{"id":8503,"date":"2022-02-07T09:02:06","date_gmt":"2022-02-07T14:02:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/?p=8503"},"modified":"2023-04-12T06:17:47","modified_gmt":"2023-04-12T10:17:47","slug":"epaper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/epaper\/","title":{"rendered":"e-Paper with Arduino &#038; Raspberry Pi"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-9571 size-full alignnone\" title=\"Download PDF\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/dbws-pdfdown.png?resize=64%2C64&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Download PDF\" width=\"64\" height=\"64\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/> <a href=\"#Parts_List\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9563 size-full\" title=\"Parts List\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/dbws-parts.png?resize=64%2C64&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Parts List\" width=\"64\" height=\"64\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/4onIqHClh2s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9565 size-full\" title=\"View on YouTube\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/dbws-youtube.png?resize=64%2C64&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"View on YouTube\" width=\"64\" height=\"64\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/download.dronebotworkshop.com\/e-Paper+Python+Example+-+DroneBot+Workshop.zip\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9569 size-full\" title=\"Download Code\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/dbws-codedown.png?resize=64%2C64&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Download Code\" width=\"64\" height=\"64\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today we are going to see how to use Electronic Paper, or e-Paper, displays with both an Arduino and a Raspberry Pi. I\u2019ll also show you a \u201cno-code\u201d method of creating a fancy e-Paper display panel using an amazing utility called \u201cPaperPi\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"youtube-player\" data-id=\"4onIqHClh2s\"><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While e-Paper displays might not be perfect for every application, they are great choices if you need a low-powered display that is visible in daylight.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Introduction<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We\u2019ve used a number of different types of displays in our projects here in the DroneBot Workshop. <a href=\"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/lcd-displays-arduino\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Liquid Crystal Displays, or LCDs<\/a>, are low-cost and are suitable for use in normal or low-light situations.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/oled-arduino\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Organic Light-Emitting Diodes, or OLEDs<\/a>, are high-brightness displays that can be used in almost all lighting conditions, although they are a bit hard to see in direct sunlight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8508\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-displays.jpg?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-displays.jpg?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-displays.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Electronic Paper, or e-Paper, displays are a bit of a different beast. They are very much like conventional paper, readable in normal and brightly lit situations, but not in dim or dark lighting. They work well in bright sunlight, and they provide a very wide viewing angle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aside from visibility, there are other factors to consider with e-Paper displays.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They consume very little electricity.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They don\u2019t have very fast refresh rates.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They have limited color capabilities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are more expensive than most other technologies.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite these disadvantages, there are areas where e-Paper displays really shine.\u00a0 A very common application is with e-readers, like the Amazon Kindle. Their low-power consumption and paper-like appearance make them ideal for replacing standard paper in books.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8511\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-lcd-oled.jpg?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-lcd-oled.jpg?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-lcd-oled.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e-Paper also finds application in large display panels, such as the ones used in airports or bus terminals. They also can be a good choice for portable instruments and \u201cintelligent\u201d price tags.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How e-Paper Works<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e-Paper displays were originally developed in the early 1970s by Nick Sheridon at the XEROX Palo Alto Research Center (PARC).\u00a0 The original product was called \u201cGyricon\u201d, and it consisted of polyethylene spheres measuring about 100 micrometers across.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e-Paper displays work using the principle of Electrophoresis, the movement of electrically charged molecules within an electric field. When a charge is applied, the spheres move towards or away from the electric field, depending upon polarity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8504\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-ink-capsules.jpg?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-ink-capsules.jpg?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-ink-capsules.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These displays employ millions of e-Ink capsules, each of these capsules contains both spheres that are either positively or negatively charged. The two different spheres have different colors, so their arrangement within the e-Ink capsule depends upon external electrical charges.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By altering the polarity of the electrical field around the capsules, their internal spheres can be attracted or repelled to show either a black or white surface. Multicolored e-Ink displays use colors other than black.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In an e-Paper display, these e-Ink capsules are suspended in a liquid polymer between two grids of electrodes, with each electrode being the width of an individual pixel.\u00a0 The top layer is transparent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8507\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-display-crosssection.jpg?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-display-crosssection.jpg?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-display-crosssection.