Raspberry is a development board that has made a lot of noise since its introduction to the public. The cost and the wide support community has further added to the wide range of applications this board supports. Let’s look at some Raspberry Pi projects for you to get busy with.
Raspberry Pi Projects: Computing
Configuring the Raspberry Pi
Before we go into designing projects, let’s configure that little board first. This project takes you through understanding the project and lists out on some of the basic requirements which being:
- a secure home network,
- a router that can accept a direct ethernet cable.
If you are working at an office, the network configuration settings outlined here might have to be adapted for your specific company’s network/firewall.
You can find the project here: Configuring the Raspberry Pi
Create a Cluster
In this next project, we build a computing cluster for all the people out there who require heavy computation power for their devices. The video begins with an explanation of the various topologies for cluster application, and moves on to building one. The video focuses on the hardware construction of the cluster so you get the best idea.
You can find the project here: Create a Cluster
Setting your Server
Once all the fun and games are over, you might want to get down to business. Raspberry pi lets you setup a web server from the comfort of your own home. This next project, takes you through setting up a web server for WordPress on Raspberry Pi. WordPress is a PHP and MySQL based open source blogging platform and content management system. With the huge support community, this should be a blast to work on.
You can find the project here: Setting your Server
Raspberry Pi projects: Music and Entertainment
Once you know nobody can enter your home without being caught on camera. You can go ahead with feeling a bit safer. This next project lets you make your very own media centre right in your house, to enjoy some of your new-found safety. The project takes you through the various steps involved with designing the system using a raspberry pi. Probably you could have a dance-off over the weekend as well.
You can find the project here: Media Centre
This simple hack turns your Raspberry Pi into a powerful FM transmitter! It has enough range to cover your home, DIY drive-in movie, silent disco, a high school ball game, or even a bike parade. The Raspberry Pi’s broadcast frequency can range between 1Mhz and 250Mhz, which may interfere with government bands. It is advised to avoid bought out frequencies.
You can find the project here: Pi Ra-Te/Dio
If you have some toys in your cupboard and would like to modify those simple toys into smart toys, then you should follow into Grant Gibson’s footsteps. This guy took a talking chatter telephone, opened it up and put in a Raspberry Pi. The result was something pretty interesting. The talking chatter smartphone now has RasPi inside.
You can find the project here: Talking Tom
You can also build a phone using a Raspberry Pi and some communication modules. The communications module i.e. the Sim900 GSM/GPRS module allows the user to send receive messages, make calls using standard AT commands. Daniel Hunt is the creator of this amazing DIY smart phone and he has made the software code available at Github for download.
You can find the project here: PiPhone
Raspberry Pi Projects: Gaming
How does a RC Car controlled over wifi using an XBox controller featuring the below systems sound?
- Haptic feedback
- Pi Camera video feedback
- Wireless XBox360 control
- Wifi Telemetry
If you are willing to tinker with electronics, this could just be the things for you. Go on, give it a try.
You can find the project here: Protobot
This next project works on using your Raspberry Pi to control a 1/10 scale remote controlled car via a web page hosted wirelessly on your Pi. All you need to do is set up your Pi to use your mobile as a hotspot then log onto the appropriate web page (hosted by the Pi) and tilt your phone to control your car like a Wii Remote. From the front end, racing is all about fast cars, however when you get to designing, racing has never been more technical.
You can find the project here: Drag racing
Raspi to Runpi
Technology is getting into everything around us. From head mounted cameras on cricket umpires to prosthetic foot in paralympics, a lot of sports are also adopting technology. This next project also ventures in a similar domain. If you are inspired by Bolt this olympic season, this would be something to try. Go ahead, be the one to bring technology and sports together…
You can find the project here: Raspi to Runpi
Raspberry Pi Projects: Camera Applications
Skype is just too mainstream. There is no challenge. All you have to do is pick a number and call. It’s all too easy for the engineer in you to just dial and be done with it. Additionally, skype uses up a lot of your bandwidth. How about if you could build something for yourself without loading the bandwidth i.e the internet speed. This low bandwidth solution is just the project for engineers to show some of their skills.
You can find the project here: Live-streaming
Security has been a major concern with a lot of people living in the big cities. Even if you are not in major cities, security is still a concern. A lot of people want their hands on what is not theirs. The surveillance camera is based on a raspberry pi board and uses Wi-Fi for transmission of captured signals.
You can find the project here: Surveillance Camera
Raspberry Pi Projects: Navigation
With the surveillance camera project, you could know who is coming in, but how do you track your family? After all, there is a danger of them dropping by unannounced. With this next project, you could build a system that uses GPS over a raspberry pi to help you track targets. Now don’t go all Bond and start tracking every person you know. Everybody has a right to their privacy as well.
You can find the project here: Track away
Raspberry Pi Projects: Miscellaneous
Controlling a stepper motor
This next one is a simple project that only needs a Raspberry Pi, PiFace, Python, jumper wires, and a stepper motor. This project takes you through the schematics for controlling a stepper motor using a Raspberry pi board. Additionally, a comment mentions a different code for a separate project to work on it later.
You can find the project here: Controlling a stepper motor
Python Script for the GPIO
The General-Purpose Input/output (GPIO) lets you interface a Raspberry Pi with the outside world, making it a powerful interactive device at about $40-$50. This Raspberry pi project will show you how to install the GPIO package and how to wire up a simple push button circuit with an LED. An internet connection could come in handy for downloading files as well.
You can find the project here: Python Script for the GPIO
With this next project, you have a lot of power in your hands. After all, elections require a lot of these machines. One of these machines could easily govern the fate of the person in power. If you ever wanted to consider the machine that beeped whenever you punched a button to select the government, this is the one for you.
You can find the project here: Voting machine
This next project could be a solution in keeping those snoopers, away from your stuff. Nobody likes them anyway. With this digital lock, you can now keep them away. With a raspberry pi and some basic electronic supplies, you could design a lock that keeps people from unnecessarily poking their noses into stuff. For example, the voting machine.
You can find the project here: Digital Lock
You know how everybody says Raspberry Pi is essentially a very cheap computer and people keep on having these raspberry pi project ideas? Now with this next project, you can use this “cheap computer” with the help of capacitive touchpad that you design. The project takes you through designing just for basic numbers, which could be extended to a full blown keyboard with some modifications.
You can find the project here: Capacitive touchpad
Now you can operate the Microwave with your voice, or with your iPad or even from the Internet. Nathan Broadbent hacked a Microwave very intelligently by replacing its touchpad circuitry and adding some very cool features with beautiful sounds for notifications and alerts. These all intelligent features have been powered by Raspberry Pi at the back end, so it becomes Raspberry Pi Microwave.
You can find the project here: IoT Microwave
Mirror-mirror on the wall
Who’s the fairest of them all. This next project from Michael Teeuw, might give you a reply if you were to ask. Michael got lost while shopping in New York only to realise a sign on a smart mirror. This project takes you through the components and lists out the details the procedure for building one as well. This is something you could build for yourself. You know your special lady always wanted her own Magic Mirror!
You can find the project here: Mirror-mirror on the wall
We covered some of the most interesting Raspberry Pi Project ideas in our article. We always welcome interesting Raspberry Pi project ideas. You can send it in to us as well.