With summer right around the corner, it’s time to spring into some of the most awe inspiring Raspberry Pi we’ve come across this year. We’re taking a look at ten Raspberry Pi projects that knocked our socks off and then used ML with automation to somehow put them on again.
These makers are using the best Raspberry Pi accessories and HATs to bring their ideas to fruition in an incredible display of ingenuity and technical understanding. We’ve got light-hearted projects with pop culture references and even more serious, complex systems designed to monitor air raid sirens. If you’re looking for inspiration or just want to see what the clever Pi community has been up to as of late, this is definitely a list you want to dig into.
Raspberry Pi Knight Rider’s KITT Replica
If you’re a fan of Knight Rider, you’re not alone—maker Fred Arias shows his appreciation for the classic series with this awesome Pico-powered KITT replica. It listens for audio input and responds with a small database of soundbites, complete with matching LED effects.
Why we love it:
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a Pi used for projects like this—readers might remember this impressive Pi-powered GLaDOS replica from the Portal franchise. What we really appreciate about this KITT replica project is the decision to power it with a Raspberry Pi Pico.
Read: Knight Rider KITT Pico Project
Raspberry Pi + Raspberry Pi Pico Robot Lawnmower Project
Automated lawnmowers might be available on the market but they certainly don’t come with the fun of making you own with a Raspberry Pi. Clemens Elfein is behind this project which uses both a Raspberry Pi and a Pico to operate this open source lawn mowing system.
Why we love it:
The best Raspberry Pi projects are the ones with practical uses and there’s nothing quite like upgrading your at-home lawncare service. This project looks fun to put together and just as fun to operate.
Read: Open Source Lawn Mower
3D-Printed Raspberry Pi Radio Streams Lofi Beats
If you’re looking for a fun Pi project to help you relax, you’ve got to check out this LoFi Hip Hop streaming Raspberry Pi-powered speaker project known as the Lofipi by maker Nicholas Sherlock. This DIY radio is housed inside of a custom 3D-printed shell featuring a faux wood texture finish.
Why we love it:
A project doesn’t need to be complex to be impressive and well-executed. This project is a great example of how a creative eye can push a project design to its limits. It’s flexible enough to be adapted to a variety of audio-based needs and looks fantastic.
Read: Lofi Hip Hop Radio
Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Turns 70-Year-Old Camera Digital
Maker Airpocket purchased a 70-year-old camera and brought it into the digital age with the help of a Zero 2 W. The small form factor helps it fit neatly inside the old shell and allows users to record with the original lens hardware.
Why we love it:
While we can almost always appreciate a Pi project that restores vintage hardware, this one catches our attention both from a technical and artistic perspective. It records video digitally but everything is captured through the vintage lens.
Read: Raspberry Pi Vintage Camera
Raspberry Pi Pico Tracks the Sun
Want to put that spare e-ink display to use? Take a closer look at Dr2mod’s Pico-powered sun tracking project. It doesn’t exactly track the sun so much as it makes an estimation baseds off of factors like the user’s location. The final project outputs with a custom interface that looks as sleek as it is functional.
Why we love it:
The Pico is an inexpensive board but its use cases are seemingly endless and this project is a great example. Whether you’re a science teacher or just a general microelectronic enthusiast, this sun tracker provides plenty to intrigue and appreciate.
Read: Raspberry Pi Pico Sun Tracker
Raspberry Pi Zero Powers 3D-Printed Interchangeable Lens Camera
There’s something missing from modern digital cameras and maker Christopher Getschmann aims to put it back with his custom, Pi-powered camera project. These cameras are powered by a Raspberry Pi Zero and feature interchangeable lenses.
Why we love it:
This project integrates so many fun things from microelectronics and 3D printing to photography and art. The final cameras feature impressively finished designs and come bundled with enough features to entertain both novices and professionals alike.
Read: Raspberry Pi Cameras
Fake Raspberry Pi Terminal
This terminal looks fantastic but that’s about all it does. Breathing life into an old Argus brand PreViewer, this fake terminal project (known as the Ferminal) by Dan Aldred allows users to type on the screen but it doesn’t actually accept commands or run functions.
Why we love it:
We don’t even need a working terminal to be impressed, Dan Aldred’s Ferminal looks the part without walking the walk and that’s fine by us. The interface was written in Python and produces pixelated text on an LCD screen, dropping to the next line when users type to the end of the row.
Read: Ferminal Raspberry Pi Terminal
Raspberry Pi Unlocks Computer by Detecting Push-Ups
Are you locked out of your PC? If you’re maker Victor Sonck, it’s time to feel the burn. Using a Raspberry Pi along with a bit of machine learning, he unlocks his PC by knocking out a few reps of push ups in front of a camera.
Why we love it:
Motion tracking projects are cool enough on their own but this one puts the technology to functional use! Long gone are the days of sitting at your PC for hours. If you get locked out, you’ve got to get up with this project.
Read: Raspberry Pi Push Ups Unlock PC
Raspberry Pi Monitors Air Raid Sirens in Ukraine
This project uses an e-Ink display to relay information about current air raid sirens across Ukraine. The data is pulled from the internet and updated in real time for us. States are highlighted to indicate high or low risk concern.
Why we love it:
This is an open souce project for anyone who wants to track the current situation in Ukraine. The creation is impressive enough on its own but extending the work in an open source manner is critical given its intended purpose.
Read: Ukraine Air Raid Siren Monitor
Raspberry Pi Robot With Pimoroni Servo 2040
With Raspberry Pi projects, one idea often springboards into another—in this case the project springs about itself! With the help of a Pimoroni Servo 2040, this 3D printed rabbit robot is capable of locomotion and is totally open source.
Why we love it:
If we found something like this we would definitely be intrigued but this is even better—you can make your own at home along with a selection of other robotic creatures including a cat that this rabbit is based on. The designs are clean and make for a fun gadget at the end of the day.
Read: Raspberry Pi Robot Bunny
