Welcome

FREE
CA

RASPBERRY PI ZERO:
ACCESS TO TOOLS
M

LE
B
U
N
D
FOR SU
LE
BSCRIB E
RS

y first computer, a second-hand BBC Micro

with its built-in BASIC, cost me 220 in
1989. Thats 500 in todays money. My
Amiga was a little cheaper, costing 200 in 1993,
but I had to save for three more months to buy the
software and documentation I needed to program it.
Throughout my childhood, cost limited my access
to the tools I needed to learn. This is why, of all the
work that we do at Raspberry Pi, driving down the
cost of computing is the single thing that matters
most to me.

PAGE 42

The original Raspberry Pi Model B and its

successors put a programmable computer within
reach of anyone with $20-35 to spend. Now were
taking the next step: in Raspberry Pi Zero, we finally
have a computer we can sell for $5, or give away on
the front of a magazine.
We all need access to tools. Cost should never be a
barrier. Enjoy your Raspberry Pi Zero.

SEE PAGE 42 FOR DETAILS

THIS MONTH:
8 INTRODUCING THE TINY $5 PI ZERO

Eben Upton

Find out what the Zero is and what you can do with it

16 SET UP YOUR FREE RASPBERRY PI

Find out which cables you need and how to set it up

70 ASTRO PI: WE ARE GO FOR LAUNCH!

The Raspberry Pi is going to space with some of your projects

76 GET STARTED WITH THE SENSE HAT

Want to share in the excitement of Astro Pi? Heres how

FIND US ONLINE raspberrypi.org/magpi

EDITORIAL

DESIGN

PUBLISHING

DISTRIBUTION

SUBSCRIPTIONS

CONTRIBUTORS

Managing Editor: Russell Barnes

russell@raspberrypi.org +44 (0)7904 766523
Features Editor: Rob Zwetsloot
Technical Editor: David Whale
Sub Editors: Laura Clay, Phil King, Lorna Lynch
Seymour Distribution Ltd
2 East Poultry Ave
London
EC1A 9PT | +44 (0)207 429 4000
This magazine is printed on paper sourced from
sustainable forests and the printer operates an
environmental management system which has
been assessed as conforming to ISO 14001.

raspberrypi.org/magpi

GET IN TOUCH magpi@raspberrypi.org

Critical Media: criticalmedia.co.uk

Head of Design: Dougal Matthews
Designers: Lee Allen, Mike Kay
Illustrator: Sam Alder

Select Publisher Services Ltd

PO Box 6337
Bournemouth
BH1 9EH | +44 (0)1202 586 848

For advertising & licensing:

russell@raspberrypi.org +44 (0)7904 766523
Publisher: Liz Upton
CEO: Eben Upton

Sam Aaron, Mike Cook, David Crookes, Gareth

Halfacree, Lucy Hattersley, Richard Hayler, Dave
Honess, Phil King, Simon Monk, Rachel Rayns,
MattRichardson, Richard Smedley & Sean Tracey

The MagPi magazine is published by Raspberry Pi (Trading) Ltd., Mount Pleasant House, Cambridge, CB3 0RN. The
publisher, editor and contributors accept no responsibility in respect of any omissions or errors relating to goods, products
or services referred to or advertised in the magazine. Except where otherwise noted, content in this magazine is licensed
under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0). ISSN: 2051-9982.

December
March 2015

Contents

raspberrypi.org/magpi

Issue 40 Christmas 2015

COVER FEATURE

8
RASPBERRY PI ZERO
Learn all about this evolutionary leap and how you can get started with your Pi Zero today!

TUTORIALS
> PIPE TEMPERATURE MONITOR

50

CODE CLUB JOINS

THE FOUNDATION

92

Join Dr Simon Monk for more Everyday Engineering using

the Raspberry Pi and avoid frozen pipes this winter

> TRAFFIC HAT WITH GPIO ZERO

54

The affordable Traffic HAT showcases GPIO Zeros talents

> MIKES PI BAKERY: 3D IMAGES

56

Build your own 3D image viewer with the help of Raspberry

Pi hacker extraordinaire, Mike Cook

> SONIC PI: MUSICAL MINECRAFT

60

88

THIS MONTH IN
RASPBERRY PI

62

The Raspberry Pi Foundation and

Code Club have merged to further
their joint goal of righting past wrongs

Join us for a new regular feature

that looks at whats going on in
the Raspberry Pi community in
the past 3o days

Make much more than just music with the aid of Sam Aaron

> GAMES WITH PYTHON: PART 10

Raspberry Pis own Simon Long gives us the

In this final instalment, we add some extra features and
lowdown on the latest tweaks and changes
polish to our space shooter game written in Python

December 2015

raspberrypi.org/magpi

Contents

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
to get a free Pi Zero
cable bundle!

42

THE BIG FEATURE

WORTH: 300 / $450

95

THE FINAL WORD

Astro Pis mission aboard the ISS is starting. We find out more
and show you how to join in the fun with the Sense HAT

70

Matt Richardson talks about Pi Zero, the tiny

computer with a big impact

96

COMMUNITY

YOUR PROJECTS

> CODE CLUB & PI JOIN FORCES

We speak to Raspberry Pi and Code Club bosses

> EVENTS

88
90

Find a community gathering near you in the coming weeks

> THIS MONTH IN PI

92

Whats been happening in the community & crowdfunding

46

> PI-TOP

SEEMORE
This Pi-powered parallel processing sculpture will take your breath away

MAGIC MIRROR

44

Take a long look in the mirror. You need to shape

up if you want to build a project of this quality!

raspberrypi.org/magpi

REVIEWS
82

Has this Raspberry Pi laptop delivered on its promise?

> DIGITAL SOLDERING STATIONS 84

We look at Tenmas new adjustable soldering iron

> BOOK REVIEWS

86

The best computing reads evaluated for your pleasure

December 2015

Tutorial

WALKTHROUGH

NEVER
BEFORE
PRINTED
All the best articles
from issues 31-35

December 2015

raspberrypi.org/magpi

THE

Ocial

12.99

Tutorial

200 pages of
Raspberry Pi

RASPBERRY PI

PROJECTS BOOK
Amazing hacking and making projects
from the makers of

magazine

Inside:
How to get started with Raspberry Pi
The most inspirational community projects
Essential tutorials, guides and ideas
Expert reviews and buying advice

able
Availw
no

SWAG.RASPBERRYPI.ORG
and from all good newsagents

raspberrypi.org/magpi

December 2015

Feature

RASPBERRY PI

ZER0
A new revolution in
computing is upon us

30m

ed like you to pick up

the Raspberry Pi Zero
that came with
this very magazine.
Youre holding
in your hands a
fully functional
computer thats
going on sale for $5
and that you could lose
in a small purse. Its
quite the amazing feat
of engineering and were
very excited to bring it to
our readers, along with 32
pages of content that will
take you from a Zero Novice to a
Zero Master.
Over the course of our expansive
coverage, we talk to the people
behind the Raspberry Pi Zeros
development, teach you how to
hook it up, and also suggest some
great uses for your Zero. With
its even smaller size, there are
some amazing things youll be
able to do with it. Check out the
contents on the facing page to jump
to what interests you, and just have
a good time with your new Pi Zero.

December 2015

mm

65

MicroSD card
slot for storing
the operating
system, files,
anddocuments

Mini-HDMI port
for digital sound
and 1080p video

Broadcom BCM
2835 systemon-a-chip, the
same chip
that powered
the original
Raspberry Pi

raspberrypi.org/magpi

RASPBERRY PI ZERO

Feature

CONTENTS
40-pin
unpopulated
GPIO port for
connecting to
your electronic
circuits

Unpopulated
RUN mode pins
which can be
used to add a
reset button to
the Pi Zero

Unpopulated
RCA composite
video out pins so
you can connect
to an old TV

SIZE MATTERS
How big is a Pi Zero? Weve been
comparing them to all sorts of things
Power and
activity LED this
lets you know the
Pi Zero is on and
working away

> 10

THE STORY OF ZERO

We talk to Eben Upton and Mike
Stimson about Zeros development

> 12

SET UP YOUR PI ZERO

Learn how to get your Pi Zero
hooked up
Micro-USB port
for power the
same kind that
charges Android
mobile phones

> 16

HOW IS THE PI ZERO?

A quick tour around the Raspberry Pi
Zero and the operating system

> 18
Micro USB port
for connecting to
keyboards, mice,
WiFi, USB sticks,
and more

THE SPECS
CPU: BCM 2835 (same as the original

ESSENTIAL TIPS
Learn five techniques that will make
using Pi Zero much easier

> 20

QUICK PROJECTS
Some quick taster projects that
improve traditional Raspberry Pi uses

> 22

Raspberry Pi), 1GHz single core ARM11

SOLDER A GPIO PORT

RAM: 512MB

Want to access the GPIO pins? Heres

our guide to soldering them on

Storage: Via microSD

> 23

Power: Micro-USB connector

Video out: Mini-HDMI
Connectivity: 1 micro-USB, unpopulated 40-pin GPIO
connector, unpopulated Composite Video Out

Dimensions: 65mm 30mm 5mm Weight: 9g

raspberrypi.org/magpi

ZERO PROJECTS
Get started straight away with your Pi
Zero with these great projects

> 24

3D PRINTED CASE
Learn how to 3D print your own custom
MagPi case for your new Pi Zero

> 41

December 2015

Feature

PI ZERO IN PICTURES

PI
ZER
0
IN PICTURES
Weve been so enamoured with the size of the Raspberry Pi Zero
thateveryoneheregotintoasmallcompetitiontoshowofftheir
best size comparison photos!
Send us your best comparison shots on Twitter to @TheMagP1

RASPBERRY PI

ZER0
10

December 2015

raspberrypi.org/magpi

RASPBERRY PI ZERO

RASPBERRY PI ZERO:

$5 3X
IN NUMBERS

The Raspberry Pi Zero is the first ever

full computer that costs only $5

But its nearly three times smaller than

the original Raspberry Pi

143

1080P

Above A LEGO Minifigure is just a bit taller than the Zero is wide.
Its about one Minifigure wide and under two Minifigures long.
Also, they can easily carry one!

2.5KG
The Raspberry Pi Zero can easily play 1080p video, even
though its so tiny and draws very little power

Above A classic,
were working
on making a fully
working Pi Zero
battery and
everything in an
Altoids mint tin. You
can fit six in one!
Below Putting
a Raspberry Pi
Zero in a pack of
cards sounds like
proper James Bond
territory, although
youd lose the
cards you need to
play poker

Its so small, you

could lay 143
Raspberry Pi Zeros
over the screen of
a 32 HD TV!

Thats 100GB of RAM with 200 computing cores in a single

box of Pi Zeros. The box only weighs 2.5kg

8128 MFLOPS
A 2.5kg box of Zeros contains 8,128 MFLOPs of processing power, which makes it
more powerful than 50 Cray-1 supercomputers!

