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  • Author Author: dubbie
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Just Finished My Python Course : Can you run Pythin directly on any Arduino?

dubbie

I have just finished my Introduction to Python Course put on by FutureLearn which was not too difficult and I think I might have learnt something. Now I want to try out a few things - I still do not know how to blink a LED in Python yet.

 

What I would like to do is to run Python programmes (scripts?) directly on an Arduino. I have looked on Google and so far I have not found anything that indicates it might be possible. I know that Python is interpreted but does anyone know if there is a powerful enough Arduino that has had Python ported to it? I know the Raspberry has and probably other boards as well.

 

Dubbie

 

PS My Java course, also on FutureLearn started this week, hopefully learning two languages in such a short time will not be too confusing.

  • in reply to neuromodulator

    You can use Ethernet for more speed - 100M Ethernet using UDPs isn't that hard on a decent ARM micro with an on chip MAC.

    A good bit harder on an FPGA but 1GB is as easy as 100M but free IP for the MAC is hard to find at 1GB.

     

    MK

  • The approach of using the PC for heavy computation and leaving the microcontroller to do IO stuff works pretty well. I've posted a few projects that run python on the PC and connect to a "dumb" microcontroller or FPGA. The bottleneck can be the serial comm, but depending on what you are doing it may be more than enough.

  • Put simply, it comes down to which Arduino you mean. If you're talking about an Uno, Nano or other 8-bit variants, then no. With only ~2K of RAM it just isn't possible.

     

    However, if you look at Arduino boards in the MKR-series or the Zero, these are based on the Cortex-M0 ARM processor. They have the potential to run either MicroPython or CircuitPython.

     

    If you expand to Arduino-compatible boards like the ESP8266, ESP32, or the 32-bit Feather-series from Adafruit then you also have multiple options. Every 32-bit Adafruit-made board I am aware of runs CircuitPython. Adafruit's Feather M0Adafruit's Feather M0 is one of my favorites.

     

    When it comes down to it, the difference between MicroPython and CircuitPython can be small. However, CircuitPython is directly focused on being easy-to-use and learn, especially on supported hardware.

     

    What I like about CircuitPython supported hardware is that programming them is as simple as saving the py file on their virtual disk image.

  • in reply to tariq.ahmad

    Wow.  Microcontrollers are really getting powerful.  Looks like they are porting MicroPython to it. 

  • The lead developer for Circuit Python that Adafruit forked from MicroPython lives here in Seattle and I see him from time to time.  They have a number of boards that run Python on the microcontroller - microcontrollers that will also will run under the Arduino IDE.  I have posted a couple of projects here on element14 that use Circuit Python, most recently Xut the Penguin that is based on a board Adafruit handed out at a conference I attended.  Python on a microcontroller needs a lot of memory and an 8 bit Uno won't do it.  I see Circuit Python and Micro Python as best for learning and simple projects like Xut.  More complicated embedded Python projects are better done with a Raspberry Pi or Beagle Bone.  Adafruit is probably selling more microcontrollers with stripped down Python for microcontrollers than anyone else right now and they have lots of libraries but there are others including the original MicroPython.  Adafruit Circuit Python also will run on the Pi if I remember correctly.

     

    Frank