Farnell supports makers and students with pi-top [4] computer

Suitable for traditional classrooms and homes to libraries, after school clubs and maker spaces, the pi-top [4] programmable computer has been introduced by Farnell.

The distributor is now shipping the programmable computing device to support digital making, coding and practical projects for educators and students, as well as makers and inventors. It can be used by students to develop key skills including coding and circuit design, as well as increasingly in-demand soft skills such as communication, critical thinking and problem-solving, says Farnell.

Every pi-top [4] computer is supplied with a Foundation Kit within a metal ‘bento box’ containing 14 components such as programmable sensors, buttons and LEDs. Users can get started right away and learn the basics of coding and physical computing, and progress through guided lesson plans in advanced coding, robotics, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI). The modular design and internal battery make the pi-top [4] suitable for learning environments outside the home or classroom, for example, the sports field or playground.

The software learning environment is designed by educators. Farnell says pi-top [4] is the only platform to be endorsed by the OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA Review board) national examination awarding body for use in the computer science curriculum in the UK. Support materials include step-by-step ‘how to’ guides that help students write code to control different electronic components such as lights and sensors. There are also project based learning exaples in the software suite, which is bundled on the 8Gbyte SD card.

The pi-top [4] is powered by the 1.5GHz quad core Raspberry Pi 4 processor with 4Gbyte of RAM. Communication is via USB 3.0, Gigabit Ethernet, dual 4K HDMI output, 40 general purpose I/O (GPIO) pins and a 128 x 64 mini screen.

The pi-top [4] can be connected to any monitor or other device including Windows, Apple and Chromebook computers and third-party products such as Arduino and micro:bit. Raspberry Pi GPIO connectivity is included as standard.

The computer is hardware compatible with Lego and Meccano and students can # access thousands of free projects and resources that utilise the Raspberry Pi HAT architecture.

The pi-top [4] also supports a variety of educational software and apps including Scratch 3, Sonic Pi and Mu-Python code editor for beginner programmers as well as Chromium web browser and Google Suite, Photo Editor, mtPaint/ ImageMagic, VLC Media Player and Minecraft Raspberry Pi edition.

The pi-top [4] computer and Foundation Kit is available for fast delivery from Farnell in EMEA, element14 in APAC and Newark in North America.

http://www.farnell.com