Instructables user crgfrench writes, “Build an egg-coloring robot that is completely independent of external computers by embedding a Raspberry Pi into the EggBot chassis.”
The Original Egg-Bot! – Deluxe Kit! – The Eggbot is an open-source art robot that can draw on spherical or egg-shaped objects from the size of a ping pong ball to that of a small grapefruit– roughly 1.25 to 4.25 inches in diameter (3 – 10 cm).
The Eggbot is super adjustable, and is designed to draw on all kinds of things that are normally “impossible” to print on. Not just eggs but ping pong balls, light bulbs, mini pumpkins, and even things like wine glasses– with a bit of work. See the photos above for some examples of personalized golf balls, christmas ornaments, light bulbs, and (yes) eggs.
The Eggbot chassis is made of tough fiberglass, with integrated heat sinks for the included motors. The pen and egg motors are high-torque precision stepping motors, and the pen lift mechanism is a quiet and reliable servo motor.
The Eggbot kit is easy to assemble in a couple of hours, and only requires a couple of basic tools like miniature Phillips-head and flathead screwdrivers. No soldering required. You’ll also need a recent-vintage computer with an available USB port (Mac, Windows or Linux), plus internet access to download assembly instructions and necessary software.
I went a little further and installed a VNC server on the Pi and a VNC client on my iPhone, now we have an autonomous EggBot which needs no external computer, keyboard, mouse or monitor — it is all controlled wirelessly from iPad or iPhone. Please see the video at http://www.instructables.com/id/iPad-controlled-Raspberry-Pi-powering-an-EggBot/ .
Here is the sequence (I also posted this on the Raspberry Pi Forum at http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=39306&p=323184&hilit=eggbot#p323184):
1) On the Pi terminal, run:
sudo apt-get install inkscape
2) Browse to the Evil Mad Science Labs EggBot wiki page and download the Linux Eggbot extensions and examples.
3) In terminal, run:
sudo apt-get install tightvncserver
4) Follow the directions at http://www.penguintutor.com/linux/tightvnc to add the VNC server to the startup of the Pi.
5) Install the free app “Mocha VNC Lite” on your iPad or iPhone. Now run the EggBot from your iPad/iPhone.