SpiBerryEngine

A project that aims to primarily control Lego Spike with a Raspberry Pi. It uses the mpremote tool to communicate with the Lego Spike hub. I believe it can also be used with other micropython devices.

Installation

Installing the Engine

Use the installer.exe (compiled from installer.py) to install SpiBerryEngine on your Raspberry Pi:

1. Run the installer on your computer
2. Enter your Raspberry Pi connection details:
   • Remote Host (default: raspberrypi)
   • Remote User (default: pi)
   • Password
   • Remote Directory (where to install)
3. Configure GPIO pins for hardware:
   • R pin (Red LED, default: 0)
   • B pin (Blue LED, default: 11)
   • G pin (Green LED, default: 9)
   • Button pin (default: 17)
4. Click "Start Installation"

The installer will:

• Download and package all dependencies (make sure the dependencies archive is in the same folder as the installer)
• Transfer files to your Raspberry Pi via SSH
• Set up a Python virtual environment
• Install all required packages
• Create a run.sh script with your GPIO configuration

Installing as a System Service

To run SpiBerryEngine automatically on boot, install it as a systemd service using sbe.service: (Change the User, WorkingDirectory, and ExecStart paths as needed.)

# Copy the service file to systemd
sudo cp sbe.service /etc/systemd/system/

# Reload systemd and enable the service
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable sbe.service

# Start the service
sudo systemctl start sbe.service

# Check service status
sudo systemctl status sbe.service

The service will:

• Start automatically on boot
• Restart on failure
• Run as the pi user
• Log output to the system journal

Hardware Setup

Connect the following components to your Raspberry Pi:

• RGB LED: Connect to the GPIO pins specified during installation or defaults:
  • Red: GPIO 0
  • Green: GPIO 11
  • Blue: GPIO 9
• Button: Connect to GPIO pin specified (default: 17)

Usage

Running Manually

cd /home/pi/ro  # or your installation directory
./run.sh

Or with custom GPIO pins:

python SpiBerryEngine.py --button 11 --red 22 --green 10 --blue 9

Deploying Code

Use deploy_robot_code.exe (compiled from deploy_robot_code.py) to deploy your robot code:

1. Run the deploy tool on your computer
2. Select your .llsp3 file (Lego Spike project export)
3. Optionally select a Raspi Functions file (see below)
4. Enter your Raspberry Pi connection details
5. Click "Deploy" or use the hotkey Ctrl+Shift+D

The deployer will:

• Extract your code from the .llsp3 file
• Send robot_code.py to your Raspberry Pi
• Optionally send raspi_functions.py if provided
• Save your configuration for future deployments

Using Raspi Utility Classes

Copy the contents of raspi-util-class.py and paste it at the top of your robot code. This provides easy-to-use classes for interacting with Raspberry Pi hardware from your Lego Spike code.

Example Usage

# Copy raspi-util-class.py contents here at the top of your code

# Create Raspi instance
raspi = Raspi()

# Register devices
servo = raspi.register_device("servo", "s1", "14","0","180","0.00095","0.0028","10")
# Parameters are: type, name, pin, min_angle, max_angle, min_pulse, max_pulse, start_angle
distance_sensor = raspi.register_device("distance_sensor", "my_sensor", "15", "16", "4")
# Parameters are: type, name, trigger_pin, echo_pin, max_distance_m

# Use devices
servo.set_angle(90)
current_angle = servo.get_angle()
distance = distance_sensor.get_distance()

# Call custom functions (if you have raspi_functions.py)
result = raspi.func("some_custom_function()")

The utility classes support:

• Servo: set_angle(angle), get_angle()
• Distance Sensor: get_distance()
• Custom Functions: raspi.func("function_call()") to call functions from your raspi_functions.py

RGBLED Signals

The RGB LED provides visual feedback for the system state:

Color	Meaning
Red	Connection error or module not found
Green	Ready/Idle/Success
Blue	Run Error
Yellow	Work starting
Cyan	Code or functions reloaded

Blinking Patterns

Color	Blink Count	Blink Duration	Meaning
Red	2	0.2s	raspi_functions import error
Red	2	0.2s	Stopped code execution
Red	5	0.1s	mpremote not found
Red	5	0.3s	Connection error
Blue	2	0.1s	REPL error
Blue	2	0.3s	Function call function not found error
Blue	5	0.1s	Code execution error
Green	2	0.2s	Code started/stopped/ended
Cyan	2	0.2s	Code reloaded
Cyan	3	0.2s	Functions reloaded
Cyan	5	0.2s	Functions & Code reloaded

Files Overview

• SpiBerryEngine.py - Main engine script
• installer.py - Installation script with GUI
• deploy_robot_code.py - Code deployment tool with GUI
• raspi-util-class.py - Utility classes for robot code
• sbe.service - Systemd service configuration
• requirements.txt - Python dependencies

Connections and Hardware

• Raspberry Pi GPIO pins for RGB LED and Button
• Lego Spike Hub connected via USB to Raspberry Pi
• Raspberry Pi running Raspberry Pi OS with Python 3

Troubleshooting

• Chect the RGB LED signals for error codes
• Ensure all dependencies are installed
• Ensure there is no syntax error in your robot code (Spike App does not always show them)
• Check your instalation and code deployment paths