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When electrical charges are applied to the electrodes, with the top and bottom electrodes at the opposite polarity, the e-Ink capsules align themselves according to the electric charge. This has the effect of changing the display pixels, which produces the pattern you see from the top.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As an added bonus the charge on the capsules is retained indefinitely, the polarity reversal only needs to happen to change the existing display. As a result, the pattern is retained for a very long time, literally years or even decades.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advances in e-Paper technology have allowed for full-color displays, as well as improved switching time. These advanced displays are beyond the reach of most experimenters, at least for now. But in the future, you could see e-Paper being used for video displays, ones that require very little current and that have a very wide viewing angle and that are useable in daylight.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Waveshare 2.7 inch e-Paper HAT<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The display I\u2019m using in my experiments is a Waveshare 2.7-Inch e-Paper HAT. The only reason I chose this display was that it was in my parts drawer, and you could use other displays instead. Waveshare makes a wide variety of these displays, and as I\u2019ll be making use of their libraries and example code you\u2019d be best to use one of theirs if you want to follow along.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8518\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/waveshare-epaper-hat-front.png?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/waveshare-epaper-hat-front.png?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/waveshare-epaper-hat-front.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This display can be used either as a HAT (Hardware Attached on Top) for a Raspberry Pi or as a stand-alone unit connected via its SPI bus connector.\u00a0 Thai allows it to be used with pretty well any microcontroller or microcomputer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The display is a 3.3-volt unit, but it is 5-volt tolerant, so you can use it with 5-volt devices as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8519\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/waveshare-epaper-hat-rear-spi.png?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/waveshare-epaper-hat-rear-spi.png?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/waveshare-epaper-hat-rear-spi.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The SPI bus on the display is \u201cinput-only\u201d, so only the MOSI (Master Out &#8211; Slave In) connection is used for data.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The version I have can actually display two colors (black and red), but the code I\u2019ll be using only uses the black display.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e-Paper with Arduino<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For our first experiments, we will be using an Arduino, connected to the e-Paper display via the SPI connector. \u00a0 While I used an Arduino Nano 33 IoT board, any Arduino, including an Uno, will work with this display, as it accepts 5-volt microcontrollers. If you are using a different display, you\u2019ll want to make sure it is also 5-volt tolerant.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arduino Hookup<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here is how I hooked up my Arduino to the e-Paper display:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8506\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-arduino-hookup.jpg?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-arduino-hookup.jpg?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-arduino-hookup.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are using a different microcontroller you may need to modify the wiring, you can use this description of the connections to make the changes:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>3.3v<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; The 3.3-volt power input for the display. Note that if you are using a 5-volt microcontroller you still need to supply the display with 3.3-volts. Don\u2019t connect this to a 5-volt power supply.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>GND<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; A ground connection, pretty self-explanatory!<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>DIN<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; the Data In, which is the MOSI connection on the SPI port.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>CLK<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; The SPI bus clock input.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>CS<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; The SPI bus chip select (sometimes called device select).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>DC<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; Data\/Command input. If held HIGH then the SPI bus is sending data, if LOW then it is sending command signals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>RST<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; External Reset, send this pin LOW to reset the display.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>BUSY<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; An output from the display, if LOW then the display is busy and cannot accept data.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Waveshare provides a handy cable to make the connections to a microcontroller. If you are using it, then the colors in the schematic above match those on the cable.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Waveshare Demo Libraries<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The easiest way to get started with the e-Paper display is to make use of the libraries provided by Waveshare. These libraries also include some example code you can test your display with.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlike other Arduino libraries, you cannot install these using your Library Manager. Instead, you\u2019ll need to do it manually.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8509\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-github-soonuse.png?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-github-soonuse.png?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-github-soonuse.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I have actually found two sources, both on GitHub, for obtaining these libraries.