Raspberry Pi Pico W overview: The Pi’s tiny sibling will get a wi-fi improve

Raspberry Pi’s RP2040 microcontroller is an fascinating piece of silicon, offering a stability of energy and suppleness. It is also the primary system-on-a-chip (SoC) machine from the corporate, which so far had been utilizing off-the-shelf processors. 

Primarily based round a 133MHz dual-core ARM Cortex M0 operating at 133MHz, it has 264KB of on-chip reminiscence. Designed to be constructed into {hardware}, every chip additionally presents 26 GPIO pins, with a bunch of extra controller {hardware} together with eight programmable I/O state machines. 

In addition to promoting RP2040s to clients to construct into their very own gadgets (I’ve one which’s a 4×4 LED backlit keyboard and one other that is a customisable e-paper badge), Raspberry Pi makes use of it in its personal Pico boards — low-cost gadgets aimed toward makers and different {hardware} hobbyists. In addition to a RP2040, the Pico has a further 2MB of flash storage on your code and the machine’s firmware. The machine is a 21mm by 51mm circuit board, with 40 pins able to be both fitted with header pins to be used on a breadboard or linked on to sensors and actuators. 

New Pico — this time, with wi-fi 

Raspberry Pi just lately launched two new variations of the Pico with a 3rd on its means later this 12 months. The Pico H provides a pre-soldered set of header pins, supposed for prototyping and experimentation, whereas the Pico W brings Wi-Fi to the board permitting you to make use of it for standalone linked functions. They’re going to finally be joined by the WH, which provides headers to the W. As with the unique Pico, the Pico W will be purchased in bulk prepared to be used in industrial initiatives.

The Pico W is a giant change, including a 2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi chipset and an on-board antenna. That is all been accomplished with out altering the machine’s kind issue, so you’ll be able to swap a Pico W in for the standard Pico in current initiatives. Like the usual Pico, energy and primary connectivity undergo a Micro-USB port, though you can even use the board pins to energy the machine, permitting you to wire it into instances and to make use of batteries as different energy sources. 

The chip used so as to add Wi-Fi to the Pico W, the Infineon CYW43439, additionally helps Bluetooth and Bluetooth Low Power (LE). Though this primary launch solely helps Wi-Fi, Raspberry Pi has famous that it could add Bluetooth assist sooner or later. At the moment the wi-fi stack is predicated on the lwIP TCP/IP implementation, utilizing libcyw43 to manage the wi-fi {hardware}. Usefully, Raspberry Pi has negotiated a free commercial-use license for the usually non-commercial libcyw43, so you’ll be able to proceed to construct industrial {hardware} utilizing the Pico W and even construct your individual boards across the mixture of the RP2040 and the CYW43439. 

There are some minor variations between the W and the unique Pico past including wi-fi assist. The obvious is that the onboard LED is not linked to the RP2040’s GPIO pins, as a substitute working by the Wi-Fi chip’s personal GPIO. When you’ve been utilizing this in C or MicroPython as an indicator you will want to alter your code to make the most of the brand new {hardware} choices. 

Raspberry Pi is forking its construct of MicroPython because of this. You will discover separate builds of the firmware, so you should definitely set up the right model for the Pico W. Raspberry Pi gives two growth fashions for the Pico, utilizing C to bundle your individual code into its firmware, or working with Raspberry Pi’s personal firmware, which comes configured with MicroPython and contains a lot of the vital modules. 

Programming the Pico W 

You’ll be able to develop for the Pico W utilizing your desktop PC or Mac, or hook up with it from a Raspberry Pi. I used a USB connection from a Home windows PC, first putting in urgent the Pico W’s BOOTSEL button to place it in obtain mode, putting in the Raspberry Pi firmware by dropping the file within the Pico W’s storage. As soon as it is put in, the Pico routinely reboots, utilizing its USB port as a serial connection to your growth PC or Pi. 

You need to use a terminal program to hook up with the Pico W, utilizing its MicroPython REPL to check out code (and for that Gen-X 8-bit computing nostalgia), however you are higher off working with a MicroPython-ready growth surroundings just like the advisable Thonny. You need to use this as a growth editor in addition to a means of putting in Python code in your Pico. 

