Raspberry Pi is an incredible credit card-sized development board that can serve multiple purposes for hackers, hobbyists, artists, and students alike. One of the most versatile application boards, it is believed that it can only be used for some common programming purposes, especially those related to IoT or AI. In this blog we will break this myth and show the versatility of this system and how it can make a difference in our lives in the long term. Let's move on then.
As your desktop: It is one of the simplest applications that makes a lot of sense. Furthermore, it is a project where you will have all the necessary equipment at your side.
Requirements :
- Raspberry Pi
- MicroSD Card
- Power supply
- A suitable screen
- An HDMI cable
Figure 1: Raspberry Pi as desktop
1. Procedure : Raspberry Pi 3 comes with built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, however, if you plan to work with other versions, you will need USB dongles compatible with this board. Those who use Ethernet will find it easy because the system is already equipped with an Ethernet port. After configuring everything, simply install the operating system of your choice. The rest will be the responsibility of the board itself.
2. Home Automation System: Raspberry Pi system can easily host some of the most powerful home automation applications. It can be used to connect sensors, relays, cameras and lights to your computer or phone. You can easily control your home remotely . If you want to expand its functionalities, just add the Arduino or an equally powerful board and bingo!! Here it is. You can gather more details about this at
Fig. 2: Home automation system based on Raspberry Pi
3. Miniature camcorder: The most suitable version for this purpose is the Raspberry Pi Zero.
Application:
- LiPo Battery
- Li-Po zero
- Pi Zero Camera Module
- Pimoroni HyperPixel Display
- Soldering machine
Fig. 3: Raspberry Pi-based camcorder
Procedure:
A welding machine would be where you want to start. You can weld all the parts together and prepare the setup as shown in the image. Once that's done, all you need to do is install the HyperPixel driver on the Pi and you're ready to record. The good thing about HyperPixel is that it comes with a touchscreen, so a GUI (Graphical User Interface) can be easily added if you want. More step-by-step details can be collected at
4. Zero Power Smartphone: This can actually be done with the original Raspberry Pi. You can easily create a homebrew smartphone with not only the original version but also successive versions of this development board. The final product will have the following characteristics:
- A reliable and fully functional phone.
- A cheap and completely open source phone.
- A device that can be repaired and assembled independently.
- A phone whose parts can be easily purchased nearby.
- Allows you to write your own application ideas in Python.
- It does not have applications that involve privacy issues.
Fig. 4: The ZeroPhone – Smartphone based on Raspberry Pi
The parts for this can be collected on eBay and can be easily assembled with a soldering iron. The user interface will be written in Python. More details about this can be collected at
5. XboxZero: Did you know that the size of the Raspberry Pi Zero is so small that it can fit into anything, even an XBox game console. You just need to make a few adjustments and it can be placed inside the XBox controller. Next, you will need the RetroPie emulation software which will remain complete inside the controller. You will see that the controller returns inside the Pi. You can play any of your favorite games on an HDMI display.
Figure 5: XBox Zero – Raspberry Pi-based XBox controller
Application:
- MicroSD Card
- Raspberry Pi Zero
- Full Size Original Xbox Controller
- 2A USB power supply
- Mini HDMI cable and adapter
- USB OTG cable
- Normal steel nerves, wire strippers, knives and screwdrivers
The step-by-step procedure can be seen at
6. AI Assistant: 'Magpi', the official magazine of Raspberry Pi, recently partnered with Google to launch a hardware kit that allows users to integrate natural language voice commands through Google's CLoud Speech API as well like from the Google Assistant SDK. The kit includes many things, including cardboard box, button, microphone and speaker. The cardboard box could house your lo-fi version of Google Home.
Figure 6: Google AI Assistant based on Raspberry Pi
The kit can be purchased here https://aiyprojects.withgoogle.com/voice#project-overview .