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The official Waveshare repository at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/waveshare\/e-Paper\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/github.com\/waveshare\/e-Paper<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another repository at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/soonuse\/epd-library-arduino\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/github.com\/soonuse\/epd-library-arduino<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Waveshare repository has a much biggest selection of displays to choose from, it also has code for the Raspberry Pi, which we will be using later. The \u201dsoonuse\u201d repository contains fewer e-Paper boards, but it is structured properly for the Arduino IDE, whereas the Waveshare one is not. In both cases, the code was created by Waveshare.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8510\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-github-waveshare.png?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-github-waveshare.png?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-github-waveshare.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Either way, the installation procedure is to first download the repository as a ZIP file. Then extract it to somewhere convenient.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now probe through the extracted files to find the folder that matches your display. If you are not sure which folder to use the \u201csoonuse\u201d page has <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/camo.githubusercontent.com\/cc8d658a5c0419dd47dd89033edbc5676ec39ae1243a934e2e77e2dfde6208fa\/687474703a2f2f7777772e7761766573686172652e636f6d2f696d672f6465766b69742f67656e6572616c2f652d50617065722d4d6f64756c65732d434d502e6a7067\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an image illustrating the different displays<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have found the folder, copy it into your Arduino \u201clibraries\u201d folder or directory.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Running Demo<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you have your example code inside the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">libraries<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> folder, start your Arduino IDE. If it was already running you may need to close and open it again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">File<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> menu and then click on <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Examples<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. A sub-menu will open. Scroll down into \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Examples from Custom Libraries<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d. \u00a0 Look through the examples until you find your e_aper board name.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you used the \u201csoonuse\u201d files then the listing will open a sub-menu with the example code in it. If you used the Waveshare download, then the code will be directly inside the menu (which is why I said it wasn\u2019t structured correctly for the Arduino IDE).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Either way, open the file and take a look at it. It is a good example of how to use the e-Paper display. It also includes additional files with images in them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After you examine the sketch, upload it to your Arduino, and watch the display.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8505\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-arduino-demo.png?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-arduino-demo.png?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-arduino-demo.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The code is all in the Setup function, so it only runs once and then ends. It cycles through a number of display examples.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After you finish, you might want to power everything down and observe the display. As this is an e-Paper display, it will hold the last image written to it.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e-Paper with Raspberry Pi<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the board I am using is a Raspberry Pi HAT, it is quite simple to use it with a Pi. Any Raspberry Pi with a 40-pin GPIO connector will work, I used a 2GB Raspberry Pi 4 in my tests.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the Pi powered off, mount the HAT onto the GPIO, making sure to align the pins correctly. Now boot up the Pi with a copy of the latest version of the Raspberry Pi OS.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8517\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/raspberrry-pi-spi.png?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/raspberrry-pi-spi.png?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/raspberrry-pi-spi.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you do anything, you\u2019ll need to enable the SPI bus, as it is disabled by default. Go into the Preferences menu and choose Interfaces. Toggle the SPI slider on.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Running Raspberry Pi Demos<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As with the Arduino, we are going to get started by running some demonstration software provided by Waveshare.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open the Terminal by clicking the icon on the top menu bar. Now type the following at the command prompt:<\/span><\/p>\n<pre class=\"lang:c++ decode:true \" title=\"Get Example Files\">sudo git clone https:\/\/github.com\/waveshare\/e-Paper<\/pre>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This will create a directory called <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e-Paper<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> inside your Home directory, and it will be populated with the Waveshare libraries and code.\u00a0 You can open the File Manager and examine the contents if you wish.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, back at the terminal, change into the directory for Raspberry Pi and Jetson Nano by typing the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<pre class=\"lang:c++ decode:true \" title=\"Change Directory\">cd e-Paper\/RaspberryPi\\&amp;JetsonNano\/<\/pre>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you list the directory contents (type \u201cls\u201d to do this) you will see two more directories, one for C, and one for Python. We want to go to the Python one, so change into that:<\/span><\/p>\n<pre class=\"lang:c++ decode:true \" title=\"Change to Python Directory\">cd python<\/pre>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, go into the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">examples<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> directory:<\/span><\/p>\n<pre class=\"lang:c++ decode:true \" title=\"Change to Examples Directory\">cd examples<\/pre>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">examples<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> directory has a long list of python files, one for each display type. As with the Arduino, you will need to know which display you are using.