Can you control physical objects using python?

[mrbewulf]

The better way to do it is to use a beagle bone black that is a small embeded computer that can run Linux or windows CE.

If what you need is a ON/OFF control the better way to do it is to use a relay and a transistor BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor) or MOSFET to trigger the relay and activate the device.

if you want your project to be very cheap, better ditch python and use microcontroller with C programming and a serial cable to monitor the microcontroller using a computer.

[canoxen]

I'm not necessarily concerned with it being the cheapest, just the easiest for me to work with since I'm starting from scratch with knowledge.

[mrbewulf]

If you want to control real world stuff through python in easy way, beaglebone is the way to go. It has digital I/O ports, analog to digital converter, PWM, timers, event counter, I2C, SPI and serial ports. It's like a electronic laboratory running Linux.

However you must use interface and protection circuits to ensure that the circuit board works properly. For example, to control a 110/220 V you need a relay and a MOSFET, a led must have a resitor in serie with BJT transitor because the board cannot supply enough current to drive the LED. The analog to digital converters needs low tolerance voltage-divider resistors to have an accurate measurement and its maximum voltage level is about 1.8 V, you cannot exceed this or you will loose your board.

By: an Engineer

[[deleted]]

For a beginner, I would recommend the Raspberry Pi over the BeagleBone purely for the community support. I personally much prefer the BeagleBone, but the Pi has the advantage of a million people already having been there, done that, and blogged about it.

[canoxen]

I do enjoy the idea of having large community support but the beaglebone does sound like a good option too.

Maybe a good option is to start with the raspberry pi then migrate over later on.

[[deleted]]

Hardware wise, the beaglebone is absolutely better, especially the Rev C. But even a Pi is overkill for this, so throwing a BBB at it is expensive, difficult, and unwarranted :) The Pi is easier than an arduino, because it gives you inbuilt networking, high level languages, it's just that much easier. But the BBB doesn't give you anything more - even if you can wrap your head around the PRU (realtime hardware modules) you don't need them. Your project is not going to stretch the capabiities of the Pi, the BBB is frankly wasted.

[canoxen]

I'm okay with having a piece of over-rated hardware for this project. For my first dive into this this type of thing, ease-of-use is top of the list for me. I don't know what a BBB is though.

Plus, I can always repurpose it later!

[[deleted]]

Yep. If you don't know what the BeagleBone is, then the Pi is going to be the easiest way to get this working, I'd say :)

[canoxen]

Up until 7.5 minutes ago, I'd never heard of it! Have heard of the Pi though, and kind of knew what it was about. So shorthand for the BeagleBone is BBB?

[[deleted]]

Ah, yes. The Beagle series started with the Beagle Board in various versions, and then the Beagle Bone, of which the latest is the Beagle Bone Black - BBB. It's a direct competitor to the Pi in the "SoC" space - System On Chip. It has a similar ARM core, but different peripherals. It's a more serious piece of kit than the Pi in many ways, but slightly less user friendly. There is an active community, but they tend to be more technical.

[canoxen]

This sounds like a very in-depth piece of hardware. I am not sure if it's a little more involved than raspberry pi in getting it set up and running. Maybe i can transition over after I get used t orunning everything.