A Raspberry Pi project using SaraKIT to power a LEGO RC car
The Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 makes the little Developer Board even more portable and versatile, but it can be tricky to find a use for the device that doesn’t squander its power. That’s where the SaraKIT comes in, a custom carrier board from developer duo Artur Majtczak and Maciek Matuszewski that focuses all the power of the Compute Module 4 on a single application: a LEGO RC car that can be controlled with a smartphone.
Dubbed ‘Sara,’ the RC car features a full suite of four-wheel drive, with precise motor control that lets it get around without bumping into things. The SaraKIT board includes voice control, allowing you to command the car to move around, stop, go left, go right, and more using simple commands. The board also includes a number of other features, such as CSI ports for camera modules, accelerometers, gyroscope, and a temperature sensor.
The build itself is relatively straightforward, with the body of the car being made using familiar LEGO parts. Some of the more advanced components, such as the motor drivers, are 3D printed, and there’s a Raspberry Pi Build HAT for an alternative base if you don’t want to use LEGO Mindstorms/Technic and Spike.
The software for the project isn’t yet available to the public, but Majtczak and Matuszewski plan to share the source code on the team’s GitHub page “once we are done with testing and polishing.” In the meantime, the pair have shared sample scripts in C++, Python, and Delphi, and a demo video is available on YouTube.
Check out the official build page at Hackster for more details on the project, and keep an eye out for the code release.
Find out more about the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4