512MB

It also launches
with twice as
much RAM as
the very first
Raspberry Pi did
(it 256MB)

160mA
Hooked up to a 1080p TV with a mouse and keyboard attached, the Pi Zero
draws a tiny 160mA. The electricity bill will be the last thing on your mind!

raspberrypi.org/magpi

December 2015

11

Feature

INTERVIEW

WHEN WE LAUNCHED

RASPBERRY PI,

WE CHANGED THE

PRICE OF THIS KIND

OF HARDWARE...
WITH THE ZERO,
WE WANTED TO

DO IT AGAIN
INTERVIEW

12

EBEN UPTON

MIKE STIMSON

CEO, RASPBERRY PI TRADING

PRINCIPAL HARDWARE ENGINEER

The co-creator of the Raspberry Pi, Eben is the

original mind behind the miniature Raspberry Pi
Zero as well

The designer behind the Raspberry Pi Zero,

Mike has been with Raspberry Pi for less
than a year

December 2015

raspberrypi.org/magpi

RASPBERRY PI ZERO

Feature

RASPBERRY PI

ZER0

Above The start

of the Raspberry
Pi Zeros life on a
scrap of paper

had a really interesting

conversation with Eric
Schmidt [CEO of Google],
Eben Upton, CEO of Raspberry
Pi Trading, recounts to us over
a Skype chat one rainy morning
in late October.

expensive, and at the time we

had a potential route to make this
Pi 2 much more powerful He
said dont be an idiot. Thats a
ridiculous idea. You have to try and
be as close to free as possible
its very hard to compete with

He said dont be an idiot. Thats

a ridiculous idea. You have to try
andbe as close to free as possible
In 2013, Eben met Eric after Google
announced it would give $1 million
to the Raspberry Pi Foundation to
provide Pis to schoolkids. [Eric] was
there for the announcement. I had a
great chat with him and it was one of
those 45-second chats that changes
your life.
I was telling him that we were
thinking of doing a Raspberry
Pi 2 that was going to be more

raspberrypi.org/magpi

cheap; its very hard to compete

with free.
Ebenwentbacktotheoffice
and cancelled all the engineering
they had been planning for
the Raspberry Pi 2. This was
in 2013, and the cancellation
delayed its release until February
2015, allowing the Raspberry Pi
Foundation to retail the Pi 2 for
$35. This wasnt the only outcome

from Ebens conversation with

Eric, though:
The other thing was trying
to look at what we could do to go
lower than $25.
Thefirstresultofthisnew
outlook was selling the Pi Model
A+ for $20, but after drastically
changing the standard price of
microcomputers in 2012 by a factor
offive,Ebenwantedtodoitagain.
This meant a computer retailing
for only $5.
Id heard conversations about
doing something very small, very
cheap, Mike Stimson, principal
hardware engineer and the
designer of the Raspberry Pi Zero,
tells us. He joined in January 2015
as the Raspberry Pi 2 project was
ramping down. The planning for
the Raspberry Pi Zero had just
begun, but Mike hadnt begun
working on it at that early stage.
Whenitwasfinallypitchedtohim
at the beginning of the summer, it
tookhimoffguard.

December 2015

13

Feature

INTERVIEW

To take a Raspberry Pi
Model A and make it as
cheap and small as possible

RASPBERRY PI

ZER0

THE
DESIGN

Thefirstandfinaldesign,as
created by Mike: The biggest
differencebetweenthefinal
and early version is obviously
the height. When we looked
at the layout, there seemed
to be an awful lot of empty
space relatively speaking,
of course.

FROM PI TO ZERO
29
FEB RASPBERRY PI
2012

RELEASED

At 6:00 GMT the original

Raspberry Pi goes on sale, selling
out within minutes. It is one of
the top-read stories on the BBC
website, and over 100,000 preorders are made in the first day.

14

December 2015

It was strange actually, recalls

Mike. I was in the middle of doing
something else when someone
came over and said that there was
a new project: basically, to take a
Raspberry Pi Model A and make it as
cheap and small as possible [while
still having the same specs]. Then
we went through a list of features

instincts when it comes to these

kinds of things, though.
Thefirstprototypewasturned
around pretty quickly once Mike
got on to actually designing the Pi
Zero. However, that didnt mean it
was easy.
Originally, we were talking about
something in the region of 35mm

that we thought we could get rid of,

ones we had to keep, and a few that
we werent quite sure about.
There was enthusiasm. And
scepticism, Eben laughs as he
recalls the original pitch meeting.
Youve got a room full of the
brightest guys on the planet, right,
and you say hey, were going to do
this and its going to have a business
model that looks a bit like this.
Its going to be great! Scepticism,
obviously, but also enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm that if we can pull it
off,thenwevemanagedtodoagain
what we did before.
I think my natural reaction
to all these things is that its all
crazy talk, Mike says of the pitch.
Ivelearnttodoubtmyownfirst

wide and the same length as the

A+, Mike explains to us. It looked
challenging because the other thing
we also wanted to do to keep costs
down was to make it single side
assembly. Not only is it considerably
smaller than an A+, its a lot more
dense component-wise on that
top layer. Theres a lot more clever
routing that has to be done in order
to get that size down.
I made it to about 65 by 35mm
and then we looked at it and thought
wecouldprobablyshaveoffafew
more millimetres. So we rearranged
a few of the connectors and we got
it to the 30mm-wide crazy size
it is now.
Once the design was complete and
Raspberry Pi was happy with the

01
JUL A NEW OPERATING
2012

SYSTEM

A couple of months or so
later, people begin receiving
their Raspberry Pis. Based on
Debian Linux, the new Raspbian
operating system is released for
the Raspberry Pi and adopted as
the recommended OS.

06
SEP LOCALLY
2012

GROWN

Manufacturing of Raspberry
Pis moves to factories in Wales
managed by Sony, bringing the
Raspberry Pi home to be a fully
British computer.

07
APR INDUSTRIAL PI
2014

The Compute Module Raspberry

Pi is released, a miniature
Raspberry Pi on a SODIMM
laptop memory-style circuit
board, that can be used to bring
Pi power to any device.

raspberrypi.org/magpi

RASPBERRY PI ZERO
From inception in January to
peoples hands in November,
the Raspberry Pi Zero didnt take
very long at all, especially when
you compare it to six years for
the original Pi and over two years
for the Pi 2.
Its quite fast for us; its being
helped by the fact it is a real
Raspberry Pi, Eben tells us. So
theresnosignificantsoftware
engineering involved in doing it
it is quite an aggressive schedule,
but its good!
Commentingonthefinal
product, both Eben and Mike seem
very pleased with it, both in terms
of the technological feat theyve

WHAT IS THE
RCA VIDEO OUT
CONNECTOR FOR?
The final product has the
composite signal brought out
to a 0.1 inch pad, so if you want
to solder an RCA cable onto it
you can.
Were psyched about the
idea of people being able to
take it and solder it inside an old
television you know, get an old
television and crack it open. Turn
your television into a computer.
We think thats really good for
developing world applications.

prototypes, they began the process

of making sure there would be
enough Raspberry Pi Zeros available
for launch.
We spent a couple of months,
June and July, getting manufacturing
quotes. We were very pleased to
see that UK manufacturing was
very competitive. It was by far
the cheapest way of making it.
Then we committed orders in
August and manufacturing started
[on] 27 October mass volume
manufacturing.Thefirst10,000are
for The MagPi, so the Pi Zero you hold
in your hand may very well be being
manufactured as I speak.

14
JUL A BETTER
2014

RASPBERRY PI

The Raspberry Pi B+ is
announced by the Foundation, a
redesign of the Raspberry Pi that
contains more USB ports and a
better layout of its components.
The form factor will lead the way
for the Raspberry Pi.

raspberrypi.org/magpi

accomplished and the aesthetics

of the Pi Zero as well.
I just hope people like it,
Eben says. I hope that it helps
the education mission a lot. Its
great to make computers and
stuff,butallthemoneyisgoing
back into the charity, so we kind
of hope that the existence of this
cheap thing will let even more
people in the door. And maybe
thats not even people in the UK
any more, but also people in the
developing world.
Having cheap, open, generalpurpose computing thats got
to be good for something. Were
building100kofthematfirst,but
Im just hoping it will have a life
after that.

10
NOV A CHEAPER
2014

RASPBERRY PI

The Raspberry Pi A+ is announced,

a much smaller version of the
Raspberry Pi Model A that is also
even cheaper at $20. Much like
the B+. there are no changes in
the spec, although it does lose
one of its output ports.

ON THE COVER
Were the first ever magazine in the world to give away
a real computer on the cover. Here are some other
notable covermount firsts through the years...

1960S

SATIRE ON RECORD

Some issues of satirical magazine Private Eye would

have covermounted floppy 7 vinyls which had
comedy recordings on them. In classic Private Eye
style, they all had punny titles which we wont subject
you to here.

1970S

FLEXI-DISC MUSIC

With the popularisation of these flexi-discs on covers,

pop music mags began mounting samples and songs
on the front of their covers. NME did this a lot in the
Seventies with plenty of rock vinyls.

1980S

NEW HARDWARE

As computer magazines took off, so did shareware

software attached to the front. It started with floppy
disks, but as CDs became much cheaper, magazine
covers began appearing with data CDs on the cover.

1990S

DEMO DISCS

When video games moved to discs with the advent of

CD-ROM drives and the PlayStation, cover discs with
game demos were big business.

2000S

DVDS FOR ALL

As prices for optical media fell, any magazine with an idea

for disc content would have a covermounted DVD. Film
trailers, software, art assets, commentary, instructional
videos, and much more made their way to magazine
covers the world over.

2015

A COMPUTER ON THE COVER

The MagPi is the first magazine to give you hardware

on its cover. The Raspberry Pi Zero is the worlds first
covermounted computer its never been done before.

02 A NEW
FEB
2015

Feature

RASPBERRY PI

The Raspberry Pi 2 is announced,

completely shocking the
community. With much improved
power and memory, the
Raspberry Pi finally reaches its
full potential and leads to better
making and educating.

26
NOV FROM ZERO
2015

TO HERO

The Zero is launched, with the first

10,000 units being stuck to the
front of TheMagPi in newsagents
across the UK. Its a $5 computer
that will hopefully further change
the computing landscape.

December 2015

15

Feature

ZERO UNBOXED

ZER0

Lets take a
closer look at
this miniature
Raspberry Pi

UNBOXED

16

SD CARD SLOT

MINI-HDMI

MICRO-USB

POWER SUPPLY

Youll need a microSD

card so you can actually
give the Raspberry Pi Zero
an operating system.
Some come with SD
adaptors so you can plug
it into your PC.

