Raspberry Pi powers sentry turret straight out of the ‘Portal’ franchise

Maker and developer Reckless_commenter has brought the iconic sentry turret from the Portal franchise into the real world, crafting a Raspberry Pi-powered replica that’s as eerie as it is fascinating. This stationary turret doesn’t fire bullets, but its glowing red “eye” and ominous voice lines will undoubtedly trigger a sense of foreboding in fans of the game.

Originally envisioned as a decorative 3D print, the project took a creative turn when Reckless_commenter realized there was enough space inside the turret to house electronics. With a bit of ingenuity, he transformed the static model into a functional homage to Portal, complete with lights, sound effects, and portability.

To power the turret’s features, a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W was chosen for its small size and versatility. An LED was added to mimic the turret’s glowing eye, while an Adafruit MAX98357A amplifier and a 3W speaker provide sound output, delivering the turret’s trademark phrases. The entire setup is powered by a LiPo battery connected to an Adafruit PowerBoost 1000C module, which also adds a convenient charging port. A simple switch allows the turret to be powered on or off without needing to dismantle it.

Using Pygame, Reckless_commenter programmed the turret to play soundbites directly from the game, giving it the same unsettling personality as its in-game counterpart. There’s even room for future enhancements, such as adding motion sensors or a camera module to detect people and react dynamically using AI.

If you’re curious to see this Portal turret in action or want to learn more about its construction, Reckless_commenter has shared a full build thread on Reddit, including a video demonstration and detailed insights into the project.

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