This is the Raspberry Pi Zero.
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Despite only being 6 and a half centimeters long, it’s a fully functional computer. Complete with USB ports, HDMI output and half a gig of ram. Which doesn’t sound like anything too special when you first hear it, but where this micro computer really sets itself apart from the crowd is its price. It’s $5. That’s a huge deal.
This absolute breakthrough from the Raspberry Pi Foundation is a leap forward for education in the tech space as it almost completely removes the barrier of cost for almost anyone looking to learn coding. There’s no better time for this to arrive, with coding and tech skills quickly becoming some of the most essential skills in the Australian job market today.
Here’s the CEO of Raspberry Pi talking about why this stuff matters.
“What we’ve been trying to do with Raspberry Pi is to make sure cost is never a barrier to anyone who’s interested in coding” – Eben Upton, CEO of Raspberry Pi Trading
Here are 3 examples of this beautiful tech being put to amazing use.
1: Astro Pi
The fine folks at the Astro Pi Foundation recently sent two Raspberry Pi computers to the International Space Station. Sounds pretty standard, but these tiny ‘puters were both filled with programs written by young people from all over the world. YOUNG PEOPLE CODING MAKING STUFF OUT OF 0s and 1s. IT’S REAL. They’re going to use this to promote coding education in schools. We’re all for that. Check out our Adappt program, if you don’t flippin’ believe us. Prototype your own app with us, you lazy swine.
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The rocket flying two Raspberry Pi computers and British astronaut Tim Peake to the ISS.
As part of the program, young people were asked to write testing programs that could be carried out on the ISS that would be used to gather data around movement, data fusion (we don’t know what this is either and that’s ok) and radiation energy. Good Golly (Miss Molly).
2: Magic Mirror
This super classy looking mirror shows the user much more than just their reflection.
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The mirror is made of one way glass with a screen sitting behind that allows the mirror to display information it pulls from the internet, such as the date, weather and even inspirational messages to get you going in the morning. Fun!
3: Seinfeld Bass Riff Door Sensor
Last but absolutely not least, this great human has used their micro computer to take the human race to the next level with this ingenious invention.
The concept is simple: When something passes in front of the sensor the Raspberry Pi selects a random Seinfeld bass riff. Whoever invented this deserves to be, and will be, a millionaire.
The key ingredient in the Raspberry Pi that makes it so exciting is how open it is. It’s a total blank slate. The possibilities of what can be created with it are literally endless. I’ve listed 3 unique examples of how people have used this new tech, but to me it feels like there’s something special humans could be doing with this.
We’ve never had an opportunity like this before. Think of what useful inventions we could be bringing to the masses of developing nations at the insanely low price point of $5 per computer. You’re the creative ones, so we want to know what you think.
Let us know below how you would use a Raspberry Pi to change the world for the better.
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