BeagleBone is an inexpensive web server, Linux desktop, and electronics hub that includes all the tools you need to create your own projects—whether it’s robotics, gaming, drones, or software-defined radio. If you’re new to BeagleBone Black, or want to explore more of its capabilities, this cookbook provides scores of recipes for connecting and talking to the physical world with this credit-card-sized computer. All you need is minimal familiarity with computer programming and electronics. Each recipe includes clear and simple wiring diagrams and example code to get you started. If you don’t know what BeagleBone Black is, you might decide to get one after scanning these recipes. Learn how to use BeagleBone to interact with the physical world Connect force, light, and distance sensors Spin servo motors, stepper motors, and DC motors Flash single LEDs, strings of LEDs, and matrices of LEDs Manage real-time input/output (I/O) Work at the Linux I/O level with shell commands, Python, and C Compile and install Linux kernels Work at a high level with JavaScript and the BoneScript library Expand BeagleBone’s functionality by adding capes Explore the Internet of Things

Over 60 recipes and solutions for inventors, makers, and budding engineers to create projects using the BeagleBone Black About This Book Learn how to develop applications with the BeagleBone Black and open source Linux software Sharpen your expertise in making sophisticated electronic devices Explore the BeagleBone Black with this easy-to-succeed recipe format Who This Book Is For If you are a hardware, Linux, and/or microcomputing novice, or someone who wants more power and possibilities with product prototypes, electronic art projects, or embedded computing experiments, then this book is for you. It is for Internet of Things enthusiasts who want to use more sophisticated hardware than the Raspberry Pi or the Arduino can provide. Whether you are an engineering student, a DIYer, an inventor, or a budding electronics enthusiast, this book delivers accessible, easy-to-succeed instructions for using an advanced microcomputing platform. What You Will Learn Set up and run the BeagleBone Black for the first time Learn the basics of microcomputing and Linux using the command line and easy kernel mods Make introductory projects with Python, JavaScript, BoneScript, and Node.js Explore physical computing and simple circuits using buttons, LEDs, sensors, and motors Discover the unique features of the BeagleBone Black and its real-time computing functions Build intermediate level audio and video applications Assemble and add ingredients for creating Internet of Things prototypes In Detail There are many single-board controllers and computers such as Arduino, Udoo, or Raspberry Pi, which can be used to create electronic prototypes on circuit boards. However, when it comes to creating more advanced projects, BeagleBone Black provides a sophisticated alternative. Mastering the BeagleBone Black enables you to combine it with sensors and LEDs, add buttons, and marry it to a variety of add-on boards. You can transform this tiny device into the brain for an embedded application or an endless variety of electronic inventions and prototypes. With dozens of how-tos, this book kicks off with the basic steps for setting up and running the BeagleBone Black for the first time, from connecting the necessary hardware and using the command line with Linux commands to installing new software and controlling your system remotely. Following these recipes, more advanced examples take you through scripting, debugging, and working with software source files, eventually working with the Linux kernel. Subsequently, you will learn how to exploit the board's real-time functions. We will then discover exciting methods for using sound and video with the system before marching forward into an exploration of recipes for building Internet of Things projects. Finally, the book finishes with a dramatic arc upward into outer space, when you explore ways to build projects for tracking and monitoring satellites. Style and approach This comprehensive recipe book deconstructs a complex, often confusing piece of technology, and transforms it to become accessible and fun with snappy, unintimidating prose, and extensive easy-to-succeed instructions.

In-depth instruction and practical techniques for building with the BeagleBone embedded Linux platform Exploring BeagleBone is a hands-on guide to bringing gadgets, gizmos, and robots to life using the popular BeagleBone embedded Linux platform. Comprehensive content and deep detail provide more than just a BeagleBone instruction manual—you’ll also learn the underlying engineering techniques that will allow you to create your own projects. The book begins with a foundational primer on essential skills, and then gradually moves into communication, control, and advanced applications using C/C++, allowing you to learn at your own pace. In addition, the book’s companion website features instructional videos, source code, discussion forums, and more, to ensure that you have everything you need. The BeagleBone’s small size, high performance, low cost, and extreme adaptability have made it a favorite development platform, and the Linux software base allows for complex yet flexible functionality. The BeagleBone has applications in smart buildings, robot control, environmental sensing, to name a few; and, expansion boards and peripherals dramatically increase the possibilities. Exploring BeagleBone provides a reader-friendly guide to the device, including a crash course in computer engineering. While following step by step, you can: Get up to speed on embedded Linux, electronics, and programming Master interfacing electronic circuits, buses and modules, with practical examples Explore the Internet-connected BeagleBone and the BeagleBone with a display Apply the BeagleBone to sensing applications, including video and sound Explore the BeagleBone’s Programmable Real-Time Controllers Hands-on learning helps ensure that your new skills stay with you, allowing you to design with electronics, modules, or peripherals even beyond the BeagleBone. Insightful guidance and online peer support help you transition from beginner to expert as you master the techniques presented in Exploring BeagleBone, the practical handbook for the popular computing platform.

