Basics of Arduino and Raspberry pi
Basics of Arduino
Arduino is an open-source electronics platform. To make its use easy, Arduino consists of very simple software and hardware. Arduino boards can convert inputs like light from a sensor or a finger on a button into outputs like turning on an LED or starting a motor. You may tell the board’s microcontroller what to do by giving it a set of instructions. This is accomplished using the Arduino programming language (based on Wiring) and the Arduino Software (IDE) (based on Processing).
Arduino boards are microcontrollers, not full-fledged computers with their own operating system like the Raspberry Pi. They just execute C/C++ programs stored in their firmware. The Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is free software that allows you to program an Arduino board and upload your code to it.
Parts of Arduino
USB connector.
Power port.
Microcontroller.
Analog input pins.
Digital pins.
Reset switch.
Crystal oscillator.
USB interface chip.
Basics of Raspberry pi
A miniature computer that may be connected to a computer monitor, keyboard, and mouse. It has a dedicated processor, memory, and a graphics driver, just like a PC. It also comes with its own operating system, Raspberry Pi OS, which is a modified version of Linux.
Although the Raspberry Pi lacks storage, you can use microSD cards to store whichever operating system you choose (Raspberry Pi, Ubuntu Mate, etc.). Because the Raspberry Pi has Bluetooth, ethernet, and Wi-Fi connectivity, it may be used to transfer files over the internet. The software and the design of the Raspberry Pi project are not open-source.
Parts of Raspberry Pi
GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output) pins
DSI Display Port.
CSI Camera Port.
MicroSD Slot.
HDMI / USB / Network.
Micro USB Power
Micro SD
Ethernet Port
BCM Chipset
Audio Jack
14 Differences between Arduino and Raspberry pi
Arduino Vs Raspberry pi
| S.No: | Arduino | Raspberry Pi |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | It is a microcontroller | It is a minicomputer |
| 2 | Can run only one program at a time | Can run multiple programs at a time |
| 3 | Arduino has a very simple configuration to interface sensors and other electronic components. It | Much more complex than Arduino like installing software and libraries for sensor interfacing and other components |
| 4 | Cheaper compared to Raspberry Pi | Costly compared to Arduino |
| 5 | Can power the device by using battery pack | Difficult to power the Raspberry Pi using battery pack |
| 6 | Need an external device to make a connection with the internet | Can connect to internet by using Ethernet port and USB Wi-Fi dongles |
| 7 | It has onboard storage facility | No onboard storage facility |
| 8 | Only one port to make connection with the computer | It has four ports to connect various devices |
| 9 | It is a plug and play device | Needs to shutdown properly otherwise it may corrupt files and software |
| 10 | C, C++, Arduino uses in Arduino | Python is the recommended programming language, but C, C++, Python, and Ruby are all pre-installed. |
| 11 | The Arduino’s Control Unit is from the ATmega family. | The Raspberry Pi’s control unit is from the ARM family |
| 12 | It has an 8-bit architecture | It has 64-bit architecture |
| 13 | Arduino clocks 16 MHz (Megahertz) of processing speed in a system | The Raspberry Pi clocks 1.4 GHz (Gigahertz) of processing speed in a system. |
| 14 | The logic level of Arduino is 5V | The logic level of Raspberry pi is 3V |
Use of Arduino and Raspberry pi
Use of Arduino
- Used for beginners’ projects
- For the prototype of electronics
Use of Raspberry pi
- To increase the programming skills
- For home automation, edge computing, etc
- Can perform industrial applications
Advantages and Disadvantages of Arduino and Raspberry pi
Advantages and Disadvantages of Arduino
Advantages of Arduino
- Hardware and software of Arduino is open-source
- Cheaper than Raspberry Pi
- Easy to study and use so it is appropriate for beginners
- It has a wide range of applications
- Inbuilt Analog to Digital converter available
Disadvantages of Arduino
- Less processing power than Raspberry Pi
- Do not support wireless connectivity and internet
- It is based upon 8-bit CPU architecture
- Unable to perform complex tasks
- Can perform only one task at a time
Advantages and Disadvantages of Raspberry pi
Advantages of Raspberry pi
- Can perform complex tasks
- Supports Bluetooth, internet, and Wi-Fi connectivity
- More number of GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output) pins
- Can perform multiple tasks
Disadvantages of Raspberry pi
- Lack of Analog to Digital converter
- Hardware and software designs are not open-source
- No real-time hardware accessing. Hardware interfacing will be delayed if the CPU is performing another task
Some useful questions
1) How much power do Arduino and Raspberry Pi consume?
Arduino consumes around 200 Milliamperes (mA) while Raspberry Pi consumes only 700 Milliamperes (mA)
2) How much RAM do Arduino and Raspberry Pi use?
Raspberry uses about 1 Gigabyte (GB) while Arduino uses about 2 kilobytes (KB)