Raspberry Pi Zero and Zero W are the two most popular picks among various SOCs (System on Chip) in the family of Raspberry Pi. Their low cost and small size make them preferable for different applications.
Even today, both Zero and Zero W are still as good as a new SOC to develop various project ideas. So, in this article, we will discuss 15 New Raspberry Pi Zero projects that will give you a boost to your creativity.
Table of Contents
Let us start our discussion on the Raspberry Pi Zero projects with a creative Sunrise lamp.
Raspberry pi Sunrise lamp
It’s a table lamp that glows according to the sun’s brightness. Yes, you heard it right. This table lamp uses a Neopixel ring LED, surrounded by a sphere of origami.
A Raspberry pi Zero increases the Neopixel’s brightness according to the sun’s light. So, when it is fully dark outside, the lamp remains off. As the dawn breaks, it starts to turn ON by slowly increasing the LED’s brightness.
The LED glows with full intensity when the sun comes above the horizon, indicating that it’s time to wake up.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Face-changing projection mask
Won’t it be cool if you could look like the person you admire the most? So, here we are to help you with that. This Raspberry Pi Zero W project allows you to project the face of your desired person on a mask that you can wear on your face.
Whether it be a celebrity, a fictional character, or any animation, this mask quickly projects anything to change your appearance.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Automa-beat
If you think that an empty wine bottle, used containers, bottle caps, and some wooden sticks are a bunch of waste, then you must think again. Because with some creativity, you can turn this waste into something useful.
Automa-beat is a musical orchestra built using these waste parts. Each part used in creating the orchestra has its significance in creating a beautiful melody. So, when they all perform together, it becomes a masterpiece.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Best friend lights
Do you miss your best friend quite often? And want to ping them anytime for no reason? Then among all Raspberry pi Zero projects, this one is for you. This project requires two lamp lights, one at your house and the other one at your friend’s house.
So, as you flip a switch to change the light color of your lamp, the same color appears on the second lamp at your friend’s house, indicating that you are missing them.
In response, your friend can also flip a switch to change the color of the lamps again, showing that they have received your message and they miss you too.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Cassette Pi IoT scroller
Nowadays, finding a cassette player in perfect running condition is a bit difficult. So, what can you do with all the cassettes that you have in your store? Instead of throwing them, you can make them an IoT device.
Wait, is it possible? Yes, with this Raspberry Pi Zero W project, you can turn a Cassette into an IoT device that can display weather or any App notifications on a small LED screen.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Automated Gardner
Do you often forget to water your plants? Maybe due to your busy schedule, you missed this. But, this will not happen anymore. It’s because we have a unique Raspberry pi Zero project for you that always remember to water your plants right on time.
The setup also has a 5-volt LED that toggles in different modes with the flip of a switch. The clamps have an adjustable feature so that you can connect this setup to plants of any size.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
minty-Pi
So, what is minty-pi? It is a DIY Raspberry pi Zero-based retro gaming project built inside an Altoids mint tin. Charging the minty-Pi requires a USB Type-C cable. Once fully charged, the device lets you play your favorite games like Mario, Contra, and more for up to 5 hours.
With the connectivity of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, you can easily take your simple gaming board to the next level. So, in a nutshell, Minty-Pi is the solution to your boredom.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Raspberry pi Zero W tank
So whether you are a student or a grown-up individual, by seeing this Raspberry pi Zero W-based robot tank, you will be tempted to take its control in your hands.
Whether it is the build quality, speed, or torque-related performance, all are top-notch. This robot tank can run on rough terrains with an adjustable speed variation ranging from 25-100% of full speed. It can also take sharp turns without any hassle.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Wi-Fi security camera
Numerous advanced technologies are available in the market to protect your house from thieves and intruders. But what’s the most basic among them? A security camera.
So, follow this simple project to know how you can build one using a Raspberry Pi Zero W. On setting up the camera, you can access the captured feed on the desktop or mobile phone. So, you always have the security update at your fingertips.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
YouTube Subscriber Counter
If you have a YouTube channel, you must know the importance of keeping track of your subscribers. But, sometimes, it becomes hectic to open YouTube analytics and check out the real-time subscribers. Right?
So, here we have a simple solution. Follow this Raspberry Pi Zero W project to create a Youtube Subscriber counter that you can put in front of your working table and check the real-time subscriber growth without opening the analytics.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Inspirational messenger
Just one good positive quote in the morning can make our whole day. So, if you want some random positive thoughts every morning to start your day with a bang, follow this Raspberry pi Zero W project.
