Raspberry Pi was invented in 2012 to help educate people in computer use, aiming to improve IT skills and understanding. Despite its small size, it can do a huge number of tasks. This is why Raspberry Pi has become hugely popular in various industries, with the millionth machine made back in 2013. So, what can you do with a Raspberry Pi?
1. Gaming
One of the most popular uses for a Raspberry Pi is for gaming. The computer has enough power to turn into a mini console, allowing users to play retro video games. There are several operating systems that have been designed purely for this reason, such as RetroPie and Recalbox.
2. Robots
It is easy to create your own robot using Raspberry Pi. You can now buy kits online such as robot car kits that come with wheels, DC motors, motor controller boards and much more. If you want to take it one step further, why not create your favourite sci-fi robot? If you’re a Star Wars fan, there are tonnes of videos and forums dedicated to creating R2-D2 using Raspberry Pi.
3. Photography
You can use a Raspberry Pi to create a time-lapse camera. Set the computer up to take photographs at regular intervals by using an application such as raspistill. Once you have your pictures, you’ll need to put them together to create a video. You can do this using mencoder, but this may not be the quickest or most efficient method. Many prefer to transfer the single images to a desktop computer, then process the files there.
4. Websites
Why not turn a Raspberry Pi into a web server? To do this, you’ll need to install the relevant software first. Google’s Creative Lab has recently created their own software to do this called Coders. This allows you to turn a Raspberry Pi into a web server in just ten minutes. Simply download the Coder installer onto a SD card and insert it into your Raspberry Pi. Once you’ve set up your Pi, you can start to save HTML files and install software like WordPress.
5. Storage
You can use a Raspberry Pi as a useful storage solution for electronic files. The benefit of using a Raspberry Pi rather than a large external server is that it is smaller and uses much less power, making it cheaper to run. To do this, you will need to connect a USB hard drive into the machine. You will also need to connect it to the internet through Wi-Fi or by using an ethernet cable. Companies such as RS Components have a wide range of cables and cable ties that would be useful for this project.