Many people think of Linux as a computer operating system, running on users' desktops and powering servers. But Linux can also be found inside many consumer electronics devices. Whether they're the brains of a cell phone, cable box, or exercise bike, embedded Linux systems blur the distinction between computer and device. Many makers love microcontroller platforms such as Arduino, but as the complexity increases in their projects, they need more power for applications, such as computer vision. The BeagleBone is an embedded Linux board for makers. It's got built-in networking, many inputs and outputs, and a fast processor to handle demanding tasks. This book introduces you to both the original BeagleBone and the new BeagleBone Black and gets you started with projects that take advantage of the board's processing power and its ability to interface with the outside world.

The definitive, easy-to-use guide to the popular BeagleBone board BeagleBone For Dummies is the definitive beginner's guide to using the popular BeagleBone board to learn electronics and programming. Unlike other books that require previous knowledge of electronics, Linux, and Python, this one assumes you know nothing at all, and guides you step-by-step throughout the process of getting acquainted with your BeagleBone Original or BeagleBone Black. You'll learn how to get set up, use the software, build the hardware, and code your projects, with plenty of examples to walk you through the process. You'll move carefully through your first BeagleBone project, then get ideas for branching out from there to create even better, more advanced programs. The BeagleBone is a tiny computer board – about the size of a credit card – that has all the capability of a desktop. Its affordability and ease of use has made it popular among hobbyists, hardware enthusiasts, and programmers alike, and it's time for you to join their ranks as you officially dive into the world of microcomputers. This book removes the guesswork from using the popular BeagleBone board and shows you how to get up and running in no time. Download the operating system and connect your BeagleBone Learn to navigate the desktop environment Start programming with Python and Bonescript Build your first project, and find plans for many more To learn BeagleBone, you could spend hours on the Internet and still never find the information you need, or you can get everything you need here. This book appeals to all new and inexperienced hobbyists, tinkerers, electronics gurus, hackers, budding programmers, engineers, and hardware geeks who want to learn how to get the most out of their powerful BeagleBone.

Master BeagleBone programming by doing simple electronics and Internet of Things projects About This Book Quickly develop electronics projects that interact with Internet applications using JavaScript and Python Learn about electronics components such as sensors and motors, and how to communicate with them by writing programs A step-by-step guide to explore the exciting world of BeagleBone—from connecting BeagleBone to doing electronics projects and creating IoT applications Who This Book Is For If you want to learn programming on embedded systems with BeagleBone by doing simple electronics projects, this book is for you. This book is also helpful to BeagleBone owners who want to quickly implement small-scale home automation solutions. It is assumed that you have familiarity with C and Python programming. Some familiarity with electronics is helpful but not essential. What You Will Learn Connect your BeagleBone to a computer in different ways and get the Cloud9 IDE running to quick-start programming on the BeagleBone Get to know about BeagleBone extension pins such as GPIO and how to connect various electronics components with BeagleBone Read and write to various electronics components such as LED, Push-button, sensors, and motors Grasp in-depth theory on Analog, PWM, and BUS programming and the electronics components used in programs Handle data to and from various BUS supporting modules such as UART, I2C, and SPI using the Adafruit BBIO Python library Write real-life IoT applications in JavaScript and Python such as shooting an e-mail on overheat and controlling a servo motor remotely Make use of online free cloud services to store and analyze sensor data collected on the BeagleBone Discover what else can be done using the BeagleBone Get to grips with embedded system BUS communication In Detail The whole world is moving from desktop computers to smartphones and embedded systems. We are moving towards utilizing Internet of Things (IoT). An exponential rise in the demand for embedded systems and programming in the last few years is driving programmers to use embedded development boards such as Beaglebone. BeagleBone is an ultra-small, cost-effective computer that comes with a powerful hardware. It runs a full-fledged Debian Linux OS and provides numerous electronics solutions. BeagleBone is open source and comes with an Ethernet port, which allows you to deploy IoT projects without any additions to the board. It provides plenty of GPIO, Anlaog pins, and UART, I2C, SPI pins which makes it the right choice to perform electronics projects. This gives you all the benefits of Linux kernel such as multitasking, multiusers, and extensive device driver support. This allows you to do programming in many languages including high-level languages such as JavaScript and Python. This book aims to exploit the hardware and software capabilities of BeagleBone to create real-life electronics and IoT applications quickly. It is divided into two parts. The first part covers JavaScript programs. The second part provides electronics projects and IoT applications in Python. First, you will learn to use BeagleBone as tool to write useful applications on embedded systems. Starting with the basics needed to set up BeagleBone and the Cloud9 IDE, this book covers interfacing with various electronics components via simple programs. The electronics theory related to these components is then explained in depth before you use them in a program. Finally, the book helps you create some real-life IoT applications. Style and approach An easy-to-follow guide full of real-world electronics programs and quick troubleshooting tips using BeagleBone. All the required electronics concepts are explained in detail before using them in a program and all programs are explained in depth. Most of the theory is covered in the first part; while the second part gives you some quick programs.