From automated cat shelters to unique video game controllers, a quick look online reveals a treasure trove of Raspberry Pi projects that sit somewhere between mad science and marvels of engineering.

From reviving a dead Sega console to hosting your own dial-up internet connection, a Raspberry Pi can turn an afternoon into a deep, weird rabbit hole.

When Raspberry Pi rolled out in 2012, people immediately hailed the low-cost, credit card-size microcomputer as a fun new toy for kids and tech tinkerers. Since then, forward-thinking Pi users adapted ...