Hello everybody,
Since I came across the DIY Smartmirror project of Micheal Teuw and this forum about 1.5 years ago, I really wanted to build one myself. The project started on December 25, 2016 with the purchase of a Raspis and after almost one year it has been hanging on the wall since January 2, 2018. I’m curious if and how he proves himself in everyday life.
The main goal was to build as lean and frameless mirror as possible, which requires no control in everyday life.
The mirror has the following functions:
Indirect lighting with dimming function and color temperature selection from 6500K -2700K
Bluetooth speakers with exciters that stimulate the glass surface instead of a membrane
Radar motion detector that turns the display on and off
Smart Mirror modules:
Weather
date
Events
News Feed
fuel prices
Personal Greeting
Travel times public transport
Face recognition for user profile control
My main problems with the project were:
To find a provider for the spy mirror
To find the largest possible TV or display, which is very narrow and down-facing ports
To get a reasonably functioning facial recognition. The detection rate is mediocre
To find a motion detector that detects through metallized glass
Here are some steps in the process of getting started:
The project stood and fell with a German provider for the PILKINGTON MIRROPANE which was advertised in the forum and many tests as the best. I chose a thickness of 4mm and a size of 1.5m x 0.8m with rounded corners and edges.
After the bi-annual research for the mirror, the search for the right screen was hardly shorter. Although I would liked to have an even larger display but the AOC is ideal from its nature with max only 2 cm depth.
The separate power supply makes disassembly of the screen unnecessary. Only the foot must be unscrewed.
The frame was built with square wood from the hardware store in the size 3.8 cm. Thus, nothing in the mirror should have a depth greater than 3.8 cm. The beams were dowelled, pegged and glued.
For attachment to the wall without columns but with adjustment I have made hanging bars. Alternatively, there are now IKEA rails with adjustment options.
On the cheap Amazon Bluetoothlautsprecher the speakers were removed and replaced by exciters, which bring the mