Setup Raspberry Pi

In this lesson you will learn how to setup a Raspberry Pi to run the BrachioGraph Python code. The Raspberry Pi is a small single-board computer that can be used to control the BrachioGraph plotter. By installing the Raspberry Pi OS and the required Python libraries, you can run the BrachioGraph code to create drawings and designs.

Step 1: Install Raspberry Pi OS

1. Download the Raspberry Pi Imager from the Raspberry Pi website.

2. Install the Raspberry Pi Imager on your computer.

3. Insert the microSD card into your computer.

4. Open the Raspberry Pi Imager and select the Raspberry Pi OS.

5. Select the microSD card as the storage location.

6. Click on “Write” to install the Raspberry Pi OS on the microSD card.

7. Once the installation is complete, remove the microSD card from your computer.

Step 2: Boot Raspberry Pi

1. Insert the microSD card into the Raspberry Pi.

2. Connect the Raspberry Pi to a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

3. Connect the power supply to the Raspberry Pi.

4. The Raspberry Pi will boot up and display the Raspberry Pi OS desktop.

Step 3: Connect to Wi-Fi

1. Click on the Wi-Fi icon in the top right corner of the screen.

2. Select your Wi-Fi network from the list of available networks.

3. Enter the Wi-Fi password and click on “Connect”.

4. The Raspberry Pi will connect to the Wi-Fi network.

Step 4: Update Raspberry Pi

1. Open the Terminal from the Raspberry Pi desktop.

2. Run the following commands to update the Raspberry Pi:

    sudo apt update
    sudo apt upgrade
   

3. Wait for the updates to complete.

Step 5: Install Python

1. Run the following command to install Python:

    sudo apt install python3 python3-pip
   

Step 6: Install BrachioGraph

1. Clone the code repository from GitHub:

    git clone https://www.github.com/evildmp/brachiograph.git
   

2. Create a virtual environemnt:

    python3 -m venv venv
   

3. Activate the virtual environment:

    source venv/bin/activate
   

4. Run the following command to install the required Python libraries:

    sudo pigpiod
    cd BrachioGraph
    pip install -r requirements.txt
   

What is Pigpiod?

Note: The pigpiod service is required to control the servos using the GPIO pins on the Raspberry Pi.

Step 7: Run BrachioGraph

1. Run the following command to start the BrachioGraph code:

    python3
   

   Python with then load and in the next lesson you will learn how to use the BrachioGraph to create drawings and designs.

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