Best Raspberry Pi camera projects to try in 2024

Whether you’re starting your first Raspberry Pi camera or you’re an advanced builder seeking a challenge, this list has plenty of ideas to get you started. Take a look at these 5 innovative projects that span across home automation, AI, and robotics.

For each of these projects, be sure to use the Raspberry Pi camera module to easily connect your Raspberry Pi camera to any physical device, and take a look at this documentation to see how to add the module within the Viam app. 

Raspberry Pi camera projects for home automation

DIY Raspberry Pi automatic pet feeder

Ever woken up to the sound of your dog or cat gently whining at the door before the crack of dawn because they’re eager to eat? Instead of feeding them the old-fashioned way, use image classification and a Raspberry Pi to release treats whenever your pet comes into view—never wake up before sunrise again. 

Project summary

Difficulty level: Beginner-friendly

Shopping List

• Raspberry Pi 4 with microSD card (and microSD card reader) with viam-server installed
• Raspberry Pi power supply
• USB powered webcam or Raspberry Pi Camera v1.3 
• Stepper motor and motor driver

For the full list of materials, head to the Raspberry Pi pet feeder tutorial.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Assemble your DIY pet feeder using 3D-printed parts and by connecting the Raspberry Pi and webcam together.

2. Set up your Raspberry Pi, by following our Raspberry Pi Setup Guide, and install viam-server on your computer to connect to the Viam app. 
3. Configure all other components together and then test the motor and camera by checking if you can see your pet.
4. Implement machine learning (ML) by configuring the data management service, capturing your pet’s images, creating a dataset, and training an image classification model to recognize your pet.

5. Deploy the model to your pet feeder and use a vision service with a transform camera to test that the ML model is working.
6. Lastly, program your robot to control your pet feeder, using the Viam SDK in the language of your choice, and configure it to dispense treats automatically at the right time.

Additional creative upgrades 

If you want to take this project one step further, here are a few tips from our engineers: train a ML model to reward your pet when they perform a trick, or add speakers that play a personalized message whenever you give them treats. If you have multiple pets, configure the feeder to dispense different treats for each one by training the ML model to recognize each pet individually.

Get the full tutorial for the DIY Raspberry Pi automatic pet feeder.

Raspberry Pi companion robot featuring OpenAI

Build your very own C-3PO or Rosey from the Jetsons with this low-code tutorial, featuring less than 200 lines of code altogether. You’ll learn how to integrate ChatGPT with a physical device, building a companion robot that can follow commands and interact with others.

Project summary

Difficulty-level: Advanced 

Shopping List

• Raspberry Pi 4 with microSD card with viam-server installed
• Any rover with a microphone (for this project we used the Viam Rover)
• 270 degree servo
• USB powered speaker (with 3.5mm audio cable and USB power cable)

For the full list of materials you’ll need, head to the Raspberry Pi companion tutorial.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Set up your Viam Rover and mount the servo.

2. Prepare the servo disc and connect the speaker for ChatGPT-generated responses.
3. Install the necessary software, including an open-source ML detector model, and power on the Raspberry Pi.
4. Configure the rover to recognize and operate the servo, and enable ML detector model within the Viam vision service.
5. Run the code to bring your Raspberry Pi companion to life, and test it out with voice commands.

Additional creative upgrades

To take your robot to the next level, try setting the voice recognition software to always listen for your commands and deploying another ML model that lets it follow you when directed.

Get the full tutorial for the Raspberry Pi companion robot.

Raspberry Pi camera projects for smart monitoring

Raspberry Pi guardian robot

Want to create your very own Zelda-inspired stationary guardian robot that easily blends into its environment and detects objects or family members around your house? Here’s a more advanced Raspberry Pi camera project that’s not only useful but also gives you a chance to flex your creative skills.

Project summary

Difficulty-level: Advanced

Shopping List

• Raspberry Pi 4 + power cable with viam-server installed
• Raspberry Pi Camera v1.3 + 50cm ribbon cable
• v180 degree SG90 servo

For the full list of materials you’ll need, head to the Raspberry Pi guardian tutorial.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Use 3D prints and connect the Raspberry Pi, the servo, and Raspberry Pi camera together.

