Project 1: Getting Started: What is a Computer?

Description Introduction to computers – including the concepts of
Materials RaspberrySTEM™ Base and Raspberry Pi
Screwdriver
Old discarded electronics

Prerequisites None
What is a computer?
  • Electronic machine good (fast and reliable) at doing arithmetic
  • Runs programs - sequence of steps
  • Essential parts of a computer (with analogy to people)
    • Processor – Brain's Processing capability
    • Memory – Brain's memory
    • Input/Output (I/O) –
      • Inputs: 5 base senses & more
      • Outputs: movement, speech
How fast is a computer? How long would it take you to count to 10 billion:
  • Estimate how long it would take to count to 10 billion, counting 10 hours a day
  • Compute time to count to 10 billion: (10 billion / Count) / 60 / 10 / 365 = years
  • Comparison: Desktop PC takes ~ 1 second (assumes multiple cores running at several GHz).
Different types of computers
  • PCs (Macs, Windows, etc), both desktops and laptops
  • Embedded computers: processors embedded within other devices that have a dedicated function.
How are they made
  • Processors are a kind of Integrated Circuit (IC) (chip)
  • Combined with memory ICs, other ICs, and discrete components
  • Soldered onto a PCB that connects the components
Comparing the numbers:
  • Mac: ~ 100 million
  • Windows PC: ~ 1 billion
  • Embedded: ~ 100 billion
Sources:
  • “Gartner Says More than 1 Billion PCs In Use Worldwide and Headed to 2 Billion Units by 2014” (http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/703807)
  • Apple at 10.6% U.S. market share in 2Q14 (http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2793921)
  • In 2013, embedded processors shipped ~ 20 billion, compared to ~ 300 million PCs:
    • http://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/components/arm-to-take-68-of-embedded-processor-market-2013-02/
    • http://ir.arm.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=197211&p=irol-reportsannual
    • http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2647517
Discuss how many Mac & PCs you have at home. How many other devices at home have embedded microprocessors?
  • Q: What is the Raspberry Pi? A: Single Board Computer, Low Cost, Runs Linux OS
  • Identify: Processor, Memory, I/Os
    • Memory chip is on top of the processor in the center of the board
    • I/Os
  • What is the RaspberrySTEM™?
Assemble the RaspberrySTEM™
  • Take care handling your electronics
  • Assemble RaspberrySTEM™ Base bottom and sides with nuts & bolts
  • Attach the Raspberry Pi to the RaspberrySTEM™ Base with nuts & bolts and acrylic bushings
  • Assemble the RaspberrySTEM™ CREATOR Lid including breadboards, Lid Connector, and speaker
What is the RaspberrySTEM™ IDE?
  • Integrated Development Environment
  • Editor for writing your programs
  • Run and see the output of your programs
  • Documentation and Projects
Boot the RaspberrySTEM™
  • Plug in all cables (monitor, keyboard, mouse, power) and SD card
  • Boot to RaspberrySTEM™ IDE, run first one-liner program: print('hello')