CrowPi2 is a STEAM Educational Laptop using a Raspberry Pi, designed for learning programming and electronics through various built in sensors and electronic devices.
The CrowPi2 is a laptop based on the Raspberry Pi computer and takes advantage of the educational software and electronics projects that are available and bundles them up into one packages.
On the outside the CrowPi2 looks like a regular laptop with a touch pad, keyboard, 11.6 inch HD display, microphone and a 2 megapixel camera, but the CrowPi2 has quite a few features a regular Laptop doesn't have. The Wifi Keyboard can be removed to reveal a host of electronics, sensors, leds, displays and electronics activities to use and develop programming and electronics skills. The laptop is powered by a Raspberry Pi 4, Raspberry Pi 3, or Raspberry Pi 3B+ which is easily installed to a compartment on the underside of the laptop.
This is all supported by inbuilt software with lessons and guides and the Elecrow website with 100+ lessons on how to use the sensors as well as programming in Scratch, Python and program Minecraft in python. These range from flashing lights through to Artificial intelligence Face Recognition and voice recognition. There are also many resources for STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) on the Raspberry Pi to develop useful skills for Children and beginners alike through the Raspberry Pi foundations website.
The CrowPi2 helps to make this easier to access as all the electronics are setup to experiment with in a safe way without the risk of plugging connectors incorrectly. The GPIO header is still available for when you are confident enough to start wiring your own projects on the built in breadboard. The Raspberry Pi has many add on boards available from flashing lights right up to robotics so your CrowPi 2 laptop can be expanded to develop any project you can think of.
So what is under the Keyboard of a CrowPi 2?
- a PIR motion sensor
- a Sound sensor
- a Buzzer for simple sounds
- a Number keypad
- Servo interface
- Stepper Motor interface
- a Vibration motor
- 8 x 8 RGB Led Matrix
- a Touch Sensor
- a Rocker joystick
- a Relay
- RFID Sensor and Tag
- Light Sensor
- 16 x 2 LCD Display
- Ultrasonic Distance Sensor
- 4 Digit Segment Display
- GPIO Status Activity LEDs
- Breadboard
The CrowPi2 is offered in kits with and without a Raspberry Pi. Also in the Basic Kits are additional components to make your projects with such as, a 9g Servo, Stepper Motor, DC Motor, mini Fan, IR Receiver and Remote Control, RFiD card, a selection of Resistors, LEDs, Potentiometer, Capacitors, Diodes, Photo Resistors, Buttons, Moisture Sensor and screwdriver.
There are also Intermediate and advance kits that contain even more items for using with the tutorials and projects.
So there is plenty of gadgets to interact with through Scratch or Python. In addition you can use the CrowPi2 to program a BBC Microbit through the USB port and Arduino boards to expand your projects even further.
The CrowPi2 is available through Kickstarter from June 2020. More information is available at the Elecrow website www.elecrow.com/crowpi2.html and