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now run the file associated with your display, For my display, the 2.7-inch e-Paper HAT, I ran the file as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<pre class=\"lang:c++ decode:true \" title=\"Run Python Demo\">python3 epd_2in7_test.py<\/pre>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The resulting demo is similar to the Arduino one, with text and images displayed in various orientations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8512\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-raspberry-pi-demo.png?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-raspberry-pi-demo.png?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-raspberry-pi-demo.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can look through the demo code to understand how it works.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e-Paper coding with Python<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Running demonstration code is a great way to make sure that all of your hardware is working, and examining the code can teach you how to use the display. But the real fun in working with devices like Arduino&#8217;s and Raspberry Pi is writing your own code.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, let\u2019s write a simple Python program to drive our e-Paper display with a Raspberry Pi.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The code example that I will use can write both text (in 2 font styles) and an image to your display. You can, of course, modify it to suit your own requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting Prepared<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before we jump into the Python code, we should set up a directory on our Raspberry Pi to hold the code and all the required files.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can get all the files used in my example in a ZIP file in the Resources section at the end of this article.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, create a new directory off of your Home directory, you can use the File Manager to do this. You can name it anything you wish, I called mine \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mypython<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You will need the Python library files from Waveshare in your new directory. Technically you don\u2019t really need to do this, as you can just point to the ones you downloaded in the example code, but it is a lot easier just to copy them to your new directory.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grab the \u201clib\u201d directory from the following location and copy it to your new folder:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e-Paper\/RaspberryPi\\&amp;JetsonNano\/<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next, you will need to add another folder, one called \u201cpic\u201d, which you will use for images and fonts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can use the font I did if you wish, it\u2019s in the ZIP file in the Resources section. It\u2019s called \u201cAvenir Next\u201d, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/canokaue\/ImmunoLynk\/blob\/master\/designs\/fonts\/Avenir%20Next.ttc\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I obtained it from GitHub<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Or you can use your own TrueType font.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the image, I would suggest a bitmap (.BMP) picture, although a PNG will also work. Make sure you scale it to the required size. I\u2019ve included my \u201crobot\u201d file in the ZIP file.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both of these files need to be in the \u201cpic\u201d folder\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Python Code<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, finally, you can write your code (or copy mine) into your main folder. You can use the Thonny IDE, included with the Raspberry Pi, to edit the code. The code looks like this:<\/span><\/p>\n<pre class=\"lang:python decode:true \" title=\"e-Paper Example\"># import required python libraries\r\nimport os\r\n\r\n# get display from Waveshare library\r\nfrom waveshare_epd import epd2in7\r\n\r\n# get functions from Pillow\r\nfrom PIL import Image, ImageDraw, ImageFont\r\n\r\n# image directory\r\npic_dir = 'pic'\r\n\r\ntry:\r\n    # initialize display\r\n    epd_disp = epd2in7.EPD()\r\n    epd_disp.init()\r\n    \r\n    # clear display, 0 is black, 255 is white\r\n    epd_disp.Clear(255)\r\n    \r\n    # reverse width and height as display is sideways\r\n    w = epd_disp.height\r\n    h = epd_disp.width\r\n    print('width', w)\r\n    print('height', h)\r\n    \r\n    #define fonts\r\n    top_font = ImageFont.truetype(os.path.join(pic_dir, 'Avenir Next.ttc'), 18, index=1)\r\n    bottom_font = ImageFont.truetype(os.path.join(pic_dir, 'Avenir Next.ttc'), 16, index=5)\r\n    \r\n    # define and draw background\r\n    image = Image.new(mode='1', size=(w, h),color=255)\r\n    draw = ImageDraw.Draw(image)\r\n    \r\n    # position and draw text\r\n    draw.text((15, 0), 'Welcome to the Workshop!', font=top_font, fill=0, align='left')\r\n    draw.text((10, 150), 'https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com', font=bottom_font, fill=0, align='left')\r\n    \r\n    # get robot image \r\n    dbwsbot = Image.open('pic\/dbws-robot.bmp')\r\n    \r\n    # paste image onto background image\r\n    image.paste(dbwsbot, (80, 35))\r\n    \r\n    # write buffer contents to display\r\n    epd_disp.display(epd_disp.getbuffer(image))\r\n    \r\nexcept IOError as e:\r\n    print(e)\r\n    \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/pre>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We begin by importing the required Python libraries, as well as the custom libraries from Waveshare.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We then import libraries from <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pillow.readthedocs.io\/en\/stable\/handbook\/tutorial.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pillow<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a popular imaging library. It should already be on your Raspberry Pi, but if you have an older version of the operating system it may not. If so, you can install it at the command line as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<pre class=\"lang:c++ decode:true \" title=\"Install Pillow\">sudo apt-get install python3-pil<\/pre>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Back to the code. The last item in the definitions is to create a variable that defines the location of the \u201cpic\u201d directory.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">try <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">section, we do the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Initialize the display<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clear the display, making it all white.