Raspberry Pi used to build working Fallout Pipboy

The Raspberry Pi is being drafted for some important work.

The Raspberry Pi is being drafted for some important work. The tiny circuit board computer is, for instance, being combined with Minecraftas a way to encourage youngsters to play with programming. But, in the grand scheme of things, can there be any more important use for the device than as the centrepiece to a Fallout inspired Halloween cosplay? I think you'll agree that there can't.

Programmer Ryan Grieve built a Pipboy device for just that reason. Using a car reversing monitor, Open Street Map data, some LEDs and a polymer face plate, he created a fully functioning wrist-mounted computer, complete with world map, local map (of the apocalyptic Belfast), radio and Twitter client. I'm not sure the micro social network would actually survive a nuclear winter, but it's nice to be prepared. You wouldn't want to miss the constant #MutantWorldProblems hashtag updates after all.

Unfortunately the project died just hours before its official Halloween unveiling, after a wiring mishap shorted out the board and set fire to the screen. Ryan plans to rebuild the device in the new year. You can read about the programming and development of the Raspberry Pipboy, and see the code that was powering it, at his blog.