A mini-HDMI to HDMI cable

is required to hook up a
monitor to the Raspberry Pi
Zero a normal HDMI cable
willnotfit.

This micro-USB port is for

data; to actually use it to plug
in a mouse, keyboard, or a
wireless dongle, youll need a
micro-USB to USB adaptor.

This is the power jack

dont get it mixed up with
the data port! Youll need
a mobile phone charger, or
oneoftheofficialRaspberry
Pi power supplies, to turn
the Zero on.

December 2015

raspberrypi.org/magpi

RASPBERRY PI ZERO

ASSEMBLE
YOUR ZERO

Its simple enough to put your Raspberry Pi

Zero together as easy as 1, 2, 3, in fact

FREE
CABLE
BUNDLE!

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

Page 42

> STEP ONE

PLUG IN SD CARD
Youll need to install NOOBS
(New Out Of Box Software) onto
your Raspberry Pi Zero, enabling
you to choose an operating
system. Plug your microSD card
into another computer and visit
the Raspberry Pi download site
(magpi.cc/1MYYTMo). Download
theNOOBSzipfileandunzipitonto
the SD card to install it. Once thats
done, slot it in.

GRAB YOUR
CABLES
Dont have a miniHDMI or micro-USB
converter? Weve
got you covered
We understand the cables
required to get your Raspberry
Pi Zero hooked up are not
particularly common; although
you might have a mini-HDMI
cable if you bought a really nice
camera in the last few years, the
micro-USB adaptors are much
less common. With that in mind,
Raspberry Pi has put together a
cable bundle that will help you
get your Zero working in no time.
Just head over to the Swag Store
(swag.raspberrypi.org) to get a
bundle today!

Below These two

special cables
allow the Pi Zero to
be teeny-tiny

> STEP TWO

CONNECT CABLES
Plug in the mini-HDMI to HDMI
connector and make sure its
properly connected between the
Raspberry Pi Zero and your display.
Now plug in your USB adaptor,
making sure its in the correct
micro-USB port, and attach your
USB hub. You may not need a hub
with external power, but make sure
one is handy just in case.

> STEP THREE

POWER IT UP
Plug the power cable into the
micro-USB power socket, again
checking to make sure its the correct
one at this point it should be the
only one left. Plugging the other end
of the power supply into a wall socket
will immediately turn the Raspberry
Pi Zero on. Youre now ready to start a
new chapter in hacking and making!

raspberrypi.org/magpi

RASPBERRY PI

ZER0
December 2015

17

Feature

GET TO KNOW RASPBIAN

GET TO KNOW

PI ZER0
Whether this is your first ever Raspberry Pi, or you want to know more about
how the Zero actually performs, lets get to know it...

Run commands the

old-fashioned way
in the terminal or
via the commandline interface,
on the Pi Zero or
remotely over
the network

The Raspbian
interface should be
familiar to almost
anyone who has
used computers

All the programs in

Raspbian are kept
in the program
menu. All the
software available
on the original Pi
and Pi 2 are still
here for Zero

Browse the internet

on the Pi Zero if you
connect a wireless
dongle, making
for a great lowprofile web kiosk
or smart TV

Start or continue
to learn to code
with the excellent
resources available
in Raspbian

RASPBERRY PI

MORE COMPONENTS FOR YOUR ZERO

ETHERNET ADAPTOR

CASE

While Raspbian and the Pi Zero work just fine with

WiFi, if you want a slightly more stable connection, you
might want to try a USB Ethernet adaptor. There are
a few around, and weve even heard rumours of some
that plug straight into micro-USB ports; however, youll
have more luck finding one that will
plug into a micro-USB to USB
adaptor, or straight into
a USB hub.

The Pi Zero is a sensitive electronic device, so

its probably best to not have it just on a table
gathering dust. At the time of writing,
there arent any cases just yet for the
Raspberry Pi Zero, but theyll soon
come. For the moment, we suggest
you head over to page 41 to find out
how you can 3D-print your own
custom Pi Zero keyring case.

18

December 2015

ZER0

raspberrypi.org/magpi

THE RASPBERRY PI ZERO

ow youve got your Pi Zero
hooked up, using it with
Raspbian should feel very
familiar. Thats because the OS
works in exactly the same way as it
does on any other Raspberry Pi.
This shouldnt come as any
surprise really if youve been
following the story so far. On
the other hand, youll be in for a
bit of a shock if youve become
used to the extra speed that the
Raspberry Pi 2 offers you. Going
back to original Raspberry Pi speeds
really highlights how much more
powerful the 2 is; however, the
Raspberry Pi Zero is also the size
of a large thumb, so youd expect

runs flawlessly on the Pi Zero

without any performance issues.
The rest of the basic software also
works extremely well, although
web browsing can get a little
slow if youre doing some really
tab-heavy work.
You can always overclock the Pi
Zero to give it a bit more power.
Its not been fully tested, though,
so you should probably use it
sparingly. To find the controls for
increasing the power of the CPU,
select Preferences from the menu,
then Raspberry Pi Configuration.
Youll find the Overclock option
under the Performance tab. In the
System tab, youll also find the

some concessions.
If this is your first time using a
Raspberry Pi, then youll be looking
around Raspbian for the first time
too. As the operating system for
the Raspberry Pi, its built quite
simply to make it easy for people
to use. It has a standard program
menu (much like the Windows Start
menu), where you access all your
programs, and it has a lot of the
standard pieces of software youd
need already installed. Theres a
web browser, an email client, and
office software called LibreOffice.
Theyre all optimised for use on
the low-power Raspberry Pi, and
even though theres a much more
powerful Raspberry Pi alternative,
they all work absolutely fine on the
Raspberry Pi Zero.
LibreOffice especially was a
concern as its a very new piece
of software for Raspbian, but it

option for whether or not to have

the Pi start in the command-line
or desktop. See our performance
tests on this page to see if booting
to command line would better for
you: it would use less power (our
initial tests have shown incredibly
low power consumption) and
youd still be able to connect to it
remotely via SSH. This low power
usage and remote capabilities
open the Zero up to be used for
many purposes which well cover
throughout the rest of this feature.
If you had any doubts, then,
that the Raspberry Pi Zero would
be a very stripped-back version of
even the original Raspberry Pi, you
have nothing to fear. At least on a
software level, it will run the same
code and programs in the same
way with the same performance
as before. Its now just the size
of a stick of gum.

WIRELESS KEYBOARD
AND MOUSE COMBO
A good way to save USB space on a hub, there
are plenty of good and cheap mini keyboard
and mouse accessories that work great with
the Raspberry Pi. It also means you can
keep the Pi Zero hidden away in any
little nook or cranny you can find
and not have too many cables
signifying its presence.

raspberrypi.org/magpi

Feature

NEED FOR SPEED

We compared the boot time of the Raspberry Pi
Zero to the Raspberry Pi 2. How does it fare?

RASPBERRY PI 2
Boot to command line:
Boot to desktop:

14.50 SEC.
18.00 SEC.

RASPBERRY PI ZERO
Boot to command line:
Boot to desktop:

27.00 SEC.
43.00 SEC.

RASPBERRY PI ZERO
TURBO OVERCLOCK
Boot to command line:
Boot to desktop:

23.00 SEC.
33.00 SEC.

DESKTOP SETUP
Want to set up the Raspberry Pi Zero as a desktop
replacement? Its really quite simple most
of the hard work has been done for you already
First of all, theres the hardware setup. To make
the Pi Zero a desktop PC, you need the basic
components: a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and
wireless dongle. Connecting the monitor is easiest,
as you just need to get a mini-HDMI to HDMI cable
that can plug into a monitor with a HDMI port. For
the rest of the components, youll need to first
look into getting a USB hub that can be powered if
need be plug it into a micro-USB to USB adaptor
and then plug in your keyboard, mouse, and WiFi
dongle. If you have a spare port, you can now use
that for a USB stick.
Lastly, youll need to install Raspbian. This is
dead easy: plug a microSD card into your normal
computer (via an SD adaptor if needed) and unzip
NOOBS to it, which you can download from:
raspberrypi.org/downloads. Insert the microSD
card into the Pi Zero, plug it in with a phone
charger or an official Raspberry Pi power supply,
and then choose to install Raspbian Jessie.

December 2015

19

Feature

REMOTE ACCESS

ESSENTIAL

PI ZER0
TIPS

HOW TO CONNECT TO WIFI

ON THE COMMAND LINE
allow-hotplug wlan0
auto wlan0
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
wpa-ssid
MyWirelessNetwork
wpa-password
AGoodPassword

GIVE YOUR PI ZERO

A NETWORK NAME

By default, the Pi will now be

accessible via raspberrypi.local
over the local network.

ZER0

sudo apt-get install

avahi-daemon

Above To set a
static IP on the
desktop interface,
youll have to
go through the
sameprocess

RASPBERRY PI

If you set a static IP as shown in

the wireless tutorial on this page,
then youll always be able to
access the Raspberry Pi Zero with
that IP address from any remote
service. However, for those who
want the easier automatic way,
you can still make it just as easy
to connect to the Zero over the
network by setting up Zeroconf.
From the command line or in the
terminal, type the following to
make sure it is installed:

Left On some
versions of
Raspbian, avahi
it may already be
installed

20

December 2015

While Raspbian makes it dead easy

to connect to WiFi on the desktop
interface, theres a little more
involved in getting it working
from the command line. Before
we begin, there is one trick you
can do: if you set up the WiFi at
the desktop, it will still work while
in the command line. That isnt
always possible, though, so you
may need to use the manual way.
First, find out the name of your
network and the password. In the
Raspbian command line, type:

sudo nano /etc/network/

interfaces. There will already be
some information in here, but to
get the wireless to connect, make
sure the file has these lines in it,
with your network name (SSID)
and its password replacing whats
already here:

You can also give the Raspberry

Pi a static IP. To do this, you first
need to do some prep work which
requires you to use a computer
which is already connected to
your wireless network. Open the
command line in Windows or
the terminal in OS X or Linux.
For Windows, type ipconfig; for
OS X and Linux, use ifconfig
followed by netstat -nr. Note
the IP address (inet), the broadcast
address, the subnet address,
the router IP (Destination), and
Gateway address. After that,
modify the interfaces file like so:

iface wlan0 inet static

wpa-ssid MyWirelessNetwork
wpa-password AGoodPassword
address [IP address]
netmask [Subnet]
network [Router address]
broadcast [Broadcast
address]
gateway [Gateway]

raspberrypi.org/magpi

THE RASPBERRY PI ZERO

USE YOUR RASPBERRY PI

FROM ANOTHER COMPUTER
Thanks to a piece of software called
RealVNC, you dont even need to
plug your Pi Zero into a monitor
to use its desktop; you can simply
control it from another computer.
First of all, go to magpi.cc/PiVNC
and download RealVNC onto your
Raspberry Pi. Also obtain a free
licence key (magpi.cc/1O8Hz4J), as
youll be needing it.
Once the file is on your Pi,
open the terminal, use cd to
navigate to the file in Downloads
(cd Downloads should do) and
use the following two commands,
replacing the square brackets with
the appropriate names:

tar xvf [VNC file name].

