Frozen Pi
A Quick Pi Pico and MicroPython Project
The Pi Pico is an amazingly cheap yet powerful microcontroller that offers a plethora of exciting features out of the box, like a built-in temperature sensor. The Raspberry Pi Foundation made the Pi Pico available just as I was putting the final touches on my new book, Portable Python Programming.
One of the most prevalent and hobby-friendly microcontrollers is the Arduino. In fact, my first book published by Pragmatic Bookshelf, Programming Your Home, prominently featured the Arduino in many of that book’s projects. Computing hardware has continued to shrink and become more powerful, and Pi Pico is clearly an example of this trend.
Rather than shoehorn the Pi Pico into my new book at the last minute, I opted to offer this project as a unique sample of projects you’ll find in Portable Python Programming. In the book, we work through a series of home and office automation projects that don’t require a significant hardware investment, little if any electronic circuitry knowledge, or even a breadboard. For most, all that is required is a Mac or PC, a Raspberry Pi (4 is preferable), and a desire to learn a bit of Python by example. Each project delivers a working, real-world automation solution that can make your life easier and more productive.
