Robots are all around us! They can be mobile and autonomous, as seen in an automatic vacuum cleaner, and they are even exploring Mars and the rest of our solar system. As technology advances, humans are relying on robots more and more to make our lives better, easier, and safer.

Robot Buggy

Decades ago, robotics would have been a field that would be difficult to break into. But the Raspberry Pi has made this so accessible that even school-aged children can create their own robots.

Enter a robotic buggy from the Raspberry Pi Foundation. Assembled with simple instructions, this robot follows Python commands to move around, but can’t do much else, so it won’t be passing the Turing test any time soon.

Robotic Cat

Robotic pals are not a thing of science fiction, they’re a reality! Petoi is a company that aims to design pets for the future. Their friendly pet robots, such as the adorable Nybble, are sold as kits for you to assemble, or (if you have a 3D printer) you can print the pieces yourself. Check out Thingiverse for the printable files and Petoi for the instructions.

It’s not a secret that the Raspberry Pi is a multimedia powerhouse for its size and processing power. High-quality audio output can be achieved for audiophiles, too.

Media Center

You can create an open-source media center and customize it to your heart’s content using Kodi. Play all your favorite tunes in a few simple steps. Check out MagPi for instructions, or, for an alternate build, you can follow the steps from Diyode magazine.

Music Streaming

Another great way that the Raspberry Pi can be used for audio applications is through Raspotify. You can set up Spotify on your Pi with this guide from Pi My Life Up. Alternatively, you use your Pi to tune into a wide variety of internet radio stations! Create your own internet radio device by following the steps found on Pimoroni.

Many children of the 1980s remember the classic arcade machines and pixel art of games in the 8-bit and 16-bit era. In those early days, computers and consoles had visual capabilities that were far less advanced than today. You can invoke pangs of nostalgia by recreating the experience of an arcade machine or a retro game console. Just use a Raspberry Pi!

Retro Arcade Machine

Maybe you wanted your own fully-functional arcade machine when you were a kid. With a Raspberry Pi, you can build your own full-size arcade game, or a more practical bartop alternative. You can read about how to recreate a full-size machine in this edition of The MagPi, or there are instructions for a two-player bartop arcade machine on Instructables.

Handheld Gaming Device

The Gameboy and all its derivatives were iconic gaming devices back in the day, and the popularity of the Nintendo Switch proves that our love of handheld gaming consoles lives on. If you’ve ever wanted to have an all-in-one retro gaming device that’s also portable, the Raspberry Pi can do just that. On the software side of things, this is possible through Retropie or Lakka. When it comes to hardware, you could build one for around $20 as seen in this detailed Instructables.

If you’re willing to spend a bit more, you could even create your own BMO replica that fully functions as a game console! This build includes a 3D printed case, and the details can be found on Thingiverse.

We tend to think of 3D printers and CNC machines as high-tech toys. While they are remarkable machines, most 3D printers only run on an 8-bit CPU. Marlin firmware, among the most popular 3D printer firmware, runs on 8-bit controller boards.

Need more advanced functionality? It isn’t uncommon to see a Raspberry Pi connected to a printer for some added features. In fact, you could even control multiple 3D printers or create your own CNC machine with a single Raspberry Pi.

3D Printing 

Your 3D printer already has a controller board, but sometimes it’s not up to the task of certain upgrades. That’s where a Raspberry Pi steps in. One handy upgrade that will require an SBC is OctoPrint. OctoPrint gives you full control of your 3D printer from afar with monitoring capabilities. Getting it set up is as easy as flashing an SD card and booting the Raspberry Pi. Check out our guide on installing OctoPi on a Raspberry Pi.

Embroidery Machine

Computerized embroidery machines are generally outside the price range of the average hobbyist. But what if you could build your own for just a fraction of the cost? Italian maker Alessandro Benanti did just that and built his own version for around $250! This was done with a Raspberry Pi and an upcycled vintage Borletti 1102 sewing machine. Read more about it on Hackaday, or check out the instructions on MagPi.

Data logging has potential applications in almost all aspects of life. Knowing more about data can help us to make educated and informed decisions. With just a Raspberry Pi and some sensors, you can put together an inexpensive data logging device.

Weather Station

A weather station can collect local climate and environmental information. With a Raspberry Pi, your very own weather station can be prototyped and deployed outside, while you wait safely by your screen for the data to roll in! Learn how to create your own weather station from the Raspberry Pi Foundation or on Instructables.

Temperature Logging

Perhaps you don’t need a whole weather station, but you do want to log the temperature conditions in your area. Follow the steps from the Raspberry Pi Foundation or Medium to simply track your local temperature.