Although the project is easy to follow up on, it still holds a position in our Raspberry pi Zero projects list. It just takes a tiny place on your workbench yet gives an appealing look to it. And on top of that, it always lifts your spirits.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Cryptocurrency hardware wallet
With cryptocurrency getting popular, having some Raspberry pi projects based on crypto is obvious. But do you want to learn how to build and set up a hardware wallet to keep your crypto safe?
This project guides you with the easiest way to make a hardware wallet using a Raspberry pi Zero and store crypto. You can also transact crypto coins easily with your friends and family members.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Cryptocurrency hardware wallet
Twin tesla coils
Tesla coils have always been everyone’s favorite right from the start. Seeing the Tesla coil working and emitting a spark always fascinates us. But have you ever seen them involved with some Raspberry pi Zero projects?
If not, then these two Tesla coils used in this project operate with a Raspberry pi Zero. The coils are capable of emitting 600mm lightning sparks into the air. With some music, the sparks in the air look fabulous.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Coffee Notification system
While working for long hours, it becomes necessary to drink a cup of coffee to remain productive. But, when you are already busy, taking the time to make a cup of coffee seems not an efficient idea.
So, what can you do? Well, you could use this coffee notification system. It makes a perfect cup of coffee on its own and notifies you when it completes it. So, when the coffee gets ready, you will receive a message on your phone saying that the coffee is ready to collect.
So, grab it, take a sip, and carry on with your work without wasting any time.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Solar-powered Crypto miner
So, the above crypto-based project was just a hardware wallet. What if you could build a crypto-miner using a Raspberry pi Zero W? Sounds interesting, Right? Moreover, the project runs on a 18650 Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery which gets charged using a small 5W solar panel. On a full charge, the miner can run for a maximum of 8 hours.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Air quality monitor
Did you know that the air quality in your room can affect your productivity level? Breathing poor-quality air can impact your brain performance, potentially making you less productive.
That’s why Takuya has built a model that displays the temperature, room air quality, humidity, CO2 density, and barometric pressure. This model updates the data every 5 minutes and sends alerts if the air quality falls below a threshold value.
This way, the air can be refreshed, and you can regain your productivity. The sensors are connected to a Raspberry Pi and placed inside a cable box, eliminating the need for a special case
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Loki Miss Minutes Voice Assistant
If you are a Marvel fan, then you might know this cute little Miss Minutes. However, for those who are not, please regard this as a conventional voice assistant designed to simplify your various queries.
The audio input is captured via a collar microphone ingeniously integrated into the character’s nose. In terms of audio output, a speaker is discretely positioned within the character’s body.
Now, although it may not quite match the charm of Miss Minutes herself, it will give you a feeling of it.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Loki Miss Minutes voice assistant
Watching YouTube on a Commodore Pet
This project ingeniously repurposes a retro gadget to serve a practical purpose: you can now watch YouTube videos on a 40-year-old Commodore Pet, at about 30 fps. You will have to enter the video URL to watch the desired video. It won’t give you the HD video vibe, but it will do the job.
The Pi connects to YouTube through WiFi and loads the requested video, then converts it to a 640×200 grayscale stream. Each frame is transformed into an 80×25 grid of characters, using those from the PET’s ROM that most closely resemble the pattern needed.
Despite the constraints of the Commodore character set, the resulting image is recognizable.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Watching YouTube on a Commodore Pet
Wife Alert
A push-button alert system has been designed for emergencies. This system consists of a remote with a 3D-printed case housing a Raspberry Pi Zero, which sends a notification to AWS when the button is pressed.
AWS resources then trigger text messages and emails, while the desktop is taken over by a red alarm screen accompanied by the sound of a screaming goat. Additionally, a custom Android app on the phone initiates a siren, and, to complete the ensemble, a prominent red light placed on the desk begins flashing.
While the abundance of notifications and sounds may seem startling, this alert system ensures timely communication with the individual in need.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Display numbers on OLED
If you have played Doom, the first-person shooter from the 90s then you might recall how the condition of health was displayed using a face. The more damage you sustained, the more damaged the face looked.