tar.gz
sudo dpkg -i [VNC Server
package name].deb [VNC
Viewer package name].deb
Copy the licence key you got
and then run sudo vnclicense

raspberrypi.org/magpi

SHARE FILES ON YOUR

NETWORK WITH SAMBA
This is especially good if you want to use your
Raspberry Pi Zero as a file server. For this, or just
generally to be able to access the files on your Zero
from anywhere on the network, youll need to
use Samba. First, you need to install it:

sudo apt-get install samba samba-common-bin

Above On some versions of Raspbian, Avahi
may already be installed

-add [License Key] with your

key. Type vncserver into the
terminal or command line for it
to begin, type in your Raspberry
Pis password (its raspberry by
default) and make a note of the
display number. In our case it was
1, and as Avahi was installed, we
can connect using raspberrypi:1.
Install a VNC viewer from
here: magpi.cc/1M4uzfG
on your platform of choice,
and then connect with:

raspberrypi:[Number]

ACCESS YOUR PI REMOTELY FROM

THE COMMAND LINE
Via the SSH protocol, you can access
the Raspberry Pi from any other
computer on your home network.
SSH should be activated by default,
but to make sure it is on, you can go
to Raspberry Pi Configuration from
the Preferences category in the Menu
(or by typing sudo raspi-config
from the command line) and ensure
SSH is turned on in the Interfaces tab
(or under the Advanced menu in the
command-line version). If SSH was
disabled, enable it and reboot.
In OS X and Linux, you can use SSH
from the terminal; in Windows,
however, youll need to download
PuTTY (magpi.cc/1Mm5Npi).

Feature

From an OS X or Linux terminal, you

can access the Pi remotely with:

You need to configure Samba to work as intended.

Still in the terminal or command line, type:

sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf

First of all, if you have a Windows workgroup with a
specific name on your network, find the line starting
workgroup = WORKGROUP and change the uppercase
WORKGROUP to your workgroups name. If you
have no idea what a workgroup is, you can leave
this setting alone. Find the line # wins support
= no, delete the # character, and change the no
to yes. Scroll down to the section labelled Share
Definitions and enter the following chunk of code:

[pihome]
comment= Pi Home
path=/home/pi
browseable=Yes
writeable=Yes
only guest=no
create mask=0777
directory mask=0777
public=no
Press CTRL+X, then Y and ENTER to save the file. To
start the sharing, enter the following in the terminal
and use your Pis password (raspberry by default):

$ ssh pi@raspberrypi
smbpasswd -a pi
You will need to set up a network
name (see box on previous page).
Type yes to trust the connection,
then enter the password raspberry to
log in. If using PuTTY, just type pi@
raspberrypi into the address field
and click Connect. Again, youll have
to agree to trust the Pi Zero, then use
the password raspberry.
You can now control the Raspberry
Pi in as you would normally do via
the command-line.

Above The configuration file looks complicated, but you only need
to change a couple of bits!

December 2015

21

Projects
Feature

EASY PROJECTS

WEB-CONTROLLED HTPC
Turbocharge your TV with nothing more than an HDMI cable and a wireless dongle

Project
data
CATEGORY:
Entertainment

DIFFICULTY:
Easy

n HTPC (home theater PC) is an excellent use

for the Raspberry Pi, and a very popular one
thanks to the existence of Kodi the media
centre software and operating systems that utilise
it, such as OpenELEC and OSMC. Whereas before you
could set up the Raspberry Pi as a very mini set-top
box, the Raspberry Pi Zero can be stored covertly
behind the television with a custom mounting or a
good bit of Blu-Tack.
If youre sticking it behind a television and want
to keep wiring to a very minimum, you can get away
with just having a wireless dongle attached to a USB
adaptor. This not only allows the Pi to connect online
to watch streamed content, and to your network to
play local media, it also opens it up to be controlled by
the standard web controls.
While the web controls can be used from a browser
as original intended, you can also get remote control
apps for smartphones and tablets (just search for
Kodi or XBMC remote on your app store, theres loads

Project
data

to choose from!) that make use of this web access

to the HTPC.
We recommend setting up the web access on
a Pi Zero or normal Pi with keyboard and mouse
connected, just to make it slightly easier. Head over to
the Settings menu, then go to Services, Webserver and
enable Allow control of Kodi via HTTP. Make a note
of the IP address it gives itself, and use that to connect
from your phone or browser.

ULTRA-LOW
PROFILE FILE SERVER

CATEGORY:
Utility

DIFFICULTY:

RASPBERRY PI

ZER0

Easy

22

Upgrade your networkattached storage by making it

much, much smaller
The Raspberry Pi is the perfect low-power file
server for your home, requiring very little wattage
to keep running when idle, while also being very
easy to access remotely via SSH over the network.
With an original Raspberry Pi, it was a small setup,
but now with a Pi Zero you can basically have a NAS
box that is no bigger than
the actual storage itself.
Get a small USB hub, a
portable USB hard drive,
and a tiny USB dongle
and youve got yourself
a complete NAS box
that can be controlled
from anywhere on your
local network.

December 2015

INCOGNITO
COMPUTER
Keep your Raspberry Pi
Zero hidden and safe in an
inconspicuous tin of mints

Project
data
CATEGORY:
Fun

DIFFICULTY:
Easy

While you wait to get a case for your Raspberry Pi Zero,

theres a few things you can do to keep it safe from
a normal dusty environment; you could keep it in an
anti-static bag, the blister packet it came with on top
of this magazine, or you could keep it hidden inside
an Altoids tin.
All youd need to do is affix it to the tin, either with
Blu-Tack or some carefully measured and drilled screw
mounts, and cut a few holes to allow for connecting
the normal cables to it. Quick, simple, and it makes
you feel like a spy.

raspberrypi.org/magpi

THE RASPBERRY PI ZERO

Project
data
CATEGORY:
Utility

DIFFICULTY:
Medium

Feature
Projects

PI ZERO GPIO
SOLDERING
The Pi Zero comes with a full-size GPIO header but no pins. Even if
youve never touched a soldering iron before, dont panic: fitting the
pin header block can be a quick and easy job

Youll
Need
> 2.54mm Male Pin
Headers
magpi.cc/
1PCpMVa
> Soldering Iron
and Solder
magpi.cc/
1Oa5ksX
> Blu-Tack
(optional)
> HAT (optional)

f youre planning a project around the Pi Zero

which involves general-purpose input-output

(GPIO), then you have a decision to make: you

can solder your wires directly to the unpopulated GPIO
header and dedicate the Pi Zero to the job, or you can
solder a header block and make it easily detachable just like on the Zeros bigger siblings.

Preparation

Before you plug your iron in, get your workspace ready.
That means making sure that its free from anything
breakable or flammable, that youve put something
protective down on the surface to guard against
scorching from solder splashes, and that youve laid
everything out where you can easily get to it.
The GPIO header blocks themselves, technically
known as 2.54mm male pin headers, will also need
some preparation. Theyre typically supplied in rows of
36 or more, while the Pis GPIO block is laid out in two
rows of 20. Thats easy to rectify: count 20 pins out,
then put your fingernails in the divot between pins 20
and 21 before snapping the excess off with a twist of
your fingers. Do this twice and youll have the precise
number of pins required.

Pick an iron with a

reasonable power
output, not below
25W, and with a
reasonable fine
tip - not the sort of
thing youd use for
plumbing repairs!

Pin headers are

usually supplied
in odd-numbered
quantities, but
they are easily
snapped to
length with
nothing
more than
your fingers.

raspberrypi.org/magpi

Above Take your time when soldering the pins, and be careful not
to connect two or more together with excess solder

Finally, moisten your sponge, plug the iron in, and

clean the tip by melting a small amount of solder
directly to the metal before wiping it on the sponge.

Soldering

Putting the iron back in its stand for now, begin by

putting the pins through the GPIO block of the Pi Zero,
with the short ends sticking through and the black
plastic blocks resting on the circuit board. Youll need a
way to hold these in place while you flip the Pi Zero: try
a blob of Blu-Tack or, if you have one, insert the long
ends of the pins into a HAT or other accessory with a
female GPIO header.
Flip the Pi Zero over to expose the short pins, and
begin soldering. Making sure the pins are properly lined
up, target the bottom-right pin first. Place the heated
iron against both the leg of the pin and the coppercoloured soldering point, and wait a couple of seconds
for it to heat. Then, without removing the iron, touch
the solder to the base of the pin. It should melt, then
be quickly sucked into the hole to make a conical
connection; if not, reposition your iron and try again.
With one down, its now merely a question of
repetition: keep soldering each pin in turn, making sure
not to use too much solder and cause a short, until they
are all complete. Clean your irons tip, allow the Pi Zero
to cool, and youre ready to attach some GPIO hardware
or, optionally, wash off the soldering residue with flux
cleaner fluid for a neater finish.

December 2015

23

Tutorial

ZERO PROJECTS
The titchy Pi Zero means
that bot size can be
significantly reduced

This bots body

is 3D printed but
the light weight
requirements
means you can
easily make one
out of household
scraps

The HC-SR04 eyes provides

that signature Pi robot look

Youll
Need
> A 3D-printed
KOROBOT shell
and wheels,
or some craft
materials
magpi.cc/
1PCfwMK
> HC-SR04
ultrasonic sensor
magpi.cc/
1PCfAMs
> Two 28BYJ-48
stepper motors &
ULN2003A driver
boards
magpi.cc/
1PCfCE3

ZER0BOT

Robots are always fashionable projects for Pis. The Pi Zero

makes it possible to create even smaller programable vehicles
he tiny form factor of the Pi Zero means
you can develop equally titchy and highly
manoeuvrable bots. The Pi is not the only thing
to get itself a zero makeover. The fabulous GPIO Python
library has recently been made even more user-friendly
and accessible through the new GPIO Zero library.
Combined with the latest version of Raspbian (Jessie),
we can also omit the sudo before running our scripts.
Coding robots has never been easier or smaller!
First of all, make sure youve got the latest version
of pip for Python3:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install python3-pip
Then install GPIO Zero (gpiozero) and the library well
use for our robots eyes.

THE CASE
This bots body is
3D-printed, but
the lightweight
requirements
mean that
you can easily
make one out
of household
scraps.

