Top 10 advanced Raspberry Pi projects

By Rob Zwetsloot. Posted

Armed with the contents of a well-stocked home makerspace, you'll be all set to take on the challenge of advanced Raspberry Pi project building. We've rounded up ten great options if you’re looking for a challenge. Something fun to build. A big new year project.

DiddyBorg

A robotic beast

A serious robot, the DiddyBorg (£220 / $299) is diddy in name only and a true Raspberry Pi automated monster. Program it, remote-control it, or just have it sitting pretty in your workshop. Your choice.

DiddyBorg is seriously capable robot you can program and control remotely using your Raspberry Pi

PiGrrl 2

DIY handheld gaming

We’ve covered this project in a previous issue of The MagPi, but this project deserves mentioning again: with some 3D-printed parts, and some ingenious Adafruit PCB parts, you too can make a handheld console (£56 / $60).

PiGRRL 2: Make your own handheld games console with a case and parts you print yourself

Arcade machine

Retro-cool at home

This big build by Bob Clagett is incredibly thorough, and shows you how to build a wooden arcade cabinet from scratch, complete with lights and cool art.

Bob Clagett talks you through making a full-size arcade machine. How retro-cool is that!

Pinball table

High score mania

If an arcade machine is a bit too new for you, how about something a bit more classic and physical like a pinball table? This one repurposes an old bed.

Turn an old bed into a Raspberry Pi-controlled pinball table. Genius!

Magic mirror

Raspberry Pi classic

This kind of project is a classic among the community, especially as the mirror software part is so easily done. Building a frame is quite fun and a great first-time carpentry project.

Turn your Raspberry Pi display into a magic mirror and learn carpentry skills along the way

Laptop

Take Raspberry Pi anywhere

This tiny laptop project allows you to bring your Raspberry Pi with you wherever you want to go, and do some work while you’re there.

By turning your Raspberry Pi into a tiny laptop you can take it out and aboutou

Home assistant

Voice-controlled computer

A number of big voice services are available on Raspberry Pi. Alexa is one of the easiest to get onto Raspberry Pi, thanks to the excellent AlexaPi software.

3D scanner

Scan your friends

This big project is great for showing off at your local Raspberry Jam or maker event. It takes a lot of Raspberry Pi boards and cameras to create the project, but it does capture impressive 3D scans.

A 3D scanner like you've never seen before, this one makes a great display piece

3D printer controller

Futuristic plastic printing

Have a new 3D printer? How about interfacing it with Raspberry Pi using the amazing OctoPrint? It’s especially helpful if you think of something cool to print while on the go.

Octoprint adds 3D printing to your Raspberry Pi and offers a web interface for on-the-move updates

Smart CCTV system

Recognise your visitors

CCTV cameras with Raspberry Pi are not too difficult to put together. We like this project as it uses computer vision and face detection to recognise known people as well.

Face detection and CCTV functions make this a smart security setup

Learn to program

Got the tools and the skills to raise a barn and then some, but lacking the ability to print ‘Hello World’? Take a look at our books on controlling electronics with Python and GPIO Zero and learning C.

From The MagPi store

Subscribe

Subscribe to the newsletter

Get every issue delivered directly to your inbox and keep up to date with the latest news, offers, events, and more.