Tom Murray has created a great case for the Model B+ and is currently trying to crowd-fund it through Kickstarter.
The SmartiPi is a case that has a LEGO-compatible top. It’s got the following features:
- Permanently embedded 2×6 Lego® compatible plates.
- Included is a 6×10 Lego® compatible plate that can be snapped onto the embedded 2×6 plates. This makes the top flush.
- Screw together construction with 4 screws included.
- 3 holes which line up with 75mm vesa mounts
- Areas in housing for routing through zip ties and/or twine.
- Quick wall mount eyelets on back.
- Stacking features on bottom allow for stacking of multiple SmartiPi cases.
- Feature on housing can be used with GoPro® mounts (bolt included).
- Holes for DSI and CSI cable routing.
- Compatible with 40 pin GPIO connector (secondary strain relief must be removed, if applicable).
- Visual access to LEDs.
There’s also a camera case that goes with it and a GoPro tripod mount too.
Tom’s clearly thought a lot about the design of his product and he’s already done 3D-printed prototypes which look great. If you’re in the USA, you can get the case on it’s own for $13 and you can get the main case and the camera case together for $17. If you’re not in the USA, it’s $17 (approx £10.50) and $21 (£13). This puts the case in the same cost bracket as the full PiBow, for example.
I think it’s great value and will be backing it myself. At $14k (because he needs all kinds of moulds made) it’ll have to go some, but I think it deserves to!