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Raspberry Pi
and CircuitPython
Hans-Petter Halvorsen
 Free Textbook with lots of Practical Examples

https://www.halvorsen.blog/documents/programming/python/
 Additional Python Resources

https://www.halvorsen.blog/documents/programming/python/
 Contents
• Raspberry Pi
• Raspberry PI GPIO
• CircuitPython and Adafruit-Blinka
• Python Examples:
– LED
– Button + LED
– BME280
– DTH11/DTH22
 Raspberry Pi
Raspberry Pi is a tiny (about 9x6cm), low-cost ($35+),
single-board computer that supports embedded Linux
operating systems

The recommended
Operating System is called
Raspberry Pi OS (Linux
based)

https://www.raspberrypi.org
 Raspberry Pi
GPIO Pins

SD Card Ethernet
(the Back )

Camera
Connector USB A x 4

Power Supply (USB C) micro HDMI x 2

 What Do you Need?
• Raspberry Pi
• microSD Card (+ Adapter)
• Power Supply
• microHDMI to HDMI Cable
• Monitor
• Mouse
• Keyboard
 Raspberry Pi OS
• In order make your Raspberry Pi up and running you need
to install an Operating System (OS)
• The OS for Raspberry Pi is called “Raspberry Pi OS“
(previously known as Raspbian)
• Raspberry Pi runs a version of an operating system called
Linux (Windows and macOS are other operating systems).
• To install the necessary OS, you need a microSD card
• Then you use the “Raspberry Pi Imager“ in order to
download the OS to the microSD card.
https://www.raspberrypi.org/software/
 Start using Raspberry Pi

• Put the microSD card into the Raspberry

Pi
• Connect Monitor, Mouse and Keyboard
• Connect Power Supply
Raspberry Pi OS • Follow the Instructions on Screen to
setup Wi-Fi, etc.
 Python on Raspberry Pi
• The Raspberry Pi OS comes with a
basic Python Editor called ”Thonny“
You can install and use others if you want

https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/usage/python/
https://www.halvorsen.blog

Raspberry PI GPIO

Hans-Petter Halvorsen
 GPIO

A powerful feature of the Raspberry Pi is the GPIO (general-purpose input/output) pins.

The Raspberry Pi has a 40-pin GPIO header as seen in the image
 GPIO Features
The GPIO pins are Digital Pins which are either True
(+3.3V) or False (0V). These can be used to turn on/off
LEDs, etc.
The Digital Pins can be either Output or Input.
In addition, some of the pins also offer some other
Features:
• PWM (Pulse Width Modulation)
Digital Buses (for reading data from Sensors, etc.):
• SPI
• I2C
GPIO
https://www.halvorsen.blog

CircuitPython
and Adafruit-Blinka
Hans-Petter Halvorsen
CircuitPython and Adafruit-Blinka
• CircuitPython adds the Circuit part to the Python part.
• Letting you program in Python and talk to Circuitry like
sensors, motors, and LEDs!
• Typically, you would use the Python GPIO Zero Library,
but it does not work with SPI/I2C Sensors
• On Raspberry Pi we need to install Adafruit-Blinka. This is
a CircuitPython API that can be used on Linux devices
such as the Raspberry Pi
• Adafruit-Blinka: https://pypi.org/project/Adafruit-Blinka/
https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-on-raspberrypi-linux/
 Install Adafruit-Blinka
• Adafruit-Blinka:
https://pypi.org/project/Adafruit-Blinka/
• Do it from the Thonny Python Editor (Tools ->
Manage packages…). Search for “Adafruit-
Blinka“
• or use pip:
pip3 install Adafruit-Blinka
 Test of Adafruit-Blinka
import board
import digitalio
import busio

print("Hello blinka!")

# Try to great a Digital input

pin = digitalio.DigitalInOut(board.D4)
print("Digital IO ok!")

# Try to create an I2C device

i2c = busio.I2C(board.SCL, board.SDA)
print("I2C ok!")

# Try to create an SPI device

spi = busio.SPI(board.SCLK, board.MOSI, board.MISO)
print("SPI ok!")

print("done!")
 Blinking LED
This is just an example;
you can use any GPIO pins
Raspberry Pi GPIO Pins

and any of the GND pins

LED

R=270Ω

GND (Pin 32)

GPIO16 (Pin 36)

Breadboard
 Blinking LED
import time
import board
import digitalio

led = digitalio.DigitalInOut(board.D16)
led.direction = digitalio.Direction.OUTPUT

while True:
led.value = True
time.sleep(0.5)
led.value = False
time.sleep(0.5)

https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-on-raspberrypi-linux/digital-i-o
 Button + LED
import time
import board
import digitalio

print("press the button!")

led = digitalio.DigitalInOut(board.D18)
led.direction = digitalio.Direction.OUTPUT

button = digitalio.DigitalInOut(board.D4)
button.direction =
digitalio.Direction.INPUT
button.pull = digitalio.Pull.UP

while True:
led.value = not button.value # light
when button is pressed!

https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-on-raspberrypi-linux/digital-i-o
https://www.halvorsen.blog

