Category: Learning

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Sat. Dec. 13th 2025 – Object Detection (AI) with an Arduino for less than $100CAD

arduino logo

Object detection (identification of objects and their location in an image) is one of the most useful and widespread application of artificial intelligence, even on microcontrollers.

This demo shows how free, web-based tools designed for memory-constrained devices at www.edgeimpulse.com can be used to collect a dataset, train and test a neural network, and deploy it to an Arduino microcontroller to detect pop bottles.

James presentation is attached.

Notice_13_Dec_2025_VicPi_V0

Where: Quality Foods, View Royal, 27 Helmcken Rd #110

When: 9:30-10a Beverages & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi)
NOTE: The online server is only available during meeting times, so if you click on the link below and it doesn’t work then there is no meeting and this is normal.

Join Us Online here:

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Sat. Sept 27, 2025 – Help Session

rpi image

New to the raspberry pi or micro-controllers?
Have questions or need expert help?

Drop by this Saturday’s meeting and there will be plenty of friendly folks to answer your questions!

Where: Quality Foods, View Royal, 27 Helmcken Rd #110

When: 9:30-10a Beverages & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi)
NOTE: The online server is only available during meeting times, so if you click on the link below and it doesn’t work then there is no meeting and this is normal.

Join Us Online here:

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Nov 11 2023 – Intro to NextCloud on a Pi

Why just run your own video conferencing server, when you can simultaneously run that AND mail, calendaring, contacts, calls, IM, file sharing, remote backup, and a web-based office suite, all in one intimidating package. Get your own thrift-store Google G Suite going with the open source Nextcloud platform on a tiny Raspberry Pi! Great for the privacy-conscious, the independent, and masochists. We’ll do it the hard way and make configuring Jitsi look like recess at kindergarten (and then do it the easy way). Warning: the hard way will race through dependencies including Apache, PHP, MySQL/MariaDB and openSSL, so expect some mild suffering.

Richard’s Blog here:

Actual process including configuring a web server and database and installing from a source tarball:
https://tech.kosmokaryote.org/2023/11/technology-nextcloud-on-raspberry-pi_22.html –

here are the pdfs

Kosmokaryote_-TechDownload

and here


Much briefer post using nextcloudpi via docker from my notes, as originally demoed:
https://tech.kosmokaryote.org/2023/11/technology-nextcloud-on-raspberry-pi.html

Kosmokaryote_-Tech2Download

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

This is a Hybrid meeting (in-person and on Jitsi).

Join Us Online here:

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Learn Python on a Pico

Saturday, July 8th 9:30 am til noon and Saturday July 15th 9:30am till noon.

At Quality Foods Eagle Creek Shopping Center in the upstains boardroom

Register here: https://forms.gle/py3BzTUxfyfPj67o8

You need to bring a laptop:

  • A windows laptop or 
  • Linux laptop or 
  • chromebook with linux enabled. 

We loan you

  • A Raspberry Pi Pico with LED and temperature sensor
  • A micro USB cable

You build a digital thermometer that can

  • Report the highest and lowest temperatures of the last 24 hours
  • Signal when a room is dangerously overheated

Here is a description of the class


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NetSIG – Mar. 23, 2023

NetSIG is a Special Interest Group focused on computer networking. Building networks for Today and Tomorrow!

Last month we explored MACVLAN interfaces, and how it makes it easier for Linux Containers (LXD).

This month, BRING YOUR PI, and a 32 GB SD Card, and we’ll do a Linux Containers INSTALL FEST on your Pi.

We will be meeting in-person at Quality Foods (small boardroom upstairs), bring a laptop and have Wireshark installed. This will be hands on. PLEASE BRING an ETHERNET dongle/port as we will be ssh-ing into your Pi, and configuring Linux Containers.

Quality Foods View Royal 6:30pm

27 Helmcken Rd #110 · Victoria, BC

Afterword, we will go out for a beer/coffee.

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Sat. Feb 11 2023 – Linux Containers on the Quadra

linux containers

After using Linux Containers (LXD) for a couple of years, Craig will share how to easily get your containers connected to the internet using a MACVLAN interface. No reconfiguration of the host is required. This technique can be used on Pi’s as well as other hosts.

We will set up containers using the MACVLAN network attachment, discuss limitations, and even run LXDware, a web-based GUI for LXD on a Pi.

We will be holding a Hybrid meeting (in-person & Jitsi).

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

Small Boardroom @ Quality Foods, 27 Helmcken Rd #110 · View Royal

Hybrid https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Sat. April 23, 2022 – The Challenge & Pi OS 64 bit

Jim will cover his pencil challenge.

