide how to apply its capabilities in their projects and solutions.

Transcripts

you may know Raspberry Pi from the

awesome line of single board computers

but the Raspberry Pi Pico here isn't a

computer it's a microcontroller board

which is a completely different game a

microcontroller still shares a lot of

the same types of Hardware as a normal

computer like a processor a ram memory

it's got all of them so what's the

difference between the two well while a

computer like your laptop or desktop is

designed to perform a wide range of

tasks like browsing the internet playing

games or writing reports a

microcontroller board like our P here is

a tiny little processor that we can

program to complete a very specific task

and while a computer runs a

fully-fledged operating system like

Windows or Mac OS microcontrollers

typically don't have a user interface

that you can interact with with a

keyboard or Mouse instead they allow you

to easily plug Hardware into it such as

temperature sensors light sensors Motors

servos then you write some code put it

on the mic microcontroller and it's this

code that tells the microcontroller what

to do with the hardware you have just

plugged into it for example in this

project we plugged in a soil moisture

sensor into a Pico as well as a water

pump we wrote some code for the Pico

telling it to use the sensor to check

how wet the soil is in that code we also

told the Pico if it's wet don't do

anything if it's dry though then turn on

the water pump and water the plants and

the PCO just keeps looping that same

task over and over and over another

example this is an automatic garage door

and a Pico was plugged into it to allow

the Pico to send signals to open and

close the garage door some code was

written to then use the Wi-Fi

capabilities of the Pico to allow the

garage door to be controlled wirelessly

with a phone instead of that janky old

remote a really cool example is the mara

elephant project in Kenya they place a

little microcontroller let this P here

with GPS trackers and motion sensors

attached to it onto elephants and then

they code it to wirelessly report the

locations of those elephants this allows

researchers to gather data on and study

the elephants and for local Rangers to

track down the locations to help protect

them from poaches microcontrollers are

also in everything you'll find them in

your washing machine your computer mouse

microwaves cameras drones electric

toothbrushes you'll find them in so many

appliances it's not funny they kind of

act like a tiny little conductor inside

of those devices controlling them but

they can only play the s that they have

been programmed to and a microcontroller

is ideal for all of these applications

over a normal computer because they use

less power they generate less heat

they're smaller in size much much

cheaper and because these applications

need specific and simple tasks being

repeated over and over and over so a

microcontroller is perfect and I think

the most important thing to understand

is that knowing how to use a

microcontroller like this Pico here

gives you the ability to build your own

cust solutions to specific problems

ranging from saving a species to

simplifying and automating tasks around

the house to designing and building your

own product and that's what we want to

do we want to equip you with a toolbox

of skills to allow you to make awesome

things but it's all up to you how you

use

it