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reverse height and width. I do this as I want a horizontal display, if you want a vertical one then change the definitions. I also print these values to the console, it helps when \u201cfine-tuning\u201d the text and image positions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Define the fonts. Note that we define the font location, the font size, and the style, which is called \u201cindex\u201d. Every font has different index values, check your documentation if you use a different font.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Draw the background, which in this case is all white (255). You can change the value of \u201ccolor\u201d to make it black (0) or a shade in between.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Position and draw the text. Specify the location and font, plus the text itself.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get the image.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paste the image onto the background<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So far we have been writing everything into a buffer, it isn\u2019t actually written to the display yet. The final command writes the buffer contents to the display.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We also define an exception routine to print errors to the console.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Run the Demo<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Click the Run button at the top of the Thonny IDE, and observe the display.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After a refresh, you should see your text and image on the display. You can modify the code and reposition it, or experiment with the fonts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8513\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-workshop-demo.png?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-workshop-demo.png?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-workshop-demo.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you can see, it\u2019s pretty easy to write to an e-Paper display using Python on a Raspberry Pi.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PaperPi<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier, I had promised that I would show you a method of creating an advanced e-Paper display without requiring any coding. That method is PaperPi.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PaperPi is a project that allows you to use a Raspberry Pi to create a dynamic e-Paper display panel. It makes use of plugins, and there are several to choose from. Some examples are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Music Player<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several varieties of clocks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A cryptocurrency value monitor<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A weather display<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phases of the moon<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Comics<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And many more.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PaperPi Hardware Requirements<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The basic hardware requirements for PaperPi are pretty simple:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Raspberry Pi &#8211; Models 3 and 4 are supported, but it might also work on a Pi Zero model 2.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Waveshare e-Paper display &#8211; There is support for virtually any Waveshare e-Paper display.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of the plugins will require an Internet connection, which you also need to install PaperPi in the first place. Wired or WiFi and both fine.\u00a0 You\u2019ll also need to have the SPI port activated on the Raspberry Pi, which we already did when we performed our e-Paper demos earlier.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to create a music player that can link to either Spotify or the Logitech Media Server, then you\u2019ll also need a sound card, or DAC, that can be mounted on the Raspberry Pi GPIO along with your display.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While any size of e-Paper display can be used, you\u2019ll have the best results with larger displays. The small 2.7-inch display I\u2019m using is actually too small for some of the provided applications, nonetheless, it\u2019s a good way to get familiar with PaperPi, and it will run several plugins.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PaperPi runs under the Raspberry Pi Operating System, so you\u2019ll need a microSD card with the OS (as you would for any Raspberry Pi project).<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Installing PaperPi<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The GitHub page for PaperPi gives complete installation instructions, and you should refer to it in the unlikely chance that you run into problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8515\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/paperpi-plugins.png?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/paperpi-plugins.png?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/paperpi-plugins.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Begin by opening up a Terminal window on the Raspberry Pi and typing the following command to obtain a compressed file with the latest version of PaperPi:<\/span><\/p>\n<pre class=\"lang:c++ decode:true\" title=\"Get PaperPi\">wget https:\/\/github.com\/txoof\/epd_display\/raw\/master\/paperpi_latest.tgz<\/pre>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The file is not very big and should download in a few seconds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Next, you\u2019ll need to extract the files from the archive:<\/span><\/p>\n<pre class=\"lang:c++ decode:true \" title=\"Extract PaperPi Files\">tar xvzf paperpi_latest.tgz<\/pre>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the extraction process, a directory called \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">paperpi<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d will be created in your Home directory.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first time you run PaperPi it will detect that it hasn\u2019t been used before, and it will create a configuration file. Get this process in motion by typing the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<pre class=\"lang:c++ decode:true \" title=\"Run PaperPi\">.\/paperpi\/dist\/paperpi<\/pre>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once it has run, you\u2019ll get a message saying that the configuration file has been created. You will need to edit this file to let PaperPi know what sort of e-paper display you are using.