Camera

Link the Pi to a camera and you can make anything from autonomous vehicles to wearable computers that observe the world around them.

An official camera module is expected to launch within the next couple of months, so keep an eye on the Raspberry Pi Foundation website for availability.

The finished camera is expected to be around five megapixels, capable of capturing stills and video and cost about $20 - $25.

The module should be able to capture 1080p video at 30 frames per second, as it will use the GPU for encoding. Users should be able to exert fine control over a wide range of image settings, including ISO and white balance, via software.

The tiny size of the module - a prototype of which is seen here - makes it ideal for some of the robotics and home automation applications people are working on.

While you wait for its release you might want to check out this list of USB webcams that work with the Pi, although their video will likely have a lower frame rate and be of a lower resolution than that captured by the module.

Photo: Raspberry Pi Foundation