The summer is almost over and we’ve got plenty of Raspberry Pi projects to share that are guaranteed to keep you busy this fall. It might be hard to buy a Pi 4 right now, but in many cases you can substitute an older board if you have one. In addition to full-sized Pis, you can also buy a Pico W for some fun microelectronics projects with the added bonus of network connectivity.
These makers implement some of the best Raspberry Pi accessories you can find and throw in modules, custom PCBs and Raspberry Pi HATs to make some truly creative projects. If you’re looking for some inspiration, this is definitely the list for you.
Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Receipt Printer Terminal
If you’ve ever wondered what you can do with a receipt printer, this Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W receipt printer terminal project from maker Arseny is an excellent source of inspiration. It interacts with the terminal on the Raspberry Pi and prints out the responses in real time on paper.
Why we love it:
This is one sure fire way to guarantee a traceable log of your terminal history. Not only does it keep track of commands and responses, it also has the added benefit of printing out Ascii artwork. As far as interactive Pi projects go, this is one of the most unique we’ve come across.
Read: Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Receipt Printer Terminal
Raspberry Pi Apple Hack
If you’re into projects that soup up old hardware, you’re going to love this Raspberry Pi Apple hack. Using a Raspberry Pi 3 and a Waveshare eInk display, Dave Luna has revitalized this old Macintosh Classic II into a custom Raspberry Pi rig. This custom setup even uses the original Apple peripherals.
Why we love it:
We love Apple and we love the Raspberry Pi so it should come as no surprise that we would get excited over this creation. We’ve seen a few Apple and Raspberry Pi crossovers before but this is the first one we’ve seen that integrates an eInk display.
Read: Raspberry Pi Apple Hack
Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Octapod Portable Music Player
Nothing beats music on the go, but what if you could throw in a portable PC into the mix? That’s what maker Anil has created with his Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Octapod portable music player project. It’s powered by a Pi Zero 2 W and works as both a media player and tiny PC.
Why we love it:
We’ve come across quite a few handmade media players before but this one caught our attention because of its Zero 2 W support and custom epoxy case. Overall, this project is an excellent demonstration of ingenuity and function.
Read: Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Octapod portable music player
Raspberry Pi Twitch TV Plays Streams
This project, created by maker and developer rsheldiii, lets you keep up with your favorite twitch.tv streamers without having to open a browser window. His Raspberry Pi Twitch TV plays streams automatically when the stream goes live. It’s housed inside of a 3D printed case that looks like the Twitch logo.
Why we love it:
This is a clever take on the TV trend that’s enveloped the Raspberry Pi community as of late. It doesn’t just play Twitch streams, it automates the process and makes sure you never miss an episode. The fact that it works as a live TV of sorts is what sets it apart from similar projects.
Read: Raspberry Pi Twitch TV plays streams
Raspberry Pi Pico System Monitor
Dmytro is at it again, this time with a Raspberry Pi Pico plug and play system monitor that keeps track of system stats in real time. It uses a Pimoroni display module to show the CPU, GPU, memory, and SSD usage. The information is formatted to display in the form of a bar graph.
Why we love it:
This is a fun take on a simple stat monitor that has a simple, easy-to-use form factor. We appreciate the plug and play nature of its design and how small the overall module is. As always, Dmytro Panin shows us how a little ingenuity can make our everyday lives a little bit easier to navigate.
Read: Raspberry Pi Pico System Monitor
Raspberry Pi Terminal Typewriter
If you liked the Raspberry Pi terminal receipt printer project we mentioned above, you’re going to love this Raspberry Pi terminal typewriter created by Riley with the YouTube channel Artillect. This setup taps into the Linux terminal running in Raspberry Pi OS and prints everything in real time using a vintage typewriter.
Why we love it:
We love tinkering with old hardware and we love tinkering with the Raspberry Pi. This terminal typewriter project is a beautiful blend of old tech and new tech with a physical paper trail of terminal log entries.
Read: Raspberry Pi Terminal Typewriter
Raspberry Pi USB Backup System
Keeping backups of your data can be a critical process but this Raspberry Pi USB Backup System created by ThInkLearnDo makes the job easier than ever. It also adds a great deal of customization options and is much cheaper than
Why we love it:
Any excuse to save a few dollars and make your own Pi-powered solution is always a winner in our book. It’s not only a fun learning opportunity but a functional way to make life a little bit easier.
Read: Raspberry Pi USB Backup System
Raspberry Pi Tiny CNC Drawing Machine
This Raspberry Pi project was created by Pheux 9558. Using components from an old floppy drive, he’s made a plotter from scratch that works as a tiny Raspberry Pi-powered CNC drawing machine. This system is capable of drawing tiny pictures on demand with whatever pen or pencil you’ve got on hand.
Why we love it:
This is a great example of how a Raspberry Pi can help transform old hardware into something entirely new. Plotters are fun to play with but this one looks like it’s just as much fun to build.
Read: Raspberry Pi Tiny CNC Drawing Machine
Raspberry Pi Pico GPIO Ethernet Connection
Maker and developer Twi_Kingyo is using our favorite microcontroller in this Raspberry Pi Pico GPIO Ethernet adapter. At the moment signals only transmit one direction but plans are in the works to upgrade the project to support both sending and receiving data.
Why we love it:
We’re always blown away at the compatibility the Pico can provide and this adapter is no exception. It bridges a connection that we didn’t know we wanted, even after the release of the Raspberry Pi Pico W.
Read: Raspberry Pi Pico GPIO Ethernet Connection
Raspberry Pi Facial Recognition Door Lock
Maker and developer Dillon McCardell has created a Raspberry Pi facial recognition door lock. It double checks faces it scans against a database of faces and only unlocks if the person is on the white list. Forget your key? No problem!
Why we love it:
This is an impressive level of work for a Pi project and the end result adds an extra level of security that we can’t help but appreciate. Not only does it integrate AI but it also includes a GUI that can be accessed from any mobile device.
Read: Raspberry Pi Facial Recognition Door Lock
Tom’s Hardware’s Raspberry Pi Projects
All of the projects we write about are so inspiring we can’t help but make a few of our own. Here are a few things we’ve made over the past month using a Raspberry Pi.
How To Hide Passwords in Your Code With Raspberry Pi Pico W
In this guide, Les shows us how to hide your network password in your Raspberry Pi Pico W code. You should never set aside the importance of network security and this is a great way to keep your network protected while tinkering with the Pico W.
Read: How To Hide Passwords in Your Code With Raspberry Pi Pico W
How to Use Raspberry Pi Pico W With Node-RED
Node RED is a great tool for programming on the Pi without digging too deep into code. In this guide, Les shows how to to get started with Node RED on the Raspberry Pi Pico W. This is a great opportunity to explore Node RED if you haven’t checked it out before.
