Etch-A-Snap — A Raspberry Pi powered Etch-A-Sketch Camera

thingiverse

Etch-A-Snap revolutionizes photography by harnessing the power of a Raspberry Pi Zero (or Zero W) to capture images just like any standard camera, but instead of displaying them as digital files, it outputs high-quality line drawings on a Pocket Etch-A-Sketch screen at an impressively slow pace. The full scope and detailed instructions for building this innovative project are available here: https://www.twobitarcade.net/article/etch-a-snap/. Photos are meticulously processed into 100x60 pixel, 1-bit (black & white) line drawings using the powerful tools of Pillow and OpenCV. These line drawings are then translated into precise plotter commands by constructing a network graph representation with networkx. The Etch-A-Sketch wheels are expertly driven by two high-torque stepper motors mounted within a custom, 3D printed frame. This masterpiece is fully portable and powered by four AA batteries and three 18650 LiPo cells. The time required to develop a single photo ranges from approximately 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the complexity of the image captured. ## 3D Printed Components A set of essential parts includes a sturdy frame, two drive wheels, two control wheels, and a camera mount. For optimal results, print these components in their matching colors - namely, the frame in black, the drive wheels in red, and the control wheels in white. The recommended printing settings are 0.2 layer height and 30% infill, using high-quality PLA material.