The Zerynth Framework: programming IoT with Python

Here's some quick notes on what I discovered today on

The Zerynth Framework: programming IoT with Python

Good starting point well written on open-electronics.org

Here we learn of a new firmware that can be loaded on those microcontroller:

Here's some links for those microcontrollers, mostly based on ARM 32 bit.

• STM32 Nucleo family
• Some kits and pricing at AliExpress from 18$
• Arduino DUE
• Kits on AliExpress from 13$
• Particle.IO microcontrollers
• Store from 19$
• UDOO single board computer
• 68$ at Digi-Key

Here's an example code for blinking 3 leds independently showing the power of Zerynth  multi-treading 

# Initialize the digital pins where the LEDs are connected as output

pinMode(D2,OUTPUT)

pinMode(D3,OUTPUT)

pinMode(D4,OUTPUT)

# Define the ‘blink’ function to be used by the threads

# delayON and delayOFF are optional parameters, used as default if not specified when you call the function

def blink(pin,timeON=100,timeOFF=100):

while True:

digitalWrite(pin,HIGH) # turn the LED ON by making the voltage HIGH

sleep(timeON) # wait for timeON

digitalWrite(pin,LOW) # turn the LED OFF by making the voltage LOW

sleep(timeOFF) # wait for timeOFF

# Create three threads that execute instances of the ‘blink’ function.

thread(blink,D2) # D2 is ON for 100 ms and OFF for 100 ms, the default values of delayON an delayOFF

thread(blink,D3,200) # D3 is ON for 200 ms and OFF for 100 ms, the default value of delayOFF

thread(blink,D4,500,200) # D4 is ON for 500 ms and OFF for 200 ms

To get you started with testing and development, they created the Zerynth shield

Which consist of many sensors and actuators 

This can be found here for around 56$

Here's an example of using this shield:

############################################################################################################

# TOI Shield basics

#

# Created by VIPER Team 2015 CC

# Authors: L. Rizzello, G. Baldi, D. Mazzei

############################################################################################################

import streams

import adc

from drivers.toishield import toishield

streams.serial()

# toishield defines pin names in a board indipendent manner

# let’s use them to read raw sensors values

while True:

print(“ Microphone:”,adc.read(toishield.microphone_pin))

print(“ Light:”,adc.read(toishield.light_pin))

print(“Temperature:”,adc.read(toishield.temperature_pin))

print(“ Touch:”,digitalRead(toishield.touch_pin))

# aux pins are also accessible!

print(“ AUX1:”,adc.read(toishield.aux1.ADC))

print(“-”*40)

sleep(500)

# this scripts runs on every supported board, without a single change...cool isn’t it? <img src="http://www.open-electronics.org/wp-includes/images/smilies/simple-smile.png" alt=":)" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;">

Looks interesting, right!... now if you want to learn Python... there's a lot of resources:

• Youtube videos, like this 56 part Python 3.4 tutorial !
• Coursera online courses
• There's also online course like this neat Code Academy one!