BME280
Bosch BME280 Temperature, Humidity and Barometric Pressure Sensor

Hans-Petter Halvorsen
 BME280
• BME280 is a Digital Humidity, Pressure and
Temperature Sensor from Bosch
• The sensor provides both SPI and I2C interfaces
• Adafruit, Grove Seeed, SparkFun, etc. have
breakout board bords for easy connection to
Arduino, Raspberry Pi, etc.
• The Price for these breakout boards are $1-20
depending on where you buy these (ebay,
Adafruit, Sparkfun, …)
 BME280
• Humidity ±3% accuracy
• Barometric pressure ±1 hPa absolute accuraccy
• Temperature ±1.0°C accuracy
Datasheet:
https://www.bosch-sensortec.com/products/environmental-
sensors/humidity-sensors-bme280/
 BME280
Adafruit
SparkFun

The size is about 2.5x2.5mm

So, to connect it to Raspberry Pi, you typically
will use a breakout board

Grove Seeed
 BME280 Wiring
+5V Pin 2 SDA - Serial Data – Bidirectional
SDA (GPIO2) Pin3 SCLK - Serial Clock Input
SCL (GPIO3) Pin5 GND Pin 6 VDD – Power Supply Input
Raspberry Pi GPIO Pins

GND – Ground
NC - Not in use (Not Connected)

SDA
GND
SCLK
VCC

Running the following in the Terminal:

sudo i2cdetect -y 1

This gives the TC74 address 0x76

 BME280 Python
• Install the CircuitPython BME280 Library
• Do it from the Thonny Python Editor (Tools ->
Manage packages…). Search for “adafruit-
circuitpython-bme280“
• or use pip:
pip3 install adafruit-circuitpython-bme280
BME280 Python Example
import time
import board https://circuitpython.readthedocs.io/projects/bme280/en/latest/
import busio
import adafruit_bme280

# Create library object using our Bus I2C port

i2c = busio.I2C(board.SCL, board.SDA)
bme280 = adafruit_bme280.Adafruit_BME280_I2C(i2c)

# OR create library object using our Bus SPI port

# spi = busio.SPI(board.SCK, board.MOSI, board.MISO)
# bme_cs = digitalio.DigitalInOut(board.D10)
# bme280 = adafruit_bme280.Adafruit_BME280_SPI(spi, bme_cs)

# change this to match the location's pressure (hPa) at sea level

bme280.sea_level_pressure = 1013.25

while True:
print("\nTemperature: %0.1f C" % bme280.temperature)
print("Humidity: %0.1f %%" % bme280.relative_humidity)
print("Pressure: %0.1f hPa" % bme280.pressure)
print("Altitude = %0.2f meters" % bme280.altitude)
time.sleep(2)
https://www.halvorsen.blog

DHT11/DHT22
Temperature and Humidity Sensors

Hans-Petter Halvorsen
 DHT11/DHT22
They are Breadboard friendly and easy to wire. They use a single-wire to send data.

DHT11 DHT22
• Good for 20-80% DHT22 is more precise,
humidity readings with more accurate and works
5% accuracy in a bigger range of
• Good for 0-50°C temperature and
temperature readings humidity, but its larger
±2°C accuracy and more expensive
• 1 Hz sampling rate • 0-100% RH
(once every second) • -40-125°C
• Price: a few bucks
Typically you need a 4.7K or 10K resistor, which you will want to use as a
pullup from the data pin to VCC. This is included in the package
DHT11/DHT22

VCC 1 2 4
3.3/5V DATA GND

Pin 3 is not in use

 DHT11/DHT22
+5V (P
in 2)
DHT
GND (Pi
n 6)
Raspberry Pi GPIO

1 2 4 GND

VCC
3.3/5V 𝑅 = 10𝑘Ω

GND 16 (Pin 36) This is just an example, you can use any Power pins,
any of the GND pins and any of the GPIO pins
 DHT11/DHT22 Python
• Install the CircuitPython-DHT Library
• Do it from the Thonny Python Editor (Tools ->
Manage packages…). Search for “adafruit-
circuitpython-dht“
• or use pip:
adafruit-circuitpython-dht
DHT11/DHT22 Python Example
import time
import board
import adafruit_dht

dhtDevice = adafruit_dht.DHT22(board.D18, use_pulseio=False)

while True:
try:
temperature_c = dhtDevice.temperature
Errors happen fairly often, DHT's
humidity = dhtDevice.humidity are hard to read because it needs
print(
"Temp: {:.1f} C Humidity: {}% ".format( precise timing. That’s why you
temperature_c, humidity
) should use try in your code
)

except RuntimeError as error:

# Errors happen fairly often, DHT's are hard to read, just keep going
print(error.args[0])
time.sleep(2.0)
continue https://learn.adafruit.com/dht-
except Exception as error:
dhtDevice.exit() humidity-sensing-on-raspberry-pi-with-
raise error gdocs-logging/python-setup
time.sleep(2.0)
 Additional Python Resources

https://www.halvorsen.blog/documents/programming/python/
Hans-Petter Halvorsen
University of South-Eastern Norway
www.usn.no

E-mail: hans.p.halvorsen@usn.no
Web: https://www.halvorsen.blog