Plug your Pico W right into a growth PC and launch Thonny. Within the Shell pane below the editor you will see the Pico’s MicroPython REPL the place you’ll be able to rapidly check out code. Most of your work can be in the primary editor, nonetheless. 

The very first thing you are prone to do with a Pico W is attempt to join it to a wi-fi community. When you’re utilizing MicroPython that is simple sufficient, utilizing the brand new community module. Begin by making a wlan object, then set it to be energetic and use its join methodology to hook up with a SSID and password. Wait a short while and get the connection’s configuration to see the present IP deal with, DNS server, and gateway addresses. Raspberry Pi’s documentation incorporates a primary script to hook up with your native Wi-Fi community. Different strategies permit you to scan for close by entry factors, as a fast take a look at to see in case your machine is working. 

Utilizing the Pico W with the net 

So what are you able to do with a linked Pico W? Two helpful MicroPython modules, socket and urequests, permit you to begin speaking with exterior providers by way of HTTP. It’s possible you’ll nicely discover urequests most helpful because it helps sending and receiving JSON payloads to an exterior service. This method provides your linked Pico W numerous choices: it will probably obtain messages from an software or return knowledge to it. The power to make use of JSON considerably will increase utility, as your gadgets can now work with widespread webhook endpoints as a part of industrial and residential automation, plugging in to all method of workflows. 

Connecting a microcontroller like this to a community removes a lot of its limitations, because it now turns into a leaf in a bigger linked ecosystem. In a house it might automate your home plant watering, or in a backyard present sensors that enable you to determine when to reap your fruit. Alternatively, you might use its PIO state machines along side the GPIO pins to drive actuators by your individual exterior circuits. 

There’s even the choice of constructing a easy MicroPython-powered internet server on a Pico W, giving your {hardware} initiatives a primary dashboard. Right here you will want to make use of the socket module to pay attention for HTTP requests and reply as vital. Your internet server will be linked to exterior {hardware}, supplying you with a low-power means of extending gadgets to the net. It is most likely overkill utilizing sockets to construct an online server with types assist for customers to configure any functions, however including HTTP assist to code so customers can add configuration recordsdata makes quite a lot of sense. 

Conclusions 

There’s lots to love within the Raspberry Pi Pico W. It takes a well-recognized easy machine and expands its utility considerably by including networking. By supplying you with connectivity at low energy, you do not want a hefty energy provide — you’ll be able to run off battery energy to construct linked {hardware} that may run wherever you may get a Wi-Fi sign. 

On the similar time, the default firmware and MicroPython makes it easy to construct your individual software program, so it is an excellent prototyping platform for industrial merchandise that use the RP2020 and the CYW43439. You’ll be able to even take up the choice of shopping for them in bulk from Raspberry Pi and together with them in your individual provider boards. 

A wi-fi Pico is a surprisingly highly effective instrument, and one I can wholeheartedly advocate. For just some {dollars} you’ll be able to construct linked gadgets that may do, nicely, just about something you’ll be able to think about. It isn’t typically that gadgets bridge the hole between Ok-12 schooling and business, however the Raspberry Pi Pico W is one that the majority undoubtedly can. Now, what shall I construct with mine? 

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Raspberry Pi Pico W specs

Dimensions	21mm × 51mm
SoC	Raspberry Pi RP2040 (dual-core Arm Cortex-M0+ @ 133MHz)
RAM	264KB (on-chip)
Storage	2MB (on-board QSPI flash)
Interfacing	26 GPIO pins, together with 3 analogue inputs
Peripherals	2× UART, 2× SPI controllers, 2× I2C controllers, 16× PWM channels, 1× USB 1.1 controller and PHY (with host and machine assist), 8× PIO (Programmable I/O) state machines
Connectivity	2.4GHz 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi (on-board antenna utilizing Infineon CYW43439)
Enter energy	1.8 – 5.5V DC
Working temperature	-20°C to +70°C
Manufacturing lifetime	Raspberry Pi Pico W will stay in manufacturing till at the least January 2028
Value	$6 / £5.90 (additionally out there in bulk in reels of 480 for £4.90 per machine)

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Options to think about

When you do not want Wi-Fi, the unique $4 Raspberry Pi Pico or $5 Pico H (with pre-soldered header pins) are options. A succesful however costlier Wi-Fi-equipped different is the Arduino Nano RP2040 Join ($29.40).

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