Have you ever wished that you bring the fun of Fallout to real life? With this DIY project shared on Reddit recently, you can start doing just that. Starscream205 (opens in new tab)managed to create a life-sized Pip-Boy 2000 replica (opens in new tab). The best part is that it uses a Raspberry Pi to recreate many critical features that the Pip-Boy has in Fallout. Plus, everything is housed inside a case from The Wand Company (opens in new tab) that looks like just a Pip-Boy.
For those not familiar, Pip-Boys are attached to players' arms in Fallout, allowing them to read stats, maintain inventory, look at their map and more. Starscream205's homemade Pip-Boy displays the Raspberry Pi OS interface, but the maker's working on an update that would makes the interface look like what gamers are used to seeing in Fallout.
In addition to the Pip-Boy unit, the project includes a working holotape prop, used in Fallout for storage, that connects to the Pip-Boy's holotape reader via USB. If you're looking for a genuine Fallout experience, it doesn't get much better than that —except it does. Starscream205 is also working on a playable game that will run when the holotape is connected.
The DIY Pip-Boy also has a Bluetooth speaker so you can tune into the good ol' sound of Appalachia radio. All of the buttons on the device are wired up to work, and the LEDs are completely functional.
According to Starscream205's post, one of the biggest challenges with this project was powering the unit, which is not uncommon with portable Pi projects. Starscream205 settled on using a lithium battery with a power board so it can recharge through a mini USB port.
This project is a work in progress with more features and refinements planned for the future. You can read more about the Raspberry Pi Pip-Boy 2000 on Reddit (opens in new tab). If you're interested in the code or want to recreate this project yourself, follow Starscream205 (opens in new tab) for more updates and future links.
