Solar-powered Raspberry Pi Twitter Bot

Software Requirements

SimpleCV for images Python3

pip modules

psutil tweepy certifi

Add to crontab:

Hardware to Buy

• A pi zero WH
• Micro USB cable, which you might already have
• Case for the pi zero WH to protect from weather
• Solar panel with USB output
• Camera module (TODO: link)
• if pi will be deployed without WiFi access
  • dongle for SIM card
    • Sim card and data plan

Setup

Install Raspbian and setup Pi

Add Camera

• Connect camera to pi
• sudo raspi-config and enable camera in 'Interfacing Options'

Connect with Github

• create Github account (ideally new one just for the bot)
• setup ssh
• Clone repo

Setup Twitter

• Add config.json with list {"consumer_key", "consumer_secret", "access_token", "access_token_secret"}

Setup Language Model

• Get DeepAI account and API-key

Setup GSM stick

• Connect stick
• check with lsusb that Huawei Stick is detected
• sudo apt install usb-modeswitch usb-modeswitch-data
• https://tutorials-raspberrypi.com/raspberry-pi-gsm-module-mobile-internet-lte-3g-umts/

Setup Reverse SSH

This is only necessary when 3G is used.

• https://zieren.de/raspberry-pi/reverse-ssh-through-3gnat/

Give IP address

• Install noip2 (TODO: how?)
• https://www.blackmoreops.com/2020/11/18/how-to-install-the-noip2-on-ubuntu-and-run-via-systemd-systemctl-noip-dynamic-update-client/

Deploy

• type crontab -e and add:

@reboot sleep 300 && cd /home/pi/solarBot/; git pull
@reboot /home/pi/solarBot/venv/bin/python3 /home/pi/solarBot/tweet.py --boot
@reboot /home/pi/solarBot/venv/bin/python3 /home/pi/solarBot/tweet.py --image
@reboot /home/pi/solarBot/venv/bin/python3 /home/pi/solarBot/increase-wakeup.py 
*/10 * * * * /home/pi/solarBot/venv/bin/python3 /home/pi/solarBot/tweet.py &
*/5  * * * * /home/pi/solarBot/venv/bin/python3 /home/pi/solarBot/increase-uptime.py 

• the first line sets ip address
• the second line tweets after reboot