24

sudo pip install gpiozero hcsr04sensor

Stepper motors

The 28BYJ-48 is a cheap but versatile stepper motor that

can normally be bought with an ULN2003A driver board
for under 4. Stepper motors can be programmed to
move in discrete steps rather than just turned on/off like
servos. Using the Pi Zero, youll be able to control the
speed and positioning of the motors very accurately. To

December 2015

cause the motor to rotate, you provide a sequence

of high and low levels to each of the four inputs.
The direction can then be reversed by reversing the
sequence. In the case of the 28BYJ-48, there are fourstep and eight-step sequences. The four-step is faster,
but the torque is lower. The example code lets you specify
the number of steps through the seqsize variable.
Each motor has a connector block at the end of its
coloured wires that slots into the white header on
the ULN2003A. The GPIO pins controlling that motor
connect to the four input pins below the IC, while the 5V
power and ground connections go to the bottom two pins
on the right (see Fig 1).

Eyes to see

Well give our ZeroBot some simple eyes that allow it

to detect obstacles, courtesy of the HC-SR04 ultrasonic
sensor. This has four pins, including ground (GND) and
5V supply (Vcc). Using Python, you can tell the Pi to
send an input signal to the Trigger Pulse Input (TRIG)
by setting a GPIO pins output to HIGH. This will cause
the sensor to send out an ultrasonic pulse to bounce off
nearby objects. The sensor detects these reflections,
measures the time between the trigger and returned
pulse, and then sets a 5V signal on the Echo Pulse
Output (ECHO) pin. Python code can measure the time
between output and return pulses. Connect the HC-

raspberrypi.org/magpi

ZEROBOT

zerobot.py

Fig 1 Theres a lot of wiring for this bot. If motors dont turn as
expected, check the GPIO pins for the coils are connected correctly

SR04 as shown in Fig 1. Its ECHO output is rated at 5V,

which could damage the Pi. To reduce this to 3V, use
two resistors to create a simple voltage divider circuit,
as shown.
The hcsr04sensor Python library provides a simple
interface to enable our bots eyes. Once you have all your
components connected, you can test the code on a bench
before building the full robot. Point the eyes away from

Coding robots has

never been easier...
you and run the code. The red LEDs on the ULN2003As
should flash and both motors start turning. Our zerobot.
py example has the bot move in a square. Check that the
motors behave accordingly, then rerun the code, but this
time place your hand a couple of centimetres in front of
the HC-SR04 and check that everything stops.
Now its time to give the bot a body. If you have access
to a 3D printer, you can print the parts for the ZeroBot.
This design fits together easily, although you do need
to glue the chassis end-caps in place. Alternatively, you
could construct a similar design using reasonably thick
cardboard for the wheels and part of a plastic bottle as
the main tubular chassis. Use more cardboard for the
end-caps.
Put your power bank at the bottom of the chassis tube,
then attach the motors to the end-caps with screws.
Next, place the ULN2003A boards on top of the power
bank, and then sit the breadboard with the HC-SR04
eyes on top. Finally, slot the Pi Zero in at the back.
All nice and cosy, and ready to roll!

raspberrypi.org/magpi

Tutorial
Language

import time, sys

>PYTHON
import gpiozero as g0
from threading import Thread
DOWNLOAD:
import hcsr04sensor.sensor as sensor
github.com/topIN1_m1 = g0.OutputDevice(17)
shed/ZeroBot
IN2_m1 = g0.OutputDevice(18)
IN3_m1 = g0.OutputDevice(21)
IN4_m1 = g0.OutputDevice(22)
StepPins_m1 = [IN1_m1,IN2_m1,IN3_m1,IN4_m1] # Motor 1 GPIO pins
IN4_m2 = g0.OutputDevice(19)
IN3_m2 = g0.OutputDevice(13)
IN2_m2 = g0.OutputDevice(5)
IN1_m2 = g0.OutputDevice(6)
StepPins_m2 = [IN1_m2,IN2_m2,IN3_m2,IN4_m2] # Motor 2 GPIO pins
Seq = [[1,0,0,1], # Define step sequence
[1,0,0,0], # as shown in manufacturers datasheet
[1,1,0,0],
[0,1,0,0],
[0,1,1,0],
[0,0,1,0],
[0,0,1,1],
[0,0,0,1]]
StepCount = len(Seq)
all_clear = True
running = True
def bump_watch(): # thread to watch fro obstacles
global all_clear
while running:
value = sensor.Measurement(20, 16, 20, 'metric', 1)
if value.raw_distance() < 10: # trigger if obstacle within 10cm
all_clear = False
else:
all_clear = True
def move_bump(direction='F', seqsize=1, numsteps=2052):
counter = 0 # 2052 steps = 1 revolution for stepsize of 2
StepDir = seqsize # Set to 1 or 2 for fwd, -1 or -2 for back
if direction == 'B':
StepDir = StepDir * -1
WaitTime = 10/float(1000) # adjust this to change speed
StepCounter = 0
while all_clear and counter < numsteps: # only move if no obstacles
for pin in range(0, 4):
Lpin = StepPins_m1[pin]
Rpin = StepPins_m2[pin]
if Seq[StepCounter][pin]!=0: # F = fwd, B=back, L=left, R=right
if direction == 'L' or direction == 'B' or direction == 'F':
Lpin.on() # Left wheel only
if direction == 'R' or direction == 'B' or direction == 'F':
Rpin.on() # Right wheel only
else:
Lpin.off()
Rpin.off()
StepCounter += StepDir
if (StepCounter>=StepCount): # Repeat sequence
StepCounter = 0
if (StepCounter<0):
StepCounter = StepCount+StepDir
time.sleep(WaitTime) #pause
counter+=1
t1 = Thread(target=bump_watch) # run as seperate thread
t1.start() # start bump watch thread
for i in range(4): # Draw a right-handes square
move_bump('F',-2,4104)
move_bump('R',-2,2052)
December 2015
running = False

25

Tutorial
Feature

ZERO PROJECTS

Project
data

The USB power

cable should fit
easily through
the existinghole

CATEGORY:
Fun/Home
Automation

DIFFICULTY:
Medium

The small size of the

Pi Zero means it easily
fits into off-the-shelf
diffusers, like this one
rescued from an old
table lamp

ZER0 MOOD LIGHT

If youve ever thought that building your own equivalent to a Philips Hue or other
smart mood light shouldnt be challenging, youll love this Pi Zero project

Youll
Need
> GPIO headers
magpi.cc/
1PCpMVa
> Unicorn HAT
magpi.cc/
1PCpRZ5
> USB WiFi dongle
or second
Raspberry Pi
magpi.cc/
1PCpVb5
> Diffuser or
lamp housing
(optional)

hen the machine-to-machine

communications industry branched
out into consumer products and became
the Internet of Things (IoT), it was only natural it
would focus on easy wins, and with programmable
RGB LEDs dropping in price, mood lighting was
a great start. What took companies like Philips years
of research and development, though, can now be
achieved by the hobbyist in minutes. The Pi Zeros
low power draw and small size make it perfect for
adding intelligence to even the smallest of household
gadgets, and existing LED HATs are entirely
compatible, meaning you can build something
smart-looking in well under an hour.

>STEP-01

Install Unicorn HAT

If your Pi Zero is fresh from the factory, youll need to
solder on a set of GPIO headers before you can attach a
HAT (Hardware Attached on Top). If you havent done
so, head on over to page 23 to see how this is done.
With headers in place, installing the Unicorn HAT is
no more difficult than with any other Pi model: place
it carefully on top of the male pins, making sure that

26

December 2015

youve lined it up properly without skipping a column

and that the body of the HAT is covering the body of
the Pi Zero, then push down firmly.

>STEP-02

Install software
Youll need some extra software to run the Unicorn
HAT, which can pose a problem for the network-less
Pi Zero. You can either connect a USB WiFi dongle
with a USB OTG adaptor, or remove the microSD
card and insert it into a networked Raspberry Pi to
perform this step.
At the terminal, type the following three commands
to install the software youll need to control the
Unicorn HATs numerous LEDs:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get

upgrade
sudo apt-get install python-dev
sudo pip install unicornhat
If youre using a networked Pi for this, shut down
when youre done and put the microSD card back
in the Zero.

raspberrypi.org/magpi

MOOD LIGHT
>STEP-03

Write the code

For a true Hue-like experience, youre going to need
some pretty advanced code. For a simple colourcycling mood light, however, you need only a handful
of lines of code. You can either write your own or
use the rainbow.py example provided by Pimoroni
specifically for the Unicorn HAT.
For now, even if youre looking to write your own,
try typing in the included code either at the terminal
using nano or in IDLE at the desktop and saving it
in your home directory as rainbow.py. Remember to
watch out for typos!

>STEP-04

Configure on-boot behaviour

Nobody wants to have to plug a keyboard and mouse
into their lamp every time they turn it on, so we want
the rainbow.py code to run every time the Pi Zero is
switched on. At the terminal, type:

sudo nano /etc/rc.local

Type the following line in, just below the lines
commented out with hash symbols:

python /home/pi/rainbow.py &

The last symbol, an ampersand, is important: it
allows the Python program to run in the background
and not tie up the Raspbian boot process. Save with
CTRL+O, and exit with CTRL+X.

>STEP-05

Feature
Tutorial
Language

rainbow.py

>PYTHON

#!/usr/bin/env python
import unicornhat as unicorn
import time, math, colorsys

DOWNLOAD:

magpi.cc/1iUiQFV

print("Reticulating splines")
time.sleep(.5)
print("Enabled unicorn poop module!")
time.sleep(.5)
print("Pooping rainbows...")
unicorn.brightness(0.1)
i = 0.0
offset = 30
while True:
i = i + 0.3
for y in range(8):
for x in range(8):
r = 0#x * 32
g = 0#y * 32
xy = x + y / 4
r = (
math.cos((x+i)/2.0) + math.cos((y+i)/2.0)) * 64.0 + 128.0
g = (
math.sin((x+i)/1.5) + math.sin((y+i)/2.0)) * 64.0 + 128.0
b = (
math.sin((x+i)/2.0) + math.cos((y+i)/1.5)) * 64.0 + 128.0
r = max(0, min(255, r + offset))
g = max(0, min(255, g + offset))
b = max(0, min(255, b + offset))
unicorn.set_pixel(
x,y,int(r),int(g),int(b))
unicorn.show()
time.sleep(0.01)

Shut down and install

Left The small size of

the Pi Zero means its
hidden away entirely
underneath most
HATs, making for a
compact build

By itself, the Unicorn HAT is a little distracting. To

tone things down a little, have a look in cheap or
second-hand electrical shops for a lamp functional
or otherwise from which you can steal a diffuser.
If you cant find one, try building your own out of
translucent plastic, paper, or cloth.
Shut the Pi down with the following command:

sudo shutdown -h now

Disconnect the USB power cable and carefully
install the Pi Zero and Unicorn HAT in the diffuser.
You can either screw it in place through the
mounting holes, or use Sugru or Blu-Tack for a more
temporary arrangement.