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Edit the file using the nano editor:<\/span><\/p>\n<pre class=\"lang:c++ decode:true \" title=\"Edit paperPi Configuration File\">nano ~\/.config\/com.txoof.paperpi\/paperpi.ini<\/pre>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the configuration file look for a line that says \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">display_type = none<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d . Replace the word \u201cnone\u201d with the type of Waveshare display you are using.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, using my 2.7-inch Waveshare display I edited the file as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<pre class=\"lang:c++ decode:true \" title=\"PaperPi Config Display Type Entry\">display_type = epd2in7<\/pre>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Save the file (<em>Ctrl-X<\/em>) and run PaperPi again.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If everything is working correctly, you\u2019ll get a PaperPi splash-screen on your e-Paper display, along with a message saying that no active plugins were detected.\u00a0 The display will also show the time from your Raspberry Pi clock.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the Terminal, the PaperPi process will end, and you\u2019ll be returned to the command line.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Configuring Plugins<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to make use of PaperPi, you\u2019ll need to set up at least one plugin. You can use as many as you wish, the display will cycle between them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is no additional software to install, as all the plugins are already included with PaperPi. They just need to be activated by editing the configuration file.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open the configuration file for editing in nano again and scroll down to the section listing all the plugins.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8514\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/paperpi-plugin-config.png?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/paperpi-plugin-config.png?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/paperpi-plugin-config.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every plugin will have an entry that begins with \u201cxPlugin\u201d. In order to activate the plugin, you simply need to remove the letter \u201cx\u201d, so that it just reads \u201cPlugin\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For many of the plugins that\u2019s all there is to it, but some plugins require additional information. For example, the weather plugin needs to know your location (longitude and latitude) in order to display your local weather.\u00a0 Some services like Spotify will require your account information.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I suggest you enable the plugins one at a time, saving and exiting nano after you do. Then run PaperPi and see the results.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8516\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/paperpi-weather.png?resize=750%2C422&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/paperpi-weather.png?w=768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/paperpi-weather.png?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The GitHub page for PaperPi contains more information, including information about running PaperPi so that it starts as soon as the Raspberry Pi is started. There is also information about building your own plugins, and even some instructions for creating a very nice \u201cpicture frame\u201d display for your project.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While e-Paper displays tend to be a bit expensive and have some limitations, they are still useful for many tasks. You can use the examples presented here to design your own e-Paper projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you just want to make a cool project without coding, then experiment with PaperPi, it\u2019s a fast way to produce a very impressive e-Paper based project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hopefully, this article, and its accompanying video, have given you some ideas for using e-Paper displays in your own designs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"dbwspartsbox\">\n<h3>Parts List<\/h3>\n<p><em>Here are some components that you might need to complete the experiments in this article. Please note that some of these links may be affiliate links, and the DroneBot Workshop may receive a commission on your purchases. This does not increase the cost to you and is a method of supporting this ad-free website.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>COMING SOON!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"dbwsresourcebox\">\n<h3>Resources<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/download.dronebotworkshop.com\/e-Paper+Python+Example+-+DroneBot+Workshop.zip\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Python Example Code<\/a> &#8211; The Python example code, along with image, library, and font files.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/waveshare\/e-Paper\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Waveshare e-Paper Repository on GitHub<\/a> &#8211; Get the C++ and Python code for driving Waveshare e-Paper displays.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/soonuse\/epd-library-arduino\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Alternate Arduino Repository<\/a> &#8211; The &#8220;soonuse&#8221; repository on GitHub.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>e-Paper displays have a number of unique features, such as being visible in broad daylight, consuming very little current, and retaining their image when powered down. But they also have some disadvantages &#8211; they have poor refresh rates, limited color capability, and are more expensive than other display types.<\/p>\n<p> in some applications, however, e-Paper is a perfect choice, and today we will see how to use these displays with both an Arduino and Raspberry Pi.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8508,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,10],"tags":[44,46],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/e-paper-displays.jpg?fit=768%2C432&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s74ClK-epaper","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8503"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8503"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8503\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9832,"href":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8503\/revisions\/9832"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8508"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8503"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8503"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dronebotworkshop.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8503"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}