Elecrow, creators of the CrowPi 2 and the CrowView has written to us to detail its new CrowPi 3, which will launch on Kickstarter "soon." This is quite a complex product, designed to be an innovative open-source learning tool built around the Raspberry Pi 5 single-board computer. The comprehensive hardware consists of 30+ components, and Elecrow has prepared 100+ "meticulously planned courses" for your edutainment. Elecrow believes the versatile CrowPi 3 will appeal to enthusiasts and developers.
The CrowPi 3 isn't confined to Pi 5 compatibility. Owners are free to plug in other SBCs to expand the processing possibilities, namely the Arduino Nano V3, micro:bit, and the Raspberry Pi Pico or Raspberry Pi Pico W series. The SBC you plug in can use a whole host of AI capabilities, sensors, ports/interfaces, LEDs, and (touch) displays, and there are even a pair of integrated breadboards for use in your projects.
In its email to Tom's Hardware, Elecrow highlighted the use of its CrowPi 3 in AI projects. It says that the Pi 5 packing device integrates an "AI intelligent hardware platform that supports a wide range of applications." Suggested AI tasks range from simple OpenCV image processing to advanced deep-learning frameworks, says the firm. If this offering works as expected it could open up AI maker projects for users of all skill levels, "enabling tasks such as object recognition, face detection, and intelligent search," boasts Elecrow. The Raspberry Pi 5 has seen a plethora of AI products in 2024. Two AI HATs, in the form of the AI HAT+, the AI Kit, and the AI Camera kit.
A browse through the extensive specs list we have shared, above, will also help give readers a grasp of the capabilities and functionality on offer with the Elecrow CrowPi 3. The in/out sensors that are built in are particularly wide-ranging and plentiful - opening up so many projects.
We only have an overview of example learning course categories and topics from Elecrow at the time of writing. Above you can see the learning UI and main topics, and a page of example projects which include the creation of an intrusion alarm, an RGB matrix version of Tetris, and a Theremin-style musical instrument.
Hopefully, we will get a lot more details about the product and the 100+ courses when the Kickstarter goes live. Project pages often feature illuminative videos, to demonstrate the upcoming products. We don't have pricing or availability yet, either. However, the good news is that Elecrow are sending Tom's Hardware a sample, so we will publish an in-depth review in due course.
Lastly, please remember that participating in a crowdfunding campaign is not a guarantee of receiving a finished product. Backing a crowdfunded project is akin to an investment; you believe in the project and want it to succeed. You are not purchasing a retail product.
Update: Elecrow has contacted us to highlight that the consumer version of the CrowPi 3 will be gray, not blue, as in the prototype pictured above. Furthermore, the features and specs shared in our coverage are indicative and not yet set in stone. The finalized details will be shared soon, when the crowdfunding campaign begins.