>STEP-06

Power on and enjoy

Route a micro-USB cable through the diffuser and
connect it to the Pi Zeros power socket, situated at
the far right. Since a USB cable is thinner than the
mains lead used with many lamps, the diffusers

raspberrypi.org/magpi

existing hole for the old cable should work nicely

for this. Position the lamp wherever you like, and
then connect the USB cable to a power supply.
After a few seconds, the LEDs should start cycling
through various colours and brightnesses: youve
built your mood lamp!
From here, consider adding new features: a WiFi
adaptor and some clever Python code would let you
control the light from your smartphone, or you could
even have it react to weather or stock price tickers.

December 2015

27

Tutorial

ZERO PROJECTS

Project
Stats
CATEGORY:
Fun

DIFFICULTY:
Medium

This enclosure
is watertight, so
take this project
in the rain or on
the open seas

The GPS receiver

sends location
data via serial
over USB to the
Raspberry Pi

The Raspberry
Pi Zero uses
Python to log
the locations to
a text file

Youll
Need
> USB GPS
receiver
> USB battery pack
> Enclosure
> Micro-USB to
USB adaptors
> GpsPrune
magpi.cc/
1PxO5Fg

ZER0 GPS
LOGGER
Track yourself anywhere on Earth by making your own tiny,
hackable GPS logger and map viewer
sing off-the-shelf components and a
Raspberry Pi Zero, you can create a small and
inexpensive GPS location logging device to
take hiking, kayaking, or in the car. And since the
Raspberry Pi is a full computer, you can even connect
a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to it so that you can
view your routes on a map and analyse the data youve
collected. In this project, youll learn about how GPS
devices deliver location information over serial, and
how you can use Python to parse and save that stream
of data to a file.

28

December 2015

GPS basics

As were sure you know, GPS technology uses

satellites orbiting the Earth in order to determine your
position with longitude and latitude coordinates. So
as you work on this project, it helps if the GPS receiver
has a clear line of sight to the sky. If youre working
indoors, you may want set yourself up near a window
and have the GPS receiver positioned facing upwards
outside the window.
Most USB GPS receivers should work, but wed
definitely favour those devices that have clear

raspberrypi.org/magpi

ZERO GPS LOGGER

Youll learn about how GPS devices deliver

location information over serial, and how you
can use Python to parse and save that stream
documentation with their serial settings such as baud
rate (the speed it sends bits). When researching a
particular receiver, search online for its model number
and the phrase baud rate, and make sure that others
have had success reading data via serial. The model we
used was a GlobalSat BU-353. Its baud rate is 4800.
The first thing youll want to do with your GPS
receiver is peek at the serial data coming in and make
sure you have your settings correct. Immediately after
plugging your USB GPS receiver into your Pi Zero, run:

tail -f /var/log/syslog
Look for a recent log entry towards the bottom
that shows something like pl2303 converter now
attached to ttyUSB0. This means that the GPS
device is now connected and can be used as
/dev/ttyUSB0. To set that ports baud rate, execute

raspberrypi.org/magpi

Tutorial

Above The Pelican

1010 case includes
a carabiner, which is
useful for this project

stty according to the following example for a 4800

baud device on /dev/ttyUSB0.

stty -F /dev/ttyUSB0 4800

To view the data coming in from the GPS receiver,
execute the following command:

cat /dev/ttyUSB0
Youll see a lot of data coming in, each line starting
with $GPRMC or similar with comma-separated data
following. These are NMEA sentences, which are
standard ways of communicating certain types of
data, including location. Its a standard set by the (US)
National Marine Electronics Association. The code will
be reading the RMC sentence, which has all the data
youll need.

December 2015

29

Tutorial
Feature

ZERO PROJECTS
Language

gps.py

try:
decimalPointPosition = data.index('.')
degrees = float(data[:decimalPointPosition-2])
minutes = float(data[decimalPointPosition-2:])/60
output = degrees + minutes
if hemisphere is 'N' or hemisphere is 'E':
return output
if hemisphere is 'S' or hemisphere is 'W':
return -output
except:
return ""

>PYTHON
DOWNLOAD:

import serial
import os

magpi.cc/1PxP0pi

firstFixFlag = False
# will go true at first fix
firstFixDate = ""
# Set up serial:
ser = serial.Serial(
port='/dev/ttyUSB0',\
baudrate=4800,\
parity=serial.PARITY_NONE,\
stopbits=serial.STOPBITS_ONE,\
bytesize=serial.EIGHTBITS,\
timeout=1)

# Helper function to take a $GPRMC sentence,

# and turn it into a Python dictionary.
# This also calls degrees_to_decimal and stores
# the decimal values as well.
def parse_GPRMC(data):
data = data.split(',')
dict = {

# Helper function to take HHMM.SS,

# Hemisphere and make it decimal:
def degrees_to_decimal(data, hemisphere):

'fix_time': data[1],
'validity': data[2],
'latitude': data[3],

Heres an RMC sentence from my unit:

$GPRMC,204311.602,A,3747.3392,N,12223.8954,
W,0.50,324.18,061115,,,A*7A
The fields youll be interested in are in Fig 1.
The other fields describe speed, course, magnetic
variation, and the final field is a checksum. We wont
be using them for this project.
Press CTRL+C to get back to the command line and
proceed if youve confirmed the path of the serial port
and the baud rate.
Above GpsPrune runs on the Raspberry Pi
and lets you view the data on a map

30

Fig 1 The key fields of an

NMEA RMC sentence

DATA

DESCRIPTION

FORMAT

$GPRMC

Protocol header

204311.602

Time (UTC)

hhmmss.sss

Status

A (valid) or V (not valid)

3747.3392

Latitude

ddmm.mmmm

Northern / Southern
Hemisphere indicator

N or S

12223.8954

Longitude

ddmm.mmmm

Eastern / Western
Hemisphere indicator

E or W

061115

Date

ddmmyy

December 2015

Parsing the data and saving it

While there are drivers and code libraries for working

with GPS devices, we decided to parse the NMEA
sentences manually in Python, since that language
is especially good for working with text. The main
purpose of the Python script is to log the latitude and
longitude to a text file with comma-separated values.
Thats what it does in the main loop at the bottom of
the code. You might notice that it will only log to file
when theres a valid fix. You can tell if theres a valid
fix when the status field has the letter A.
The code has two helper functions. The first helper
function takes the full NMEA sentence and creates a
Python dictionary out of the data. This just makes the
data easier to work with in case you want to enhance
the script for your project.
The other helper function takes the degrees-minutes
and hemisphere data that the GPS outputs and converts
it into decimal degrees. Working with decimal degrees
will be easier if you want to enhance the project to

raspberrypi.org/magpi

ZERO GPS LOGGER

'latitude_hemisphere' : data[4],
'longitude' : data[5],
'longitude_hemisphere' : data[6],
'speed': data[7],
'true_course': data[8],
'fix_date': data[9],
'variation': data[10],
'variation_e_w' : data[11],
'checksum' : data[12]
}
dict['decimal_latitude'] = degrees_to_
decimal(dict['latitude'], dict['latitude_hemisphere'])
dict['decimal_longitude'] = degrees_to_
decimal(dict['longitude'], dict['longitude_hemisphere'])
return dict
# Main program loop:
while True:
line = ser.readline()
if "$GPRMC" in line: # This will exclude other NMEA
# sentences the GPS provides.

Feature
Tutorial

gpsData = parse_GPRMC(line) # Turn a GPRMC sentence

# into a Python dictionary called gpsData
if gpsData['validity'] == "A":
# If the sentence shows that there's a
# fix, then we can log the line
if firstFixFlag is False:
# If we haven't found a fix before, set
# the filename prefix with GPS date & time.
firstFixDate = gpsData['fix_date'] +
"-" gpsData['fix_time']
firstFixFlag = True
else: # write the data to a simple log file and
# then the raw data as well:
with open("/home/pi/gps_experimentation/" +
firstFixDate +"-simple-log.txt", "a") as myfile:
myfile.write(gpsData['fix_date'] + "," +
gpsData['fix_time'] + "," + str(gpsData['decimal_latitude']) +
"," + str(gpsData['decimal_longitude']) +"\n")
with open("/home/pi/gps_experimentation/" +
firstFixDate +"-gprmc-raw-log.txt", "a") as myfile:
myfile.write(line)

check if youre within a certain boundary. Also, a lot of

mapping tools such as Google Maps use decimal degrees.
After you clone the GitHub repository, edit gps.py
with the port name and baud rate for your device. Also,
adjust any file names and paths as you see fit.
To get it to boot on startup:

sudo nano /etc/rc.local

And add this line before exit 0:

python /home/pi/gps_experimentation/gps.py &

Now, whenever you boot your Raspberry Pi Zero, the
project will log all valid GPS location fixes to a file.

Viewing the data

To view your logged data, plug the Raspberry Pi into a

keyboard, monitor, and mouse and boot it up. Install
GpsPrune from the command line with:

sudo apt-get install gpsprune

Launch it by typing gpsprune. Within GpsPrune,
click File > Open, and choose the log file. The default
options should work just fine. Now youll be able to
view the GPS data overlaid on the map!
This is a very basic GPS project and hopefully gives
you enough of an idea how to work with GPS data.
You can start here and enhance the project in order
to do much cooler stuff. For example, you can make a
reverse geocache, which is a box that only unlocks
when its in a certain part of the world.

raspberrypi.org/magpi

December 2015

31

Tutorial
Feature

ZERO PROJECTS

Project
data

The Pi Zero
is a great size
for wearable
technology

CATEGORY:
Utility

DIFFICULTY:
Advanced

Youll
Need
> Battery
> Display
> Real-time clock
(optional)
> Buttons and/
or a very small
joystick (optional)
> Accelerometer
(optional)
> WiFi or Bluetooth
breakout board
(optional)

PI ZER0

CONFERENCE
BADGE

Why settle for a scrappy piece of paper shoved in a plastic wallet when
you could provide your conference guests with an interactive slice of Pi?
onference badges can be very dull: a boring
piece of card with your name on the front
and if youre lucky a brief schedule on the
back. The Pi Zero offers some fantastic opportunities
for producing a truly disruptive digital badge.
The possibilities are endless, but there are a couple
of key things youll probably want to include: a
battery and a display.
As it is going to be hanging around someones
neck, weight is obviously a key issue. A standard
power bank (like the ones used for recharging
phones) would probably be too heavy, but some of
the skinnier credit card-sized examples might be

Right A small
LCD would be
sufficient to show
the delegates
name and basic
information

32

December 2015

raspberrypi.org/magpi

ZER0 CONFERENCE BADGE

Feature
Tutorial

GOES WELL WITH

POTHOLE MAPPER
The Pothole Mapper already uses an accelerometer
to detect movement of the Pi Zero. You could then
use the GPS capability to guide your delegates
around the local area, helping them to find hotels and
recommended restaurants, for example.