2. Configure the components and test them within the Viam app.
3. Finish decorating and assembling your Raspberry Pi guardian while disconnected.

4. Set up the object detection model, EfficentDet-COCO, for complete smart monitoring capabilities.
5. Program the robot to automatically produce lights, music, and movement as it detects people and pets.
6. Assemble the Raspberry Pi guardian using 3D prints and connecting the Raspberry Pi, the servo, and the Raspberry Pi camera with this module.

Additional creative upgrades

Enhance your guardian robot creation by adding extra LEDs and an image classification model to play different colored lights when various objects are detected. You can also train your own custom model so the robot automatically triggers alerts or performs different tasks of your choosing.

Get the full tutorial for the Raspberry Pi camera guardian.

Raspberry Pi camera projects for robotics

Raspberry Pi line follower robot

If you’re looking for a simpler Raspberry Pi camera project, this tutorial guides you through building a wheeled robot that follows a line in any color you choose. It’s an ideal project if you are looking for something that involves less physical assembly than some of the others.

Project summary

Difficulty-level: Beginner-friendly

Shopping List

• Raspberry Pi 4 with viam-server installed
• SCUTTLE robot (or any other wheeled base component)
• EMEET C690 (or any other RBG camera or Raspberry Pi Camera v1.3 )

For the complete list of materials you’ll need, head to the Raspberry Pi line follower robot tutorial.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Connect your machine using the Viam app and configure each of the components.
2. Test the components and program the robot to identify tape lines by using the vision service color detector.

3. Test the color detector with the camera and add navigation functionalities to the rover using Python and the Viam Python SDK.

4. Run the program by positioning the rover so the camera sees the colored line, and it will start following it automatically.

Additional creative upgrades 

To add additional capabilities to your line follower robot, our engineers recommend going one step further by having the robot automatically detect and follow any colored line it sees. For more complexity, add two different colored lines that intersect and have the robot switch from one line to the other. Also, consider getting a second rover and putting each of them on intersecting lines, ensuring they never crash.

Get the full tutorial for the Raspberry Pi webcam line follower.

Raspberry Pi autonomous drink-carrying robot

Imagine you’re at a social event, enjoying a conversation, and suddenly feeling thirsty—but you’d rather not leave to get a drink. With this advanced Raspberry Pi camera project, you can build an autonomous drink-carrying robot to bring refreshments right to you, letting you continue chatting with your friends without skipping a beat.

Project summary

Difficulty-level: Advanced

Shopping List

• Raspberry Pi 4 with microSD card and viam-server installed
• SCUTTLE robot (or any other wheeled base component)
• T-slotted framing rails of various sizes
• USB camera or Raspberry Pi Camera v1.3 
• A box to hold drinks

For the full list of materials you’ll need, head to the Raspberry Pi drink-carrying robot tutorial.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Wire your robot with the SCUTTLE robot as the base and configure the components on the Viam app.

2. Test the components and then configure the vision service on your machine using the object detection model, EfficientDet-COCO.
3. After testing the detection camera, design your robot by connecting the T-slotted framing rails and a box to the robot base.

4. Add the robot logic code and run it to make drink delivery possible at any social event.

Additional creative upgrades

If you want to make your drink-carrying robot even more autonomous, our engineers suggest adding a depth camera to detect and determine how close obstacles are to it. You could also attach more ultrasonic sensors so it avoids hitting objects at different heights. 

Get the full tutorial for the Raspberry Pi autonomous drink-carrying robot.

Build your own Raspberry Pi camera project today

These tutorials provide you with a standard framework to build each Raspberry Pi camera project. With Viam’s modular, pluggable platform, you can easily swap in other cameras and materials to design each machine your way. 

If you’d like to explore additional projects, check out our award-winning Raspberry Pi AI project ideas. To share your innovations with others and get advice on build upgrades, join our Discord.