AUTOMATION taking over the world may be a fear for some, but a first-year Scottish university student has become an online sensation offering expert advice on DIY robotics and computer programming.
Matt Timmons-Brown has built up a massive following on his YouTube channel showing people how to create practical and fun projects on affordable, credit card-sized devices called Raspberry Pi, which were launched in 2012. Dubbed the Raspberry Pi Guy, the University of Edinburgh student, one of the first to own the device, has published his first book – Learn Robotics with Raspberry Pi – which guides readers through the process of building a robot.
Timmons-Brown, who is studying in the university’s Schools of Engineering and Informatics, became interested in computing and electronics after buying his Raspberry Pi.
He set up a YouTube channel soon after to share his progress and create tutorials to help inspire others to learn about coding, circuits and robots. His page has become the world’s most popular YouTube channel about the Raspberry Pi, and has around 66,000 subscribers.
Timmons-Brown said: “I wanted to create the ultimate beginners guide to this exciting field – one that I would have liked to have read when I was just starting.
“I’m in my second semester at Edinburgh and enjoying every moment.
“I quickly realised that it was the place for me.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here