The Raspberry Pi is no stranger to the world of cosplay. We’ve covered numerous Pi projects over the years, including a wearable Game Boy cosplay that was actually playable thanks to the Pi. Today we have another clever cosplay creation to share with you developed by a maker known as Amish Shulze, who’s using a Pi to add electronic effects to a helmet for a Galactus cosplay.
According to Schulze, he’s worked with the Pi since it first debuted but recently started using them for his work as a TV and film fixtures technician. This experience has culminated over the years, along with his reputation for helping those around him with their electronics needs. In this case, a buddy planning to attend Baltimore Comic-Con asked for help sprucing up his Galactus cosplay, leading to the Pi-powered creation we’re featuring today.
Initially, the friend asked Shulze to install a few LEDs for some visual flair. This quickly evolved into a more complicated project design involving a camera, touchscreen, and remotely accessible web server operating on a Raspberry Pi. The Pi is mounted to the back of the head and is covered by a touchscreen used to display output for the camera module on the front. This effectively allows users to see through the head.
Schulze uses an 8GB Raspberry Pi 4 module Pi and a 5MP Arducam camera module. The touchscreen spans 4-inches across and has a resolution of 800 x 480px. It relies on an Anker USB brick and a 12v RC car battery in his pocket for power to keep everything mobile. The various components are attached to the helmet using 3D printed mount supports.
Users can also access the video feed remotely using the webserver running on the Pi. Schulze indicates this was developed using both Apache and some custom Python scripts to tie everything together.
If you want to recreate this Raspberry Pi project yourself or just get a closer look at how it goes together, check out the original thread shared on Reddit by Schulze. You can also find him on Instagram, along with a demo video of the helmet in action at Baltimore Comic-Con.