The project retrieves the fear and greed index number from the internet and displays it in the doom style in a tiny OLED. A high score is indicated by a healthier face, while a low score is indicated by a brushed-up-looking face. With some alterations in the code, you can display any number that you wish.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Casio Pi CCTV Monitor
In this project, an old Casio TV is converted into a portable CCTV monitor. The tiny TV is powered by a USB power bank. Underneath the battery cover, a Raspberry Pi Zero W is added, streaming the feed from the CCTV camera on the local network.
A camera is attached to a portable Lego car from which all the actions going on in the house can be captured. You can even use it as a portable media player or play some games by attaching a joy bonnet. The possibilities are endless.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Pi-hole Ad Blocker
Pi-hole is a clever piece of software that acts as a network-wide ad blocker. It enables you to block ads on websites, ads in apps on your mobile devices, and even on your smart TV, regardless of the software they’re running. And for this, it does not require any other local software on the device.
Pi-hole also improves your network speed, because the ads are blocked before they are downloaded. This also saves data if you’re on a limited data plan. A web interface lets you interact with your Pi-hole, and view stats on your network traffic.
You can also set the Pi up to run the DHCP service, which allows the Pi-hole to identify devices by their name rather than IP address, and even integrate powerful third-party anti-malware, and anti-phishing DNS services.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Pwnagotchi
The Pwnagotchi is an impressive project designed for the Raspberry Pi Zero, enabling users to capture Wi-Fi handshakes as PCAP (Packet Capture) files. Pwnagotchi leverages its ability to learn from the surrounding Wi-Fi environments to maximize the acquisition of crackable WPA key material.
The device actively scans for clients connected to Wi-Fi networks and initiates de-authentication procedures. It sends a disconnection message to wireless clients, prompting them to disconnect from their associated access points.
Subsequently, when these devices attempt to reconnect to the access point, the Pwnagotchi intercepts the handshake process and saves the entire message sequence into a PCAP file. This file can be subsequently analyzed on a computer using tools like Hashcat or Wireshark, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of Wi-Fi networks.
It is essential to emphasize that the usage of Pwnagotchi should be restricted to one’s home network to learn about wireless security
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
ZeroBug
ZeroBug is a 3D-printed, micro-servo hexapod robot, powered by a Raspberry Pi Zero, and an STM 32 F1 zero three. The Pi Zero is in charge of the input methods and front end, making the robot controllable via mouse, keyboard, multitouch, or simply a Bluetooth Gamepad.
On top of that, wireless gamepads are supported via pie game. The STM32 does the heavy lifting, to make the robot walk. It calculates locomotion, inverse kinematics, body rotation, or translation, and finally drives the eighteen servos. With a simple serial protocol, commands can be sent to control the robot directly.
All of these calculations run at 50Hz, enabling the Hexapod to move smoothly and with high precision. Its compact frame is fully 3D printed.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Super 8 Camera Digital Conversion
The Super 8 camera was one of the spectacular video recorders of its time, but this model is now rarely seen. With this project, you can modify this Super 8 camera to work with a Raspberry Pi.
From the outside, it appears the same, but on the inside, the old film housing is replaced by a Raspberry Pi Zero, a rechargeable battery, and a power converter circuit. The camera starts filming when the user presses the red button. It utilizes the Pi camera module while still taking advantage of the camera’s built-in optics, including a zoom function.
The camera can connect to a WiFi network and stream live video to a computer or record video files to an internal SD card. The clip captured using the modified Super 8 camera, although not of high video quality, might evoke memories of your childhood.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Super 8 Camera Digital Conversion
Digital Film Cartridge for Analog Cameras
If you have an analog camera, you can transform it into a digital camera capable of taking digital photos, videos, and even live streaming via WiFi. This transformation involves removing the integrated lens from a Raspberry Pi Camera Module and fitting it into a 3D-printed housing.
The Camera Module is then connected to a Raspberry Pi Zero W, which handles capture, streaming, and storage. A lithium-polymer battery powers the entire setup through a DC-to-DC boost converter.
Thus, the object you see on the full HD display is the result of this conversion. Although the camera produces a highly zoomed-in image, the results are significantly superior to those of an analog camera.
**To know more about the above project, click on the link below:
Digital Film Cartridge for Analog Cameras
If you wish to see a compilation video of the above 15 Raspberry pi Zero projects, click on the link below:
Top 15 Raspberry Pi Zero projects
So, after going through these Raspberry Pi Zero projects, you might have also learned something new and must have found some inspiration to make something on your own. If you also have some similar crazy ideas in your mind, do share them with the world.
