PiFace Control & Display enhances flexibility and mobility for Raspberry Pi users

ENGLAND, UK: element14 unveiled the PiFace Control and Display, a new accessory for the Raspberry Pi that allows users to control the computer and see information without the need for a separate screen or keyboard.

Priced at $34, the PiFace Control and Display is available from Farnell element14 in Europe, CPC in the UK and Ireland, Newark element14 and MCM in North America and element14 in APAC.

PiFace Control and Display sits neatly on top of the Raspberry Pi and uses its own on-board buttons and a navigation wheel to control applications and functions, with information shown on a built-in LCD display. By separating the Raspberry Pi from the traditional monitor, keyboard and mouse combination, PiFace Control and Display improves mobility, saves valuable space and power and means the credit card sized computer can be used in many different locations and even controlled via an infrared remote control.

With education at its heart the PiFace Control and Display aims to help make programming accessible and fun. It features a lightweight Python based interface that is simple and easy to use and in just a few minutes users can build and customise their own Control and Display menus, for example to read information or to control an application.

Ideal for using in a media server environment, home network, Internet radio or in custom built applications, PiFace Control and Display comes with all the necessary software and sample code. Custom designed cases for Control and Display are also available from element14.

"PiFace Control and Display was expressly created to support the educational objectives of the Raspberry Pi Foundation and to get as many people as possible really engaged in programming and electronics design", said Dr Andrew Robinson designer and creator of the PiFace series of accessories. "It'll hopefully attract more people into coding, its ideal for people to build their own gadgets such as digital music players - the infrared receiver, together with the on-board navigation controls and display have wide appeal. In addition, Control and Display is really easy to use and its simplicity opens up a new raft of potential applications for novice and experienced Raspberry Pi users."

"The PiFace series of accessories have made it easy to connect the Raspberry Pi to the world of ‘physical computing' and this new board allows Pi owners to come up with even more great applications," said David Shen, Group CTO at Premier Farnell. "I'm really looking forward to seeing how the PiFace Control and Display is used."