μRpic

Yet Another Modular Raspberry Pi Camera System

Overview

μRpic is a modular camera system based on a Raspberry Pi, offering flexibility and customization for users. Using off-the-shelf components enclosed in a 3D-printed case, this project allows you to build a customizable camera for diverse applications.

Features

• Modular Design: Easily adapt and extend hardware components.
• Custom Software: Four customizable software windows:
  1. Main Preview: Overlay with battery and mode status.
  2. Mode Selection: Switch between available modes.
  3. Settings: Adjust parameters for the current mode.
  4. Miscellaneous Info: Display mode-specific data.
• Compatibility: Supports all original Raspberry Pi Camera Module PCBs and can be modified for others.

Modularity

The 3D-printed case is designed for minimal support use and consists of four main parts:

Part	Description
Back Case	The back of the case with buttons and screen.
Front Case	The front of the case with the battery compartment.
Camera Support	The camera support that glues to the front for easier printing experience.
Removable Adapter Plate	The removable adapter plate that can be changed on the fly with just two screws.

Components

Component Description Raspberry Pi 4 The brain of the system. Waveshare 4.3" Touchscreen Compact display for live interaction. Homemade Battery Pack 3P battery pack using 18650 cells. Arducam 64MP Autofocus High-resolution camera module.

Life plan of the project

This is the first viable version of the camera and another one is already in preparation, with some improvements to the battery pack and overall design. For some application, the addition of a few sensors is also in progress.

Software Instructions

1. Install Raspberry Pi OS

• Begin by installing Raspberry Pi OS on your Raspberry Pi device.

2. Clone the Repository

• Clone this repository to your Raspberry Pi:

  git clone https://github.com/gapsar/MuRPic.git
  cd MuRPic

3. Install Required Libraries

• Install picamera2:

  pip install picamera2

• Install OpenCV:

  pip install opencv-python

• Install PyQt5:

  pip install pyqt5

4. Run the Application

• Launch the main.py file:

  python main.py

Contributing

A significant portion of the code was cleaned and improved by local LLMs. If you’d like to add features or new modes, feel free to submit a pull request. Contributions are welcome!

License

μRpic is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.