# Ideas for embedded devices

To start with, you could easily make a self-sufficient, fully-functioning [personal computer](computers-hardware.md).

- It will often have to be [Linux](computers-os-unix.md), but you can also make it a Windows thin client to remotely access a separate, more powerful [Windows](computers-os-windows.md) computer.
- While it's a bit clunky, you can even make a smartphone with the right parts (e.g., [OURS project](https://github.com/evanman83/OURS-project/)).

## Hobby ideas

Practice [PenTesting](computers-cysec-pentest.md).

Record and stream [video](engineering-screen.md).

Use and manage your entire media library in a media server.

Create a smart TV.

Play [electronic games](computers-software-gamedev.md).

Build a [robot](computers-robotics.md).

Make an FM radio, [FM transmitter](https://github.com/markondej/fm_transmitter) or streaming internet radio station.

Make a time-lapse camera.

Create a music box.

Make a wireless boombox.

Build an oscilloscope.

Make an automatic plant waterer.

Maintain the irrigation system of a [farm](horticulture.md).

- [GardenPi](https://projects-raspberry.com/gardenpi-powered-by-neptune/)

Create a soundboard.

Build an [e-ink home weather display](https://github.com/kimmobrunfeldt/eink-weather-display).

## Convenient improvements

Make a motion detector or laser tripwire.

Block ads across your home network ([called a Pi-hole](https://pi-hole.net/)).

Create a Wi-Fi bridge (e.g., make an old printer wireless).

Create a Wi-Fi extender.

Control your smart lights.

Create a video doorbell.

Manage your smart home (e.g., locks, climate control).

Make a weather station with collected weather data (eg., temperature, humidity).

Monitor air quality.

Create an altimeter.

Create a simple display indicator (e.g., meetings, opened, cleaned, etc.).

Create a voice-activated or gesture-controlled digital assistant.

## Personal [risk management](safety-riskmgmt.md)

Create a motion-activated security video feed.

Make a backup camera for your auto.

[Cloud](computers-distsys-cloud.md) synchronize your files.

Create a [VPN](computers-cysec.md) server or build a local Tor router.

Make a [firewall](computers-cysec.md).

Host your private [password manager](encryption.md).

Host a [DNS server](computers-browser.md).

Make a [facial-recognition or voice-recognition](computers-cysec-authentication.md) lockbox.

## [Enterprise](computers-distsys-enterprise.md)-grade projects

Host a [database](database.md).

Host [virtual machines](computers-distsys-vm.md).

Train a [machine learning algorithm](computers-ai-ml.md) to detect pretty much anything in particular.

Host a complete [web server](computers-sofware-webdev.md).

Keep a private phone server.

Host your own email.

Track things with RFID tags.

## Enterprise-grade support projects

[Network monitor](https://github.com/geerlingguy/internet-pi)

Computer resource monitoring

Keep a redundant [NAS](computers-distsys-cloud.md)