Gordo will give an overview of 64bit Pi OS, and the cool features of the flash utility.

Gordo’s notes: https://gist.github.com/va7sdf/39a6c01d38eb1131532398fe69833862

QCollege has welcomed us back to meet in-person.We thank them for their support
Suite 303 771 Vernon Ave · Victoria, BC

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation (virtual)
10a Presentation

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

We will be holding a Hybrid meeting (in-person & Jitsi).

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Sat. Nov. 13, 2021 – Infrared Data Communications

Jim Briante presenting

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation (virtual)
10a Presentation

Jim’s Presentation Notes are here.

IrDA Infrared communication
Infrared Emitting Diode
• Angle of half intensity: ϕ,
• Relative radian power vs wave length
Infrared Receiver
• Series for remote control
• Automatic gain control (AGC)
• Data format compatibility
Data Encoding Methods
• Pulse distance encoding, Pulse width encoding, Manchester bi-phase encoding
Basic IR System –IR emitter/receiver
• External components/software
• Generating Pulses
• With PSoC PWM interrupts
• Raspberry Pi Pico State Machine
• Receiving Pulse
• Raspberry Pi Pico using interrupts
Single Pulse Application Example
IR Receiver for Continuous Data Communication
• What works for RS-232 data transmission and why?
Project Utilising IR emitters/Receivers using RS-232 Communication
Reference

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Sat. June 12, 2021 – Prototyping

9:30 AM to 11:30 AM PST

Jim will share with us his secrets in Prototyping projects, from concept to breadboarding, prototyping and printed circuit
board.

The discussion will touch on hardware/software tools used in each of the phases with focus on methods of prototyping and assembly.

See the presentation .pdf here.

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentations

Jitsi Virtual Meeting

https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers


Please contact markg@vicpimakers.ca if you are having trouble connecting to the meeting server.

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Sat. Nov. 14, 2020 – Overview of IDEs

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

Overview of IDEs for programming your embedded devices.

Be sure to BRING a LAPTOP, as these are hands-on sessions.

QCollege has graciously offered to use their campus for our fall meetings. This will be a hybrid meeting (in-person & on Jitsi). Seating is limited, please indicate if you intend to attend in person post to this event on meetup.

QCollege
Suite 303 771 Vernon Ave · Victoria, BC

Jitsi
https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

George’s slides

Lynn’s slides

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Sat. Oct. 24, 2020 Intro to Scratch (language)

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

Introduction to Scratch. Scratch is a block-based visual programming language.

See Eileen’s presentation .pdf here.

And Jim will introduce Programming Challenge 2. Download the challenge here.

Be sure to HAVE a LAPTOP, as these are hands on sessions.

QCollege has graciously offered to use their campus for our fall meetings. This will be a hybrid meeting (in-person & on Jitsi). Seating is limited, please indicate if you intend to attend in person (post to the event on meetup here).

QCollege
Suite 303 771 Vernon Ave · Victoria, BC

Jitsi
https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Sat. Oct. 10, 2020 – Computer Language Series

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

language sig


Learn the basics of Computer Languages: c, PHP, Python, Bash

All four languages will be covered, where it will be apparent the similarities and differences of each.

Be sure to BRING a LAPTOP, as these are hands on sessions.

This session: Libraries

QCollege has graciously offered to use their campus for our fall meetings. This will be a hybrid meeting (in-person & on Jitsi). Seating is limited, please indicate if you intend to attend in person (post to this event).

QCollege
Suite 303 771 Vernon Ave · Victoria, BC

Jitsi
https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

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Sat. June 27, 2020 – ADSB Multiple Feeds

Details

9:30-10a Cocktails & Conversation
10a Presentation

Virtual Meeting: https://meet.vinnythegeek.ca/vicpimakers

Interested in feeding your data to more than just Flightradar24 or Flight Aware? Unsure which feeder to install first? Confused by which dump1090 fork to install?

This presentation will demonstrate installing one feeder on your Raspberry Pi and then discuss the quirks to setting up the additional feeders (ADS-B Exchange, AirNav RadarBox, OpenSky Network, and Plane Finder) so that they all play nice together.

ADS-B Exchange: https://www.adsbexchange.com/
AirNav RadarBox: https://www.radarbox24.com/
Flight Aware: https://flightaware.com/
Flightradar24: https://www.flightradar24.com/
OpenSky Network: https://opensky-network.org/
Plane Finder: https://planefinder.net/

Here is the video of our virtual meeting: