What's Your Pi Plan??

I have my own Java App (see http://www.QtuTrains.com) to run a model railway (NOT using DCC).

Getting rid of the desktop computer and having a tiny PCB strapped to the back of the monitor would be really good.

All I need (apart from screen, keyboard, mouse) is an RS232 cable that connects to my hardware around the layout.

It runs fine on an old 64M Windoze machine, so a 256M ARM should be a breeze. Apart from the 'disk' write times for the log file perhaps.

Howard Amos

I had in mind using the RPi as data acquisition controller logging feeds from various smart sensors on a LAN, also serving up a web page for remote viewing and control.  A typical job for a PC but the RPi is plenty capable for this task, and can do it at very low power, and in a small cheap package.

These things are so cheap inexpensive they'd be perfect for a Beowulf Cluster project!

Working on a weatherfax decoder - signals picked up from the HF receiver - and will run the whole thing off a 5v take-off from the boat's battery (I already have one for charging the phone).  As this is mostly powered by solar panels and wind (the engine is a true auxillary unit and I don't have access to shore power), I will be self-sufficient.  The main challenge is waterproofing things.  I'm tempted to encapsulate the whole thing in epoxy or similar resin.

Like the home automation idea, intigrated systems work neatly. Only downside is if someone gained access and messed around with things, would be a giggle tho

I would like to add the camera to the board and when somthing interesting is happening (wildlife) then trigger my DSLR camera.using the RPi to monitor pixel change. Also maybe get the RPi to track the moving item and control a servo moving the DSLR camera.

It is also small enough & cheap enough to send in a weather balloon, down a drain or into an inhospitable envioroment.

A lot of my R/C  power ECU's have a battery eliminator curcuit that shoud provide a 5v supply for the RX unit (I would need to check thier exact output)

I like the idea of model and hobby and home automation kits being supplied with memory card and "just add a RPi"

Wifi or bluetooth Lego models with cameras built in...

another thing.... I want one just to report on my 75 year old father inlaw just to know he is ok. Ping reports every time the fridge light goes on,

( I have this image of Marvin the android, " brain the size of a planet and you want me to tell you if a light is on or off" )

Hmm, I smell something burning in my office...

1. Field Computer - too many apps for field depolyable

2. Home Management computer system

3. Beowolff - Now that be mighty tempting for my Numeric Modeling runs

4. Vehicle Computer

5. To Mess Around With !!!

6. a grant to the local schools for programming (I work in a rural part of the state)

7. Server App?

8. Kitchen Recipe Computer (Small Form.)

......

I developed a GPS board addon for the RPi

Added some bluetooth, some external SRAM, high power LEDs, temperature sensor and ports for I2C for other sensors

Hi,

My intention is to make a mini driving chess robot. I'm an average programmer and studying ICT in Business, bit of both worlds.

My ultimate goal would be a little robot car running a chess engine or online chess environment (like FICS). With very tiny wheels, board mounted vertical, so it squeezes at the sidelines or on the board.

A little camera, or for testing my current webcam, will detect the moves. The state of the board is stored in the computer, like any chess engine.

For moving pieces, it would therefore now which squares are free, and be able to calculate the path before moving really quick.

For detecting moves, it would know which moves it has to check and will calculate its path for checking using the squares that will be free in any case.

Is this feasible or impossible to do? My idea is that i should start on a large sheet of paper, draw my own chess board, and place little pieces on there. Use my own big webcam, and don't care too much about miniature. It's just a proof of concept.

I think that it's the computing power on small surface in raspberrypi that could be the brain of a standalone chess player / mover.

Greetings,

Wouter