Many people like Raspberry Pi (). Not only are computer circuit boards cheap, but there’s a lot you can do with them. Time and time again, great projects are created with RPi boards as the core. The latest one that caught our eye might be one of the most exciting creations out there: a truck turned into a dot matrix printer.
Likes Discover Youtuber Ryder Damen (owner of the channel He) runs a Raspberry Pi to control his homemade “printer,” which includes a pickup truck, water, and a whole bunch of tools for writing messages on the floor. Damen calls it “writing in the sky, but on the street.”
In the video, Damen explains how the idea came about (watch the trucks draw signs on the road), as well as the process of building the “printer” and the materials used. A sheet of plywood and a hitch form the frame of the machine, to which solenoids, valves, and hoses are then attached, serving as parts for the printer. The solenoids control the valves, which open when a 12-volt power supply is used. Meanwhile, hoses divide the flow of water from a central point (a pump and a bucket full of water) to each valve.
The system is controlled by a Raspberry Pi, which is connected to each valve via a relay and solenoid valves. Damen has built a website on the device where you can type in the message you want and choose the speed of the print job. (Damen notes in the video that you can also choose the font, but “only one font will work”). The message is then converted into an image, analyzed and then divided into segments based on the number of fuses in the truck. The code determines whether each valve is in an area considered light or dark: if it is dark, the valve will spray water. When the light is low, the valve remains closed.
Sample messages from Damen’s YouTube timeline for the project.
Rider Ladies / YouTube
In the video, Damen recounts the ups and downs of making the project a reality, as well as troubleshooting at every stage of the process (when it seemed like the first relay used killed the Raspberry Pi, I actually felt pity — as Damen notes, the Raspberry Pi is hard to get , and it will be difficult to replace it). It’s an interesting journey to follow, especially after years of dealing with dot matrix printers.
If you’ve ever wanted to build your own off-road truck, this is it Available now on GitHub – and the Raspberry Pi Foundation says it is , so it will be possible to get one again. But if that’s not your thing, you can instead enjoy Damen’s other projects. As Tom’s Hardware reports in our Dot Matrix Truck review, you can also see the or your Builds.
This letter is the German translation of the English language
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