Electronic Commerce

Applications of Raspberry Pi
Norwalk Community College
May 8, 2019
Brian Ghilliotti

Electronic Commerce

Final Exam

5/8/2019

Question 1: There are several investing applications I have discovered that

utilize the Raspberry Pi system. The best example includes a home automation system
(1). In the video referenced in the end notes, the designer has built a home automation
system that is controlled by the Amazon Echo voice recognition system, which seems
connected to an eight channel relay system and a Raspberry Pi device with a USB
connection. It can be controlled by a wireless combined mouse / keyboard device.
There is a Raspberry Pi touch screen device that is connected to a driver, which
are in turn connected to the Raspberry Pi device via a serial ribbon cable connection to
a connector called a MicroSD Card slot (2). The Raspberry Pi is also connected to the
eight channel relay system via thin cabling to a connection device along its top called a
40 pin Extended GPIO.

The eight channel relay helps the Raspberry Pi regulate higher voltages coming
in from home power sources. Connected to the eight channel relay is a four gang
electrical box with two point power outlet electrical devices. Also connected to the
relay is a speaker, via an aux cable. The referenced video describes the camera
connection as one based on using a remote control device hooked to the camera in a
normally closed position, even though it is a device that is in a normally open.

Instead of a battery that powers this normally open remote control device, an
electrical current is sent to the remote control via the relay that it is connected to on the
eight channel relay. This provides the power to the on button in the forced normally
closed system, which triggers the signal to the camera that turns it on. This must be a
time circuit, as it only lasts until power is supplied to the camera connected remote
control.

Raspberry Pi is a device that enables people with varying levels of software and
electronic skills experience to integrate their devices according to their skill level. This
particular home automation system designer used Github to find a script that enables a
Raspberry Pi to be seen as a Wemo device. Wemo devices are electronic home
devices that can be controlled remotely. These include plugs, remote sensors,
switches, or cameras (3). Called “fomo”, the designer use this script since there was no
need for specialized apps, access to specialized operating systems, or complex
scripting knowledge needed to make this device be seen. All that is needed was a wi-fi
connection. The designer modified the “fomo” script in such a way so that commands
to activate a certain device were channeled into one relay, which in turn would be
delegated to the appropriate device.

The designer then described the Alexa system, which is controlled by a mobile
phone app. The app is designed to associate certain devices to specified relays, which
in turn can be “grouped”. By “grouping”, settings can be applied for the app that will
provide power control to certain devices or combinations of devices, which is set
through the user’s mobile phone. When using this system, the user must use the
specific voice name for the device group they turned on, or Alexa will not be able to
understand what the user wants.

 The concept of controlling devices via a Raspberry Pi to relay system can be

applied to many devices (not just home control devices), wether you want to use a
voice recognition system such as Alexa or not. One expansion of this idea would be
setting up a system that applies biometric security access to these systems. If we use
a configuration where sensitive devices such as data base servers with sensitive
business information or PII, important production or environmental control devices, or
computer systems where they want as little chance for unauthorized access as
possible (most “hacking” is internal), a biometric control system, relying on finger print
readers, could be an answer.

The following video shows us that it is a relatively easy thing to connect a finger
print reader to a USB on a Raspbery Pi device (4).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=88&v=SFiqFIMucpg

It is likely that one can program the Raspberry Pi device to see if the channel
connected to the finger print reader is “opened” first, through authorized activation,
before access is granted to all other channels with sensitive devices attached to them.

Research indicates that Alexa voice recognition systems are now integrating finger
print biometric access controls (5).

As an alternative, we use a two layer bio-metric system. One layer could involve
a Raspberry PI connected finger print controlled system, while the second layer
involves a biometric sound wave recognition test from the same user to gain access to
the Alexa control system, also linked to the relay. With a two layer biometric control
system, users could control some of the sensitive devices, while those who have
access to the more sensitive devices must pass the voice recognition test.