One example of how technology continues to change the world is the availability of home security systems. However, home security can still be expensive, and if it’s too visible, then your security hardware may be susceptible to vandalism. A secure, accurate, and affordable way to create inexpensive security systems is by using a Raspberry Pi.

Security Camera

While home security systems are readily available at stores, building your own is just a fraction of the cost. You could even add a night vision camera with the Raspberry Pi to build a fully functional day and night surveillance camera. Follow Random Nerd Tutorials or Hackster for their simple and easy-to-follow instructions.

Ad-Blocker

These days, it’s easy to find ad-blocker extensions for web browsers. But what if you want that functionality on your entire network? Pi-hole is a Linux advertisement-blocking application that works across a network and acts as a DNS sinkhole, also blocking tracking domains! You can think of it as a black hole for internet advertisements. Build a privacy-safe home network using Pi-hole following the steps from Instructables or Github.

The Raspberry Pi 4 is equipped with Gigabit Ethernet, which makes it a standout among SBCs for networking projects such as building super-fast NAS or even a web server.

Network-Attached Storage (NAS)

Make your photos, documents, or any other digital content available anywhere in your home with your own NAS. While there are some quality solutions that you can purchase, these come at a comparably higher cost. Thankfully, it’s possible to create your own NAS solution with a Raspberry Pi. Follow the simple guide from MagPi, or this Instructables, and you’ll have your own Pi-powered NAS in no time.

Web Server

You can also create your own low-cost web server on a local network with almost any Raspberry Pi model. Just make sure it’s running a recent version of Raspberry Pi OS, and you should be good to go. There are detailed instructions from Tom’s Hardware, or there’s an Instructables that you can follow.

3D printing has brought marvelous applications to the medical industry, and the possibilities are only just beginning. This can be seen in how the 3D printing community responded during the Covid-19 pandemic. Likewise, the Raspberry Pi opens the doors to medical applications that were previously limited to professional equipment.

Heartbeat Monitoring

These days, fitness watches usually come with heartrate-monitoring functionality based on photoplethysmography (PPG). PPG measures differences in light absorption, which can be used for non-invasive heart rate monitoring. With a Raspberry Pi, you can create your own heart-monitoring device right at home. Follow this Hackster guide to get started, or to learn more about this technology check out the article from MagPi.

Air-Quality Monitoring

Air is all around us, but besides the oxygen we need, less friendly chemicals can be spewed out into the environment from various sources. This includes particulate matter such as soot and smog. To ensure optimal health, especially for those with breathing difficulties, it can be important to monitor air quality. And you can, with a Raspberry Pi! All you’ll need is an air-quality sensor and a few lines of code to get your Pi reporting on local air pollution levels. Follow the instructions from MagPi or Instructables.

Sometimes, projects require you to determine the position of your Raspberry Pi. At these times, your device may not be within range of Wi-Fi connectivity. For that task, GPS comes to the rescue.

GPS Data Logger

With so many unknown variables that surround us, it can be useful to log data from the environment. Data loggers have also become an important business tool to increase efficiency and reduce costs. But knowledge of the real-time location and other factors can come in handy in personal uses, too. For the curious hobbyist, you could build yourself a GPS data logger in a few simple steps. Check out two ways to go about it from Hackster and Instructables.

Emergency Button

For those needing special care, the ability to quickly and easily call for help could be lifesaving. What do you think about making a device that calls for help anywhere in world? With a Raspberry Pi, you can build your own low-cost but useful emergency button. If you know someone who could benefit from the security of such a button, you can follow the steps found on Hackster.

You’ve probably seen LED-decorated hats and shoes, and maybe even other electronic gadgets embedded in clothing. Often these are powered by an Arduino, but they can also be run on a Raspberry Pi. While Raspberry Pis tend to be larger than Arduinos, which can be inconvenient in clothing, they do come with extra features and more processing power to really amp up your fashion!

Smartwatch

Thanks to its built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities, you can easily build your own smartwatch with the Raspberry Pi Zero W. This design also needs a small LED screen, some screws and nuts, and a 3D printed case. The full instructions are documented on Hackster.

Light-up Dress

What do you get when you combine a Raspberry Pi, fiber optics, a touch sensor breakout board, a Blinkt, and some conductive thread? A dress that glows different colors when different parts of it are touched! This dress was designed as part of a PhD project to document social interaction. Intrigued? Find out more about it on the Raspberry Pi Blog.

For something a little less complex, you can create your own programmable matrix light-up dress. It takes a few tools and some sewing, but the finished product looks amazing! There are detailed instructions for you to follow on Instructables.