7. Home Arcade Box: It is true that Raspberry Pi does not have the potential to run various modern games, there are some tech geeks who predict that Pi is perfect for playing emulators. For those who don't know, emulators are programs that allow users to play titles from outdated and older consoles, such as the original PlayStation, Sega Genesis or SNES. Most of these programs can use ROMs freely.
Fig. 7: Raspberry Pi-based home arcade system
Most emulators can be run from the ideal Raspbian operating system. The folks at RetroPie worked hard for a long time to create a custom disk image that would do every possible task for you. This will allow the user to select and launch the emulator of their choice with a single USB gamepad. There's just one small problem: you'll need a physical copy of the games or the pirated version.
8. Wireless print server: The worst thing about technology is that it quickly becomes obsolete and is replaced by new ones. Remember, as we were all in love with Windows 7, some of us are very loyal to it even after Windows 10 is in the game. What you wouldn't give to keep some of your favorite coaches alive, right? Raspberry can solve some of these problems. If you have any old printer that you used to love but now it doesn't work due to lack of wireless connectivity feature, Raspberry Pi can solve this glitch now. You just need the Raspberry Pi connected to your home network along with some print server software.
Fig. 8: Raspberry Pi Zero as a wireless print server
The task can be accomplished by installing Samba file sharing software followed closely by CUPS (Common Unix Printing System). CUPS provides drivers for printers along with an administration console.
Once setup is complete, you can configure the Pi to ensure that any operating system, whether MacOS or Windows, connected to your home can access the printer. Furthermore, if your printer doesn't have USB, you can always take advantage of adapters on the market. But remember that it has its limitations, very old printers may not yet be compatible with it. A rational solution is to get something cheaper and run it with your latest system.
9. Minecraft Game Server: The application of Raspberry Pi is not limited to old and outdated systems. Few people know that the Raspberry Pi's default operating system comes with a special pre-installed version of Minecraft. Furthermore, few know that the Pi can also be used as a game server.
Fig. 9: Representational image showing Raspberry Pi as a Minecraft game server
Pi can host Minecraft in the easiest way. Now you can keep your gaming world safe within it and play anywhere on your home network. If you have more than one or two Raspberry Pis, you can always turn one of them into a dedicated gaming server for an upgraded gaming experience. In addition to Minecraft, it can act as a dedicated server for several other online multiplayer games such as Open TTD, Civilization, Doom, Quake, and others.
10. Motion Capture Security Camera: If you have a generic USB webcam, you only need a Raspberry Pi camera module to build a motion capture security system. Just make sure you have a good supply of USB storage devices and high-capacity microSD cards to store device images.
Fig. 10: Motion capture camera based on Raspberry Pi
Uvccapture is a tool used to capture webcam images. It is a motion software that works in sync with Raspberry Pi. fffmpeg software is also used to manage time-lapse and bitrate. Once you manage to get it up and running, you will see that the system has started recording as soon as any movement is detected in its coverage area. If you have more vulnerable risks, it's better to set up email alerts with it.
11. Night Sky Photography: We are ending this list with one of the most intriguing and great applications of Rpi – Night Sky Photography. For this, you will need a Raspberry Pi-No-IR camera module and a good quality camera. Because the IR filter will be out of the image, the camera will provide much better nighttime results, allowing you to observe what's happening in the sky while resting below.
Fig. 11: Image of Jupiter captured with a Raspberry Pi-based camera
Whether you're looking for close-up shots of planets, moons, meteors, or stars, you can get it all without hacking into any of NASA's cameras. You can also use the time-lapse camera we discussed in the last few paragraphs here to track the trajectory of stars, moon or planets. Whatever you have planned, this little wonder will make it possible for you without hurting your pocket.
Final word
What we discussed here is just the tip of the iceberg. There is much more that has been done and will be done as we play with this system. Arduino and RPi have proven to be the greatest helpers for innovators and tech geeks around the world. They have simplified programming and the scope of infusing technology into everyday life without burdening money, time and energy. That's all for now, but as time goes on we will continue to bring you better and bigger stories related to these systems.