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This DIY seismograph feels the good vibrations

Raspberry Pi is the backbone of a new Kickstarter gadget that tracks tiny taps and massive tremors.

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David Priest Former editor
David Priest is an award-winning writer and editor who formerly covered home security for CNET.
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David Priest

A new Kickstarter project called Raspberry Shake is a DIY seismograph that tracks everything from nearby footsteps to deep-earth tremors. The name comes from the device's plug-and-play use of the Raspberry Pi, a popular and affordable single-board computer.

The Kickstarter page clarifies that the Raspberry Shake will not track some earthquake subtleties that more expensive, non-consumer seismographs would pick up, but it should graph quite a bit. "Raspberry Shake is sensor-digitizer that records earthquakes from about magnitude 2 and higher within a radius of 50 miles, and a magnitude 4 and higher in a radius of 300 miles," reads the page.

The Kickstarter project, which launched last month, has already exceeded its target funding goal of $7000 by nearly $80,000. While the 50 Early Bird offers of $79 (about £60 or AU$102) have all been claimed, the Raspberry Shake is still available until Friday for a pledge price of $99 (about £75 or AU$129) and up. The device is expected to be delivered to backers in November.