Question 2: How to hook up a computer system to a Raspbery PI (6) (see end

note for Youtube link):

Remove Raspberry Pi device from packaging ($35.00)

Remove 16 GB Class 10 micro SD card ($21.00)

Obtain 2 Amp mobile charger for Raspberry Pi ($9.00)

https://www.alliedelec.com/product/raspberry-pi/t5875dv/70812912/?
gclid=EAIaIQobChMInuaL9veM4gIVgh-
GCh2ulACDEAQYAyABEgIqHfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Obtain card reader ($7.00)

https://www.walmart.com/ip/USB-card-reader-USB-3-0-Adapter-SD-Micro-SD-Card-
Reader-for-Windows-Mac-Linux-and-Certain-Android/969779658?
athcpid=969779658&athpgid=athenaItemPage&athcgid=null&athznid=PWVAV&athieid
=v0&athstid=CS020&athguid=ad823501-448-16a998eadc1c3e&athena=true

USB Mouse ($7.00)

USB Keyboard ($9.00)

HDMI Monitor ($55.00)

https://dependablestore.com/products/asus-vs228h-p-215-full-hd-1920x1080-hdmi-
dvi-vga-back-lit-led-monitor?
cid=1757391576&aid=77193426868&eid=&tid=pla-293946777986&ul=9003365&mt=&
n=g&d=c&dm=&dt&sn&adid=341665905506&k=&p=&pc=&ap=1o3&gclid=EAIaIQobCh
MIlbSztPmM4gIVx0SGCh1ZSAy-EAkYAyABEgJRK_D_BwE

Official Raspberry Pi Universal Power Supply – EU/US/UK/AUS – 2.5A ($9.90)

https://sixfab.com/product/official-raspberry-pi-universal-power-supply/?
utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=Shopping+USA&utm_term=&utm_source=adwords
&hsa_src=s&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_kw=&hsa_tgt=pla-293946777986&hsa_ad=32018
5161328&hsa_grp=63517664149&hsa_mt=&hsa_acc=6308888758&hsa_ver=3&hsa_ca
m=1661806251&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6sXexPqM4gIVxJCfCh0nsQ-
dEAQYASABEgKeI_D_BwE

Place heat sinks that are included on the metal slabs found on the Raspberry, matching
sizes with like sized plates.

Place Raspberry Pi inside plastic casing so that all inputs are exposed.

Go to website for Raspberry Pi and download the Raspbian OS, unzip it (Pick stretch
with desktop).

Download Windows 32 Disk Imager through appropriate website.

Download SD Memory Card Formatter through appropriate website.

Insert memory card through card reader.

Locate downloaded OS file, write on SD card with Windows 32 Disk Imager.

Insert SD Card into Raspberry Pi memory card slot on bottom of plastic case.

Connect HDMI monitor to appropriate multi pin connector on plastic case’s side.

Connect mouse and key board to USB connector group (4 in all) on side of plastic
casing.

Plug in mini power source to micro power supply connecter to left side of HDMI
connector. Look for flashing lights inside plastic casing next to micro power supply
connector.

Question 3: List of Software needed:

A: Getting started (see above for implementation points)

- Raspbian OS
- Windows 32 Disk Imager

- SD Memory Card Formatter

- Raspbian OS comes with Libre Office 5, which is a freeware version of the Microsoft
Office suite of software products

- Also apparently comes with Internet connection capability and browser (See 7:20 of
link in endnote 6), wireless capability.

B: Advanced

- you want security (7)

o download putty from internet, unzip it

o find your Raspberry Pi IP using ping tool, enter this IP into Putty

o name the device associated with IP address

o configure the device in BIOS

o @5:15 discusses use of putty gen to create public and private keys, public key on
Raspberry PI, public key on PC.

