The CyberPlug Is a Raspberry Pi-Powered Cyberdeck Tailored for Electronics Projects
Integrated solderless breadboard, connected to the Raspberry Pi's GPIO header, makes experimentation a breeze.
Pseudonymous maker "PickentCode" has designed a compact, portable Raspberry Pi-powered cyberdeck designed for experimenting with electronics in the field — complete with integrated solderless breadboard: the CyberPlug.
"My cyberdeck journey started because I wanted to build a portable computer where I can connect electronic sensors and parts directly to the computer," PickentCode explains of the project. "The first two versions had issues that made them unpleasant to use, so I designed the third one (hopefully the last one)."
Inside the 3D-printed housing is a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B single-board computer, connected to a 5,000mAh USB power bank for on-the-go operation. The front includes an off-the-shelf compact keyboard with integrated touchpad and a 4" IPS full-color square-format touchscreen display — but it's what's to the right of the display that makes the CyberPlug interesting.
In order to make it easier to add and remove through-hole components in the field, PickentCode's design includes an integrated solderless breadboard connected directly to the general-purpose input/output (GPIO) header on the Raspberry Pi 4. A handle makes the whole thing portable, while hinges and magnets combined to provide the option to convert it for desktop use. "On a desk," its creator notes, "the cyberdeck is still usable even without the power bank and keyboard if removed."
More information is available in PickentCode's Reddit post.
Freelance journalist, technical author, hacker, tinkerer, erstwhile sysadmin. For hire: freelance@halfacree.co.uk.