Internet of Things Programming Projects

Build modern IoT solutions with the Raspberry Pi 3 and Python

Colin Dow

• Publisher: Packt Publishing
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781789131383
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Home Automation
• Index: Computer Science

A practical project-based guide to help you build and control your IoT projects

Key Features

• Leverage the full potential of IoT with the combination of Raspberry Pi 3 and Python
• Build complex Python-based applications with IoT
• Work on various IoT projects and understand the basics of electronics

Book Description

The Internet of Things (IOT) has managed to attract the attention of researchers and tech enthusiasts, since it powerfully combines classical networks with instruments and devices.

In Internet of Things Programming Projects, we unleash the power of Raspberry Pi and Python to create engaging projects. In the first part of the book, you'll be introduced to the Raspberry Pi, learn how to set it up, and then jump right into Python programming. Then, you'll dive into real-world computing by creating a"Hello World" app using flash LEDs.

As you make your way through the chapters, you'll go back to an age when analog needle meters ruled the world of data display. You'll learn to retrieve weather data from a web service and display it on an analog needle meter, and build a home security system using the Raspberry Pi. The next project has a modern twist, where we employ the Raspberry Pi to send a signal to a web service that will send you a text when someone is at the door. In the final project, you take what you've learned from the previous two projects and create an IoT robot car that you can use to monitor what your pets are up to when you are away.

By the end of this book, you will be well versed in almost every possible way to make your IoT projects stand out.

What you will learn

• Install and set up a Raspberry Pi for IoT development
• Learn how to use a servo motor as an analog needle meter to read data
• Build a home security dashboard using an infrared motion detector
• Communicate with a web service that sends you a message when the doorbell rings
• Receive data and display it with an actuator connected to the Raspberry Pi
• Build an IoT robot car that is controlled through the internet

Who this book is for

Internet of Things Programming Projects is for Python developers and programmers who are interested in building their own IoT applications and IoT-based projects. It is also targeted at IoT programmers and developers who are looking to build exciting projects with Python.

Introducing the Raspberry Pi Robot Car

I would like to introduce you to T.A.R.A.S, the robot car. T.A.R.A.S is actually a backronym; I took the name from a business mentor of mine who helped me get started. After scratching my head trying to come up with something, I finally figured out how to turn my friend Taras into T.A.R.A.S, this Amazing Raspberry-Pi Automated Security agent. As you can probably tell from the name, T.A.R.A.S will monitor things for us and act as an automated security guard.

T.A.R.A.S will use Raspberry Pi for a brain and motor driver boards to control both the movement of its camera gimbal and wheels. T.A.R.A.S will also have sensory inputs as well as LED and buzzer outputs. T.A.R.A.S will be an aggregation of the skills we have acquired throughout this book.

We will spend this chapter building T.A.R.A.S and writing code to control it.

The following topics will be covered in this chapter:

• The parts of the robot car
  
• Building the robot car

The parts of the robot car

I designed T.A.R.A.S to be as simple to put together as possible. T.A.R.A.S consists of a laser cut hardboard chassis, 3D printed wheel, and camera mount parts (there is an option to use laser cut wheel mounts, too). In order for you to build T.A.R.A.S, I have provided SVG files for the chassis and STL files for the 3D printed parts. All other parts may be purchased online. The following is a photo of T.A.R.A.S. before assembly:

1. Servo camera mount (shown assembled)—search www.aliexpress.com for a camera platform anti-vibration camera mount
2. 3D printed bracket (camera brace)
3. DC motors for wheels (shown with motor wires and extension wires attached)—search www.aliexpress.com for a smart car robot plastic tire wheel
4. Wheel mounts (3D printed)
5. LEDs
6. LED holders—search www.aliexpress.com for a lamp LED holder black clip
7. Camera mount brace (laser cut)
8. Active buzzer—search www.aliexpress.com for a 5V active buzzer
9. Distance sensor (HC-SR04)—search www.aliexpress.com for an HC-SR04
10. Alternative wheel mounts (laser cut)

11. Raspberry Pi camera (long lens version, shown without cable)—search www.aliexpress.com
12. Motor driver plate (laser cut)
13. Wheels—search www.aliexpress.com for a smart car robot plastic tire wheel
14. Robot car chassis (laser cut)
15. Motor driver board—search www.aliexpress.com for an L298N motor driver board module
16. DC barrel jack (shown with wires attached)—www.aliexpress.com
17. Adafruit 16-Channel PWM/Servo HAT—https://www.adafruit.com/product/2327
18. Raspberry Pi
19. 40-pin single-row male pin header connector strip (not shown)—www.aliexpress.com
20. Various loose wires and breadboard jumper wires (not shown)—it's a good idea to buy many different wires and breadboard jumper wires; you can search www.aliexpress.com for breadboard jumper wires
21. Heat shrink (not shown)
22. 7.4V rechargeable battery with DC jack (not shown)—search www.aliexpress.com for a 7.4V 18650 Li-ion lithium ion rechargeable battery pack (be sure to pick one that fits with the DC barrel jack in 16)
23. Alternatively to part 22, you may use an AA sized power battery storage case box instead of parts 16 and 22—www.aliexpress.com
24. Mini breadboard (not shown)—search www.aliexpress.com for an SYB-170 mini solderless prototype experiment test breadboard
25. Various standoffs (not shown)—it should be able to have a standoff height of at least 40 mm; it's a good idea to have as many standoffs as you can as they always seem to come in handy, and you can search www.aliexpress.com for standoffs in electronics
26. 330 and 470 Oh...