I’ve always dreamed of having my own wearable Pip-Boy and was seriously tempted by the Fallout 4 Pip-Boy Edition, but couldn’t justify the price. Now that I’ve read some reviews, and had a chance to look at one in person, I’m very glad that I didn’t splurge. While it works nicely and, with some distressing paint, would be great for cosplay, it isn’t practical or comfortable to wear while gaming. So while I continue to prototype an actual wearable Pip-Boy type device, I’m going to build a simpler desktop edition. With that, I can iron out all the issues with power, network, and software while I continue to refine it into a wearable version.
So far the model is just a rough draft, but it is enough to test the form and function of the stand. For screen and processing power I’m using a Raspberry Pi 2 with a Pi specific 7″ LCD. Connecting the LCD to the pie is done with a thin ribbon cable and a couple of jumpers to provide power and ground. The kit includes standoffs to mount the LCD controller board and the Raspberry Pi to the back of the LCD. In the end it’s a little thick for a wearable device, but it will suit my PipDesk easily enough.
I’ve started the design in OpenSCAD and will post a link to my GitHub in the next article. Right now it’s a quick draft without any of the dials or knobs, but it is enough to test the size, internal cutouts for the LCD and Pi, and figure out how cables are routed. Tonight I’m going to resurrect my 3D printer and get to prototyping. I’ll post back here every week until I get this built. Special thanks to Newark/Element14 for providing the Raspberry Pi and LCD. I’ve bought a ton of stuff from Newark in the past, and Element14 is a great source of information about the products they sell.
