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This Raspberry Pi portable cyberdeck is straight out of a sci fi movie
We love Raspberry Pi cyberdecks and have covered quite a few over the years but every now and then we come across one that's particularly exciting and today is one of those days! Maker and developer James Reeves, as they're known as over at Reddit, has uploaded a thread showcasing this really cool portable cyberdeck dubbed the Vertical Runner.
This creation didn't come easy and is apparently the third iteration in a line of attempts. The project was originally intended to be a film prop for a short film he was writing but the work quickly turned into a working, real-life ethical hacking tool. The end result is this cool, visually stunning portable cyberdeck that's just as functional as it is cool. It has a sleek, 3D printed shell (yes you can make your own using the best budget 3D printers) , touchscreen interface, and an articulating handle.
The main board powering the Vertical Runner is a Raspberry Pi 4 8GB model. It's connected to a 3.5-inch WaveShare IPS LCD touchscreen which can be used for user input alongside a Bluetooth keyboard. It also has a BrosTrend dual band wi-fi adapter which is exceptionally useful for ethical hacking on the go.
The unit is portable, like we mentioned before, using a Vilros battery pack for power. It can be mounted to a lanyard making it easy to take with you by just wearing it around your neck. The handle was taken from a Shape brand camera rig and has both 1/4 and 3/8 machine threaded holes for attaching accessories.
One drawback to the design, according to James Reeves, is that the Vertical Runner cyberdeck can get a bit warm with extended use. However, if your goal is accomplished in around 30 minutes or so, this shouldn't be a problem. That said, the battery should last for at least 4 hours of continuous use. Software wise, James Reeves confirmed that he originally tested the setup with Kali and Parrot but ultimately landed on Raspberry Pi OS because of its compatibility with the Waveshare display.
If you want to get a closer look at this Raspberry Pi project, check out the thread shared to Reddit for more details and be sure to follow James Reeves for future updates.
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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.
