This exciting Star Trek-themed Raspberry Pi project comes to us from a maker known as Directive0 on Twitter. Replica tricorders just won’t cut it—Directive0 decided to make a working one with the help of a Raspberry Pi.
The project is officially dubbed TR-109 Picorder 2. The main goal was to create a self-contained Raspberry Pi “data acquisition platform” (essentially a machine with lots of sensors) that looks just like an old school tricorder.
A Pi Zero W is used as the mainboard, which provides a limited form factor and wireless support. Directive0 created custom PCBs with KiCAD to fit inside a custom 3D printed shell. The final tricorder design uses an IR thermal camera, a humidity sensor, a non-contact thermometer, and a pressure sensor.
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Data is output to an ST7735 LCD display. The unit also has a few LEDs alongside working buttons. Software-wise, it uses PicorderOS, a custom Python library that links the visual interface to specific sensor modules used in the project.
You can read more about the project in detail on SquaredWave or follow Directive0 on YouTube. Be sure to check out our list of Best Raspberry Pi Projects for more cool creations from the maker community.