Tag Archives: raspberry pi foundation

Aug 09

Friday Post: Semester Startup

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Hey All,

Happy Friday!

I have one week until the Fall semester starts at UCF.  Everyone in our department is rushing to make sure we are all ready, everything is updated, and everybody’s happy.  I’m excited.  I think this semester is going to be wonderful.

Leap Motion

Over the week I bought a Leap Motion device.  Ever since I saw the preview of it, I was awe struck.  This device has the ability to make a huge paradigm shift in the way we provide input and controls to our computer systems.  It makes me even sadder to say that I returned it.  I had such high hopes for the device, but, there were just too many things wrong on the software side.

The hardware is top notch.  It just works.  The software was crummy at best.  It requires a lot of CPU power to run.  I tried it on a Core 2 Duo, and the input lag was horrible.  On a Core i5 it was fine, but I shouldn’t require that much CPU power just for an input device.  The app store was also disappointing.  There were a lot of apps available, but the vast majority cost money.  The third party free mouse driver software wasn’t top notch.  It made using the computer a chore.  In reality, the software made it feel like a poor man’s kinect.  🙁  I am willing to give it a second chance, because the hardware is top notch.  They just need the dev team to put some polish on the UX.

Raspberry Pi Pip-Boy

This is really cool. Panda from Hardware Libre posted this in the comments and on the PiMAME forums.  This is a homemade Raspberry Pi Pip Boy.

Raspberry Pi Camera NoIR

So, last week at FamiLAB, Gordon Hollingworth, Director of Software at the Raspberry Pi Foundation, paid us a visit and talked to us about hardware, software, and a cool version of the Raspberry Pi camera that is being released.

Photo Aug 03, 4 07 24 PM

It’s called the Pi NoIR, and it’s the Camera Board without the IR filter.  Without the IR filter, you are able to capture part of the infrared spectrum, which you can test out by pointing your TV remote to the camera and pressing a button.  What is invisible to your eye will show up on the camera sensor, and on your screen.  A flashing beam of light coming from the remote control.  There is a whole genre of IR photography, and this will allow you to get started in it.

Photo Aug 03, 4 37 12 PM Photo Aug 03, 2 48 54 PM

That’s all for this week,  I hope you all have a good weekend!

-Shea

Oct 06

Friday(ish) Post: Hanging out with Eben and Liz

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Hey all,

Sorry for the late post.  The past two days have been jam packed and I had limited internet access.

Friday and Saturday I was at Magic Ruby.  It was a Ruby conference at the Walt Disney World Hollywood Studios park. I’m still decompressing from the conference, so I’m not ready to make a full review about it.  Some talks were amazing, some were downright crappy.  I’m just exhausted.

Right after the conference Friday night, I had to run straight to the FamiLAB Hacker Space in Longwood, Florida because they were hosting Eben and Liz from the Raspberry Pi foundation!

We spent the first part of the night hanging out with Eben and Liz, showing off our projects.  Liz loved my arcade cabinet, and I need to get a kit out to her ASAP 🙂  Eben and Liz then did an interview with the Orlando Sentinel (as did I regarding my projects).  After the interview, Eben did a presentation to a standing room only gathering of people regarding the Pi, as well as a QA from the audience.  It was a great event!

Eben and Liz are both really humble and genuinely nice people.  I’m really glad I was able to spend some time with them.

Also, on a side note, my little Color Picker test app for Windows 8 passed certification, and is now in the Windows App Store!  Go me!

Have a great weekend!

-Shea