This project will show you how to install and use the Processing programming environment on a Raspberry Pi and PiTFT. Processing is a fantastic tool to create visual programs, and its latest Processing 3.0 release now has support for the Raspberry Pi. With Processing you can create beautiful artwork, prototype interfaces, and much more without having to be an expert programmer. In fact Processing is targeted at artists, students, makers, and anyone who’s new to programming.
One cool new feature in Processing 3.0 is support for controlling hardware. This allows you to add interesting new interactivity to your Processing sketches and even prototype hardware interfaces with ease. On a Raspberry Pi you can control the GPIO (general purpose input/output) pins and do things like blink LEDs, read buttons and much more.
Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, or even use Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for MakeCode, CircuitPython, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell with Google Hangouts On-Air is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.
