Fallout Fans Finally Get a Pip-Boy They Can Wear on Their Wrist in the Form of a Custom Smartwatch

Huy Vector turned a childhood obsession with the Fallout games into a working smartwatch that looks and feels like it came straight from the vaults. The finished piece sits comfortably on the wrist with a simple leather strap, yet every detail echoes the classic Pip-Boy design from the series. Green text scrolls across a small screen against a black background, vital signs appear in the familiar retro font, and the whole thing runs on everyday parts anyone can order online.

Vector used the Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32-S3 board for the Vector project, which crams a microcontroller, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi into an extremely compact device that fits beneath the display. He chose a 1.54-inch LCD for the panel, which replicates the green-on-black image that gamers fondly remember. A MAX30102 sensor is nestled into the back to monitor heart rate and blood oxygen levels in real time, which is ideal for keeping an eye on things while playing. The entire system is powered by a small lithium-ion battery that is discreetly hidden. It’s all held together with copper tubing and some clever brass hardware that also serves as controls.

Vector’s assembly requires some careful soldering and a few simple tools. Vector constructed the frame with 0.8 millimeter copper wire, a handful of M2 brass screws, and some short parts of brass tube. Once he had tidied up the wiring and ensured its stability, the screws served as touch points. To prevent accidental triggering, the bases of those screws are encased with heat-shrink tubing. There’s a little switch that allows you to turn on and off the unit without having to reach for your phone. If you’re curious about the parts list, Vector lays it down on his website and links directly to the vendors, even the solder and flux, so if you have basic abilities, you should be fine.

Vector programmed his own code to extract data from the heart rate sensor and send it to the Pip-Boy interface, using the Adafruit GFX library for visuals and the SparkFun MAX3010x library for readings. The program can be downloaded onto the ESP32 board via a typical USB connection. Once it’s running, you’ll see live heart rate and SpO2 data in a clean, game-accurate interface. Toggling the brass points navigates between the various panels, and the wireless functionality is still in the works, waiting for future upgrades that may include notifications or other data.

He also made the complete list of parts, wiring schematic, and code file available on his website for free. There aren’t any kits for sale currently, but if you’re the sort to tackle a project like this, you can get the individual parts and make one yourself. Just be aware that it may be one-of-a-kind, but that’s all part of the excitement.
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