Raspberry Pi Fridge Magnet Plays News When it Detects People

Staying informed is always a challenge and definitely takes time, but what if we could automate our news consumption on a semi-regular basis? Before you say, "Get me out of here!" check out this awesome news-playing Raspberry Pi fridge magnet project created by Reddit user Frakman1.

Using a PIR motion sensor, the Pi automatically plays recent news clips when a person walks by. The best Raspberry Pi projects are the ones you can modify, and there's no reason you couldn't adjust this project to play any audio file you want! What's fun about this design is how accessible it is as a fridge magnet and its mobility.

Frakman1 chose to build the project with a Raspberry Pi Zero to keep the form factor small, and this model is also lighter on power consumption. A Speaker pHAT is used to play the audio and features an LED strip for real-time audio visualization. It's powered by a battery pack that, according to Frakman1, can last up to 12.5 hours.

Ash Hill
Contributing Writer

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.