Book Image

Getting Started with Raspberry Pi Zero

By : Richard Grimmett
Book Image

Getting Started with Raspberry Pi Zero

By: Richard Grimmett

Overview of this book

Raspberry Pi Zero is half the size of Raspberry Pi A, only with twice the utility. At just three centimeters wide, it packs in every utility required for full-fledged computing tasks. This practical tutorial will help you quickly get up and running with Raspberry Pi Zero to control hardware and software and write simple programs and games. You will learn to build creative programs and exciting games with little or no programming experience. We cover all the features of Raspberry Pi Zero as you discover how to configure software and hardware, and control external devices. You will find out how to navigate your way in Raspbian, write simple Python scripts, and create simple DIY programs.
Table of Contents (16 chapters)
Getting Started with Raspberry Pi Zero
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewer
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

The basic platform


You'll need to add some hardware, specifically a wheeled or tracked platform, to make your project mobile. You're going to use a platform that uses differential motion to propel and steer the vehicle. This simply means that, instead of turning the wheels, you're going to vary the speed and direction of the two motors that drive the wheels or tracks. There are a lot of choices. Some come fully assembled while others require some assembly; alternatively you can buy the components and build your own custom mobile platform.

Let's look at a couple of the more popular units that come fully assembled or can be assembled with simple tools (a screwdriver or pliers). The simplest mobile platform is one that has two DC motors, with each motor controlling a single wheel. On the wheeled platform, there is a small wheel or ball in the front or at the back. Here is one example of a wheeled platform, available at many online electronics retailers:

Here is another simple wheeled platform...