iMakr Store to Unveil the 3D Printed Pi-Top Laptop Today as Indiegogo Campaign Launches

We have covered Pi-Top, the 3D printable Raspberry Pi laptop, quite extensively over the last couple of months. The amazing do-it-yourself project, the brainchild of Ryan Dunwoody and Jesse Lozano, has officially launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign. Seeking $80,000 by November 14th, Pi-Top will be offering backers a variety of very interesting rewards.

Prior to backing the project, if you would like to get hands-on experience, and happen to be in the London area later this afternoon, you will have your chance. At 6:00pm local time at the iMakr store, located at 79 Clerkenwell Road, Farringdon, the Pi-Top will be on hand along with its creators, to mark the launch of their Indiegogo campaign. Test it out, speak to the people behind the project, and network with others in the area.

The campaign, which officially launched late last night, has already brought in a over $23,000 from 81 different backers at the time of us publishing this story. Those who are interested in the Pi-Top kit, featuring everything needed to construct your very own laptop, including the Raspberry Pi board, there is still time to get in on the ‘Super Early Bird” reward, which will cost you just $229. Once 100 of these are sold, the price will rise to $249. There are also a variety of other options for backers, including a kit without the Raspberry Pi B+ board ($209), a kit with a Pi-Top robot HAT included ($399), or the educational bundle featuring 3 Pi-Tops, 3 home automation HATs and 1 robot HAT for $1000.

As we have explained in past articles, the Pi-Top is a transformative educational tool. By providing a hands-on learning experience, these kits enable children, students and adults to obtain a clear understanding of the science behind electronics assembly, while providing them with a fun and challenging project. With Pi-Top’s free Innovation Lessons, they break down for the user what each part of the laptop is for, as well as how to go about its construction.  For those who are more advanced, they may want to consider adding the robot HAT into their kit for an additional charge.  ‘HAT” stands for hardware attached on-top, and for this project will enable users to 3D print a robot shell which functions with the Raspeberry PI HAT in quite an incredible manner.

All the kits come with an injection molded laptop shell for those of you not interested in 3D printing your own. If you are interested in 3D printing your own shell, the files for the parts are all included within the kit. This will allow for manipulation and design tweaks by the users, presenting them with the opportunity of totally customizing their Pi-Top.

Even if you are a beginner, those behind the project estimate that this innovative do-it-yourself project should take no longer than one evening to complete. Let us know if you have backed this project, as well as your thoughts on this unique 3D printable laptop in the Pi-Top forum thread on 3DPB.com.  For more information on this incredible project, check out the video provided below.