The Raspberry Pi is a credit-card sized computer that can be used for tasks like spreadsheets, word processing, and playing videos. It was founded in 2006 by Eben Upton to improve computer science education. The Raspberry Pi has a low cost, supports many programming languages, and has inputs/outputs that allow users to control electronics. Examples of its applications include robotics projects, running experiments in space, and disaster relief drones. The Raspberry Pi Foundation aims to improve the device and make it accessible to more users worldwide to learn programming.