Getting started with Raspberry Pi Pico and MicroPython | iNNovationMerge

Getting started with Raspberry Pi Pico and MicroPython

IoT RaspberryPi MicroPython
Hardware
Publish Date:   2021-05-29
Article Word Count:   493
Reading Time:   3 Min

For Feedbacks | Enquiries | Questions | Comments - Contact us @ innovationmerge@gmail.com

What?

  • Raspberry Pi Foundation recently released tiny, fast and flexible microcontroller board Raspberry Pi Pico.
  • Raspberry Pi Pico Board (Source: raspberrypi.org)
  • Raspberry Pi Pico is designed using RP2040 microcontroller which provides below features
    • Dual-core Arm Cortex-M0+ @ 133MHz
    • 264KB on-chip RAM
    • Supports upto 16MB off-chip flash
    • GPIO pins with ADC, UARTs, SPI, I2C, PWM
  • This article explains how to get started with Raspberry Pi Pico by programming with MicroPython.

Why?

  • In the space of IoT, Microcontrollers are playing important role by reading data from sensors, performing required computations so that softwares stores and perform analytics which helps to take business decisions.
  • Basically it works as a bridge between hardware and software.
  • For these purpose we can use existing Raspberry Pi products such as Raspberry Pi Zero but according to the Article, Raspberry Pi Zero consumes power in the order of 100 milliwatts in its lowest power mode and it doesn’t support Analogue input.
  • RP2040 overcomes these limitations and it is designed by keeping the existing limitations of other microcontrollers. RP2040 provides high performance, flexible I/O and low cost features.

How?

  • Raspberry Pi Pico can be powered up by supplying 1.8V to 5.5V input voltage. The power source can be 5V USB ports or minimum two AA cells in series or lithium-ion cell.
  • RP2040 has MicroPython Port and USB Flashing Format(UF2) bootloader hence Pico can run Python code uploaded via an IDE such as Thonny.
  • Raspberry Pi Pico can be programmable in C and MicroPython and suppots drag and drop of a file to run.
  • Pico has a single push button which is used to enter USB mass-storage mode at boot time.

Software’s Required

Hardware’s Required

  • Raspberry Pi Pico
  • Laptop/Desktop/Raspberry Pi 3 model B
  • USB cable to connect Pi

Network Requirements

  • Internet to download packages

Implementation

Solder headers to the Raspberry Pi Pico

  • Solder headers

Download Thonny IDE

  • Download Thonny IDE

Install Thonny IDE to Laptop (Default available in Raspberry Pi OS )

  • Install Thonny IDE
  • Install Thonny IDE
  • Install Thonny IDE

Open Thonny IDE and select language

  • Open Thonny IDE

Install micropython firmware. Navigate to Tools -> Options -> Interpreter -> MicroPython(Rasperry Pi Pico)

  • Install MicroPython firmware
  • Install MicroPython firmware

Connect Raspberry Pi Pico to Laptop/Raspberry Pi 3 & Select respective Port

  • Connect Pico to IDE

Raspberry Pi Pico will be connected to Thonny IDE via MicroPython

  • Verify connection

Run print statement on Raspberry Pi Pico

  • Try print statement
  • Run Blink script
from machine import Pin
import time
onboard_led = Pin(25, Pin.OUT)

while True:
    onboard_led.toggle()
    time.sleep(1)

Save the script as ‘main.py’ so that Pico will Run it Immediately during Boot

  • Save script
  • LED Blink

Great, iNNovationMerge hope that you have understood how to install Thonny and Run Python script on Raspberry Pi Pico.

IoT RaspberryPi MicroPython


  TOC