THINK OF IT LIKE
A PI VERSION OF BADGEr
These were produced for the Open Hardware
Summit in 2013 and based on the Arduino derivative
ATmega328. The Pi Zero allows you to have a fully
functional Linux computer hanging from your lanyard
and takes this concept to the next level.

Above A big TFT screen could provide a fabulous display for the badge

workable. Alternatively, a lithium polymer (LiPo)

battery could be a better option and would also allow
a long time between recharging.
When it comes to displays, youre spoilt for choice.
There are some great LCD units available in a range
of sizes: the 163 character LCD used on the Pimoroni
Display-o-Tron devices is a good basic example,
as you can add your own backlight. If you want
something bigger, a display like the 8448 Nokia
5110 would allow you to design a fantastic animated
presentation of the delegates name. Or if you really

accelerometer could detect when the badge was being

held up rather than just dangling, and automatically
switch from displaying the attendees name to
showing the schedule. The addition of a real-time
clock would make it possible to set alerts to remind
the delegate when particular talks or sessions were
about to start (maybe by flashing the screen or
through the inclusion of a vibration motor).
If youre feeling super-ambitious, there is also the
option of adding some kind of network connectivity.
This would allow you to update the conference
schedule on the badge if there were any changes or
additional last-minute events. Having only microUSB sockets means that you wont be able to use

raspberrypi.org/magpi

a standard WiFi dongle without an adaptor, but

there are a range of small WiFi breakout broads that
could be incorporated into the design. Bluetooth
might be another alternative. However, dont forget
that every component you add will increase the
weight and battery life of your badge. Unless youre
really out to impress, some of the more advanced
functionality might be overkill for a simple, one-off
conference. Adding in and supporting any kind of
network architecture is not for the faint-hearted.
However, if you run regular events and have your
own site, it might be worth the extra development
time. If thats the case, you might also consider a
final enhancement: how about some kind of RFID
capability to stop people forgetting to hand
in their badges after their visit.

RASPBERRY PI

want to go to town, how about a Seeed 12864 LCD

(which uses the handy I2C bus) or even an Adafruit
2.2 18-bit colour TFT LCD?
What about interactivity? Obviously, with the
Pi Zero you could just connect a regular keyboard
and talk to the Pi Zero that way. But why not
make it easier by adding some buttons and a small
digital joystick (like the one on the Sense HAT)?
A simple on-screen menu could allow the delegate
to customise their display (even seemingly tiny
modifications like changing the font and size can
have a big impact).
Why stop there? Add a version of Snake or Flappy
Bird to keep the attendees occupied in the lunch
queue. Store the conference schedule on the Pi Zero
and enable that to be displayed on the screen too. An

ZER0

Why stop there? Add a version of Snake or Flappy Bird

to keep the attendees occupied in the lunch queue

December 2015

33

Projects
Feature

ZERO PROJECTS

Project
data

Youll
Need

CATEGORY:

> Bare Conductive

Electric Paint
magpi.cc/
1SKZeRE

Fun

DIFFICULTY:
Easy

RASPBERRY PI

ZER0

> LEDs (even

better if you can
get components
designed for
e-textiles)
> Paper, fabric,
T-shirt
something to
work on

Left You can use

electronic paint to
embed LEDs into
your painting

MAKE AN INTERACTIVE MASTERPIECE

WITH PI ZERO AND ELECTRIC PAINT
Think outside the box! Connect your Pi Zero to LEDs, buttons, and sensors
on fabric or paper, using conductive paint...

i Zero is ideal for conductive paint projects:

without the GPIO header pins, you can blob
paint right onto the contact and then paint
a line to your LEDs, buttons or sensors. The paint is
made from carbon and can be used on paper, fabric,
wood, glass, and lots of other surfaces. Its often
referred to as cold soldering, because you dont need
a soldering iron!
There are a few things to remember, though. First,
conductive paint circuits work the same way as with
wires or a breadboard: you have to paint GND to
GND, and power to power (or GPIO). However, paint
has much more resistance than wire, so if you put
your components miles away and your paint line is
really long, then you may not have enough current
for it to work; you can check the resistance with a
multimeter. This also means that the Pi Zero doesnt
need a resistor when controlling a LED: the paint
is your resistor!
Next, dont cross the streams! The paint lines must
never cross, as this shorts the circuit just like wire.
Similarly, be very careful when blobbing paint onto
the Pi Zero GPIO pin holes; make sure your paint
tube is clean, and very carefully blob one pin at a

34

December 2015

time, making sure the paint gets nowhere else. Its

conductive, so covering your Pi in paint will short all
the circuits and will likely break it.
For this wiring, theres luckily a good selection
of 5V, GND, and GPIO pins on the outer edge of the
Pi Zero board; if for any reason you need to get to
the inside pins, you can cover the outside hole with
electrical tape, blob paint on the desired hole, and run
the paint over the tape.
Lastly, a few extra things to keep in mind: dont
water down your paint! If using a brush, make sure it
is clean and dry. Also, wait for the paint to dry. The
paint becomes more conductive as it dries out, so be
patient; if your LED isnt lighting up right away, you
may just need to leave it for a few minutes in a warm,
dry place.
Otherwise, any LEDs or sensors should work, but
its easier to use components designed for e-textiles
because they generally have nice big pads. Stick your
Pi Zero to the paper with some double-sided sticky
tape to keep it in place, or sew it into fabric using the
mounting holes.
You could use this technique to make an interactive
T-shirt or birthday card.

raspberrypi.org/magpi

TOYS, WEARABLE TECH AND MORE

OTHER THINGS TO MAKE WITH

PI ZER0

Feature
Projects

Hack a toy
Grab something
from a budget
store and open
it up youll be
amazed at what
you can do!

With Raspberry Pi Zero, your projects are only limited by your

imagination. Here are a few more ideas to get you started
Smart shelf Need to know if
someones borrowed something?
Simple pressure pads or an RFID
reader will get you on the right track

Measure forces Want to know how

hard youre being tackled? Just grab
an accelerometer and a mini battery
pack to get cracking

Christmas lights Wow your family and

friends with an amazing Christmas
light display

raspberrypi.org/magpi

December 2015

35

Tutorial
Youll
Need
> A Microstack GPS
module
magpi.cc/
1Sx0BCP
> An accelerometer
magpi.cc/
1Sx0GWX
> A 40-pin
maleheader
magpi.cc/
1Sx0FlV
> A box, some
cable ties, and
a bike

ZERO PROJECTS

POTHOLE

MAPPER
Build a map of the state of your local roads
with this bike-mounted sensor

lthough the Raspberry Pi A+ is a wonderfully

small and low-power project-friendly device,
it's still a little chunky for some applications.
However, the Pi Zero's tiny form factor opens up a
whole range of possibilities in this case, mounting it

to the forks of a bicycle. Well use an accelerometer to

measure the deflection of the sensor as you bump and
bounce around the mean streets of wherever you live,
and use a GPS module to record your position.

>STEP-01

Solder on a header

RASPBERRY PI

ZER0

Obviously, the Pi and the components are going to

be subject to lots of vibrations, so the connections
between them need to be solid and robust. Although
you can get away with wedging a female GPIO header
into the Pi Zero and bending the legs, this is only really
good enough for simple bench tests, so youll need
to add a permanent male header that can be used for
prototyping and the final device. Make sure your Pi
Zero is held tightly when soldering the header, and
avoid touching any of the adjacent components with
the tip of the iron.
Now configure the Pi using the new Raspberry Pi
Configuration GUI tool that comes with the Jessie
version of Raspbian: under the Interfaces tab, enable
I2C and disable Serial.

Below Use your

data to map out the
ruts and potholes
on the roads around
you. Hack the
code to adjust the
granularity of the
plotted points

>STEP-02

Accelerometer
There are plenty of accelerometers available, but this
tutorial assumes youre using the LSM303 which also
includes a magnetometer. Unfortunately, the latest
official version of the LSM303 Python library is for

The Adafruit
LSM303 contains an
accelerometer and
a magnetometer

You don't need

a Microstack
baseboard just
connect directly
to the pins on the
GPS module

Python2 only. You can either update it yourself, or

download a modified version by cloning the GitHub
repository for this project.

git clone https://github.com/topshed/

PiPotholeMapper
Youll also need to install the Python3 smbus library.

sudo apt-get install python3-smbus

Connect the accelerometer as shown in the main
image, and then run the example Python script to test
that it works.

cd PiPotholeMapper
python3 Adafruit_LSM303.py
Jiggle the LSM303 around and you should see the
changing values for the x, y and z axes displayed.

>STEP-03
Find my Pi

Now add the GPS module. Once again, there are several
available. This tutorial describes the Microstack board
because it tends to be one of the cheapest. Dont worry
if you havent got a Microstack Base Board, however,
as were going to connect the GPIO pins directly to the
GPS module itself.
Power on the Pi and install the relevant software:

sudo apt-get install python3-microstacknode

Put your Pi and GPS module on the windowsill or
somewhere else with an unobstructed view of the sky,
so it can receive a signal from at least three satellites

36

December 2015

raspberrypi.org/magpi

Tutorial

POTHOLE MAPPER
and carry out the trilateration process needed to
calculate position. You should see a red LED start to
flash on the board after a few minutes; this means it
has received a GPS lock and knows its position.

>STEP-04
The code

Language

pothole.py

>PYTHON 3

import microstacknode.hardware.gps.l80gps as mst

import lsm # Our Python3 version of the LSM303
library
import time

DOWNLOAD:

magpi.cc/1PKzk0j

Now run the pothole.py code:

python3 PiPotholeMapper/pothole.py
Check that a logfile is created - it should be named
pothole<date+time>.log - and that it contains GPS
and accelerometer data. Ideally, you should always
wait until the GPS module has achieved a signal lock
(as indicated by the flashing red LED) before running
the Python script, as the Microstack library does not
seem to always report the change of state correctly.

>STEP-05
Go for a ride

Once everything is working, take it for a test drive.

Although jumper leads and a breadboard wont
provide a reliable long-term build, they should
survive a short test. In order to attach them to a bike,
youll need some sort of container. The Pi Zero is so
small that there are plenty of suitable boxes around;
a box previously containing ten AA batteries and
reinforced with some duct tape is ideal. Carefully fit
the Pi Zero and breadboard inside, and then fill any
space with scrunched-up paper to prevent things
rattling around. Attach the box and the power bank to
the bike forks with cable ties.