-LAMP (8) is a suite of internet tools that provide programming languages, database
programs, and software that can manipulate protocols supporting website
development [Linux {Operating System}, Apache {Open source web server software},
Mysql {Open source open relational database program}, Personal Home Page {Open
source scripting program}]

- Wireshark is an open source but tracker and analyzer that is useful for
troubleshooting and security purposes.

- There are numerous options available for engineering type students who need an
open-source graphing and design program:

https://itsfoss.com/cad-software-linux/

Question 4: I do not entirely agree with the statement that people in the United States
want the fastest and most expensive forms of technology. Contrary to what the
mainstream media in America wants you to believe (partially the consequence of
political manipulation), most people in this country , say 85%, are struggling. I think
Raspberry Pi would be widely welcomed in the United States, and I am pretty sure the
major tech giants in this country is well aware of this. Therefore, they will use whatever
combination of economic incentives and pressures, as well as legal incentives and
pressures, to stop wide scale marketing of this product. What really disturbs these tech
giants is that Raspberry Pi has the potential to debase their monopolistic hold on the
information technology markets by sparking an interest in this field across all social
groups in this country.

You will have different perspectives leading to new computer engineering discoveries,
which has the effect of creating new products and ideas that these tech giants will
have to compete with. Monopolists do not want competition. Competition destroys
these institutions faster than corruption will destroy a communist government.

I see an even bigger market in the third world, which generally does not have a network
system as well developed as it is in developed nations. We may see a speed up in
technical learning from third world sources as a result of Raspberry Pi, which in the end
means more competition and the ultimate destruction of the tech giants.

Here is a case in point:

“Nigerian student’s mobile app helps lose children find their way home”

https://face2faceafrica.com/article/nigerian-students-mobile-app-helps-lost-children-
find-their-way-home

From their website, the mission of Raspbery Pi is:

“Our Foundation’s goal is to advance the education of adults and children, particularly
in the field of computers, computer science and related subjects”. Raspberry Pi was an
effort to miniaturize and reduce the costs of these technologies to help spur the need
for IT technicians, which will undoubtedly occur when this technology hits third world
markets.

(See: https://www.raspberrypi.org/help/what-%20is-a-raspberry-pi/)

Has this Nigerian student already been exposed to Raspberry Pi technology?

 End Notes

(1) Make "Alexa" Control ANYTHING! [Mike and Lauren]. Retrieved from: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=221&v=rikUkvyDRGg. Published

July 24, 2017. Last viewed: May 8, 2019.

(2) Aqib, Muhammad. “What is a Raspberry Pi?” https://electronicshobbyists.com/

tutorial-1-what-is-raspberry-pi-getting-started-with-raspberry-pi-3/ Undated.

Last viewed: May 8, 2019.

(3) Wikipedia contributors. (2018, March 26). Belkin Wemo. In Wikipedia, The Free
Encyclopedia. Retrieved May 8, 2019, from:

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Belkin_Wemo&oldid=832551513

(4) Raspberry Pi connect Fingerprint Reader PART1 Demo [Arduino Raspberry Android
Raspberry Pi IoT] Retrieved from:https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=fsC0oOZCRxk Published January 2, 2018. Last viewed: Last viewed: May 8,
2019.

(5) Liao, Shannon. “This smart lock gives you five ways to unlock your door.” The
Verge. theverge.com January 8, 2019.https://www.theverge.com/
2019/1/8/18174787/lockly-secure-pro-smart-lock-alexa-google-random-
number-price-specs-features Last viewed: May 8, 2019.

(6) How to make a desktop computer using Raspberry Pi [TechnoReview85] Retrieved

from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu7FMCM50wU Published October
28, 2017. Last viewed: May 8, 2019.

(7) How to Secure a Raspberry Pi with SSH keys [Expetview2912] Retrieved from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4TEY6eR4DM Published March 5, 2015.

Last viewed: May 8, 2019.

(8) MicroNugget: What is LAMP? [CBT Nuggets] Retrieved from:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxVixM5eOZY Published: July 9, 2012.

Last Viewed: May 8, 2012