You can now code the Sense HAT for Raspberry Pi using a web-based emulator. Sense HAT is designed as an add-on board for Raspberry Pi models and was debuted for a space mission in the past.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has partnered with Trinket to offer Raspberry Pi users the all new online emulator. This emulator allows you to run the same Python code on your browser that you run physically on Sense HAT. It also emulates the hardware’s response in a virtual form.
The online emulator is feature-rich; you can do much more than what was possible with hardware Sense HAT. You can upload images, share projects publicly, download their projects and even embed some trinkets on their own websites.
The emulator has almost everything of physical Sense HAT. It has virtual LED display, environmental controls and best of all Joystick controls. There is a native joystick interface within Sense HAT library.
The joystick access was previously limited to few library. But now, developers can access sense, stick and assign actions. The emulator has options to simulate temperature conditions as well. This lets you test code in a simulated environment.
Sense HAT emulator is a great way to learn and build innovative projects on Raspberry Pi. This opens up a whole new set of possibilities for classroom programs. Students can write code for their virtual Sense HAT. They can even run these programs on real Raspberry Pi. The emulator is going to play a major role in testing code in extreme conditions.
Sense HAT-equipped Raspberry Pis were sent to International Space Station with Astronaut Tim Peake in 2015. Tim ran student code on Astro Pi units during his six-months mission. This was a great way to encourage and engage innovative projects on Raspberry Pi.
