Building your own remote-controlled robot or car is a favourite activity for kids who are using a Pi to learn about programming and electronics.

But this is the first one we’ve encountered that interfaces with a remote control made of cheese.

We absolutely love MaKey MaKey here at Pi Towers: it’s a kit that enables you to use any conductive objects in place of keypresses or switches, and there is little more engaging when you’re a kid than being able to build inputs out of things you’re more used to eating for dinner. I think this setup is a considerable imaginative leap forward from the standard bananapiano. I am not knocking bananapianos. Bananapianos are great. But it’s the canonical MaKey MaKey project, and so many people stop there, when there’s a whole world of conductive objects out there; and a whole world of things to make them control.

Like cheese. And tiny cars.

This is the work of Conor O’Neill, who wanted to do some family electronics his kids would enjoy. You can read a great writeup of his project on his website, with all the code you’ll need, and thoughts on where he wants to take the project next.

We salute your greasy forefingers, Conor and kids.