>STEP-06

Process the results

Depending on how your accelerometer is oriented
and attached to your bike, one or more of the axes
may be most representative of the terrain over which
you've travelled. The code records the data from all
three axes, both from the accelerometer and the
magnetometer. Once youve finished your test ride,
have a look at the data using LibreOffice Calc or
another spreadsheet app, and plot some charts of the
data to work out which is most useful.
The GitHub page for this project also contains
some Python code to process and plot the results
on a map. This assumes that the x-axis is the
most useful column in terms of representing the
bumpiness of your route.
When youre happy with your prototype, you can
construct a permanent version. If youre an expert
de-solderer or not concerned about reusing your Pi
Zero for other projects, you can just solder the wires
required for the components directly to the GPIO
header holes. Otherwise, use a ribbon cable to attach
to a header.

raspberrypi.org/magpi

print('Starting potholemapper')
tmstmp = time.strftime("%Y%m%d-%H%M%S") # Detao;s for output file
f = open('pothole'+ tmstmp+'.log','w') # Open output file for writing
gps = mst.L80GPS() # Connect to the GPS
lsm = lsm.Adafruit_LSM303() # Connect to the accelerometer
time.sleep(1)
# Define useful functions
def lock_check(): # Checks to see if we have a GPS lock
try:
x = gps.get_gprmc()
return True
except mst.DataInvalidError:
return False
def getLatLon(): # Read lat and lon from GPS module
coords = gps.get_gpgll()
lat = coords['latitude']
lon = coords['longitude']
return lat,lon
def getAccel(): # Read values from accelerometer and magnetometer
acc = lsm.read()
a_x = acc[0][0]
a_y = acc[0][1]
a_z = acc[0][2]
m_x = acc[1][0]
m_y = acc[1][1]
m_z = acc[1][2]
return a_x, a_y, a_z, m_x, m_y, m_z
while True: # Main code loop
if lock_check():
while True:
try:
pos = getLatLon() # Get our position
for t in range(10):
# Take 10 readings from accelerometer for each GPS reading
bumps = getAccel()
# Write CSV formatted output
f.write(str(pos)+ ',' + str(bumps) + '\n')
time.sleep(0.1)
except mst.DataInvalidError:
f.write('No GPS lock\n')
else:
f.write('No GPS lock\n')
print('No GPS Lock')
time.sleep(60)
f.close()

December 2015

37

Tutorial

Project
data
CATEGORY:
Utility

DIFFICULTY:
Advanced

ZERO PROJECTS

TRUE

All Raspberry
Pis include
an integrated
hardware random
number generator
(HWNG), and the Pi
Zero is no exception

RANDOM
NUMBER

A cheap dongle lets

you connect the
3.3V TTL serial on
the Pis GPIO header

GENERATOR
If the security of your servers is
important to you, get the benefit of a
hardware TRNG without the expense
with this low-cost build

With the Pi Zero powered on, enter the Raspberry

Pi Configuration tool by typing the following at the
console (or in a terminal):

> Female jumper

cables
magpi.cc/
1HVnLNx

o server administrator would argue that

cryptography isn't important, and few would
try to claim that cryptography without
entropy - a source of good-quality randomness - is
in any way secure. Previous solutions to the problem
have included everything from webcams pointing at
lava lamps, to expensive hardware random number
generators. However, you can achieve the same effect
for your Linux server with your Pi Zero, thanks to a
hardware random number generator (HWRNG) built
directly into its chip - and at a fraction of the cost of
an off-the-shelf equivalent.

> GPIO headers

magpi.cc/
1PCpMVa

>STEP-01

>STEP-02

If you havent yet soldered GPIO headers onto your Pi

Zero, head over to page 23 to see how its done.

While all Pis have a built-in hardware random number

generator, its disabled by default. To enable it, edit
the modules file with the following command:

Youll
Need
> 3.3V USB TTL
serial dongle
magpi.cc/
1HVkwWn

Prepare the Pi

sudo raspi-config
Choose 8 Advanced Options, A8 Serial, and confirm
that you do not want the serial console active by
choosing No. Choose Finish then allow the Pi to
reboot; this will free up the serial port on the GPIO
header for our own use, rather than automatically
spawning a console session.

Activate the HWRNG

sudo nano /etc/modules

At the end of the file, place a line reading:

bcm2708-rng
Right You only need
to connect the TX
and Ground pins
on the Pis GPIO
header, but make
sure you havent
made a mistake!

38

December 2015

Place a blank line beneath it, then save the file and
quit by pressing CTRL+O and then CTRL+X. To avoid
having to reboot again, finish with the following
command at the console:

raspberrypi.org/magpi

TRUE RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR

sudo modprobe bcm2708-rng
You can then test the module with the following
command, which should print gibberish to
the console:

sudo dd if=/dev/hwrng count=1

iflag=fullblock

>STEP-03

Link the HWRNG to serial

By default, the HWRNG module can only be used
locally on the Pi itself. To use it as an entropy source
for an outside system, we need a way to transfer the
data - and the easiest way is via the serial port. Edit
the rc.local file with the following command:

>STEP-05

Tutorial
QUICK TIP 1

Connect to the server

The Pi Zero requires so little power that it can be
run from a servers USB 2.0 or higher port, meaning
you wont need a separate power supply. Doublecheck your wiring, then connect the Pis microUSB power cable to one USB port, and the USB TTL
adaptor to another.
The USB TTL adaptor will show up on your host
system as various device names depending on model.
On the servers console, type the following:

ls /dev/tty*
From the list that appears, look for a device called
/dev/ttyACM0 or /dev/ttyUSB0; youll need this for the
next step.

Double-check
your TTL adaptor
Make sure that
any TTL adaptor
you buy is suitable
for 3.3V logic, and
take extra care
when wiring it to
the GPIO header.

Below The quality

of the random data
transmitted from
the Pis HWRNG is
enough for topping
up /dev/random
in Linux

sudo nano /etc/rc.local

Just below the hashed-out comment section, add
the lines:

stty -F /dev/ttyAMA0 -echo raw 115200

dd if=/dev/hwrng of=/dev/ttyAMA0 &
Save the file with CTRL+O, then quit with CTRL+X.
These lines configure the port, then continuously
copy the output of the HWRNG to the serial port.

>STEP-04

>STEP-06

Most desktops, laptops, and servers have their

TTL serial ports hidden from prying eyes - if they
have any at all. To interface the Pi with your target
system, youll need a USB TTL adaptor suitable for
3.3V usage this should cost no more than 4 for the
features were using. Before doing any wiring, shut
down and power off the Pi.
Using the female jumper cables, wire the TTL
adaptors RX (receive) pin to the Pis TX (transmit)
pin physical GPIO pin #8; and ground to ground
physical GPIO pin #6. Leave the other TTL
pins disconnected.

On the server, configure the serial port:

QUICK TIP 2

Gather some entropy

Single-USB
power
If your TTL adaptor
has a 5V power
output, it may be
enough to power
the Pi Zero from a
single USB port if
wired to the GPIO
pin 2 or 4.

stty -F /dev/ttyAMA0 -echo raw 115200

Next, copy some data:

sudo dd if=/dev/ttyUSB0 count=1

iflag=fullblock

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install

rng-tools
Then add the following two lines to the servers
/etc/rc.local file:

stty -F /dev/ttyAMA0 -echo raw 115200

rngd -b -r /dev/ttyUSB0 -W 3686 &

Above Youll need to disable the Pi Zeros serial console, which is

most easily done through the raspi-config utility

raspberrypi.org/magpi

Reboot the server. When the systems entropy pool

drops below 3,686 bits, rngd will automatically fill it
again from the Pis HWRNG.

ZER0

If theres no gibberish, check your wiring and entries

in the Pis rc.local file.
To use the data, install the rng-tools package:

RASPBERRY PI

Wire the TTL serial adaptor

December 2015

39

Tutorial
Project
data
CATEGORY:
Entertainment

DIFFICULTY:
Advanced

NES
NES CONSOLE-TROLLER

CONSOLE-TROLLER
Youll
Need
> USB NES
controller
> Micro-USB male
connector
> Solder
> Drill
> RetroPie
magpi.cc/
1HVgNba

THINK OF
IT LIKE
Atari Plug n Play
TV games
The originator
of the console
in a controller
concept popular
at Christmas, but
a bit limited once
youve played
every possible
variation of Pong
and Asteroids

40

Slip a Raspberry Pi Zero into the casing of a USB NES

controller and youve got yourself a fully working NES
emulator in ultra-compact form
hile were big fans of the educational mission
of the Raspberry Pi project, and we fully
support it of course, wed be lying if we
said we dont love to use the Pi for entertainment
as well. Whether its the Pi we have stuck to the
back of the TV for streaming media, or gaming with
RetroPie, the Pi is well suited to these uses. So when
we first heard of the Pi Zero, we thought of all of the
great hacks that Ben Heck has done over the years,
and we realised that the Pi Zero could perfectly slot
into a USB NES controller. With a bit of creative
wiring, it could be made into a fully functional games
console that exists entirely in the controller itself.
The USB NES controllers all have a standard USB
cable; this provides enough power to the controller so
that the individual button presses can be registered.
In order to repurpose the controller, begin by snipping
off the original USB cable that pokes out of the rear
of the unit. You can now solder the wire to a male
micro-USB port. This way, you can use the hole for
the trailing USB cable for the mini-HDMI cable.
Youll need to find a cable that has a relatively short
connector. Alternatively, you could drill the hole
larger to accommodate it.
The only thing remaining to make the whole
thing work is to give the Raspberry Pi power. Youll
either have to drill a second hole so that you can
plug the power cable in, or you may be able to use
the original hole depending on the design of the USB
NES controller you have and how the mini-HDMI is
mounted. Alternatively, you could try binding the
USB and HDMI cables together; in this case you will
need to use a television with a USB port that will
provide adequate power.

December 2015

Below We bought
this NES controller
from eBay: we had
to file down the
plastic a little bit
to slot in the Zero

Once all the hardware is complete, you can then set

up RetroPie (magpi.cc/1HVgNba) on a microSD card.
If you have a spare Raspberry Pi lying around, it might
be best to get the initial setup sorted on there first
before plugging it into your NES controller to set the
buttons. Remember that you only have the buttons
which exist on an NES, so make sure any games you
put on there dont require more than you have.
Finally, plug it into a TV and have some fun!

raspberrypi.org/magpi

3D PI ZERO CASE

Tutorial

PRINT YOURSELF A

PI ZER0 CASE
Get a 3D-printed case today for your brand new Raspberry
Pi Zero with our pre-designed, printable case!

eve taken the liberty of designing and

preparing a 3D-printable Raspberry Pi Zero
case for all our readers. Its quite simple, but
gives you access to all the important ports to get to get

it working, and it will handily slot onto a keyring so you

can take it with you.
Find all the 3D printable files in the GitHub repository
(magpi.cc/ZeroCase) and then plug them into your own
3D printer, get one printed at your nearest makerspace,
or use 3D Hubs (3dhubs.com) to find a local printer who
will get it printed for you. Enjoy the rest of the issue!

raspberrypi.org/magpi

Below Print your

own Pi Zero case
with our design: it
has our name on it!

Get the
3D printable
files here!
magpi.cc/
ZeroCase

December 2015

41