We’ve seen Raspberry Pi clusters before but this portable cluster, created by a Reddit maker known as Toadrill, is the first one we’ve come across that’s housed inside of a bag. Not only does it contain an impressive stack of Pi 4’s, they’re each connected to a switch with some notably satisfying cable management.
The concept was developed for a trade show and intended to demonstrate a portable form factor, however, a mobile power source would be necessary for it to truly be a portable cluster.
According to Toadrill, all of the Pi’s are running Folding@home, a community-driven application designed to simulate protein folding for research and development, on 64-bit Raspberry Pi OS. This system isn’t necessarily optimal for Folding@home but Toadrill wanted to share something interesting with others at the trade show.
This project involves more than just stuffing Pis into a bag, they’re actually mounted to a custom, 3D-printed frame. Toadrill credits Reddit user Merocle for the 3D printed cluster rack used in this project.
Check out the original thread shared to Reddit for a closer look and more details about its assembly.
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Ash Hill is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware with a wealth of experience in the hobby electronics, 3D printing and PCs. She manages the Pi projects of the month and much of our daily Raspberry Pi reporting while also finding the best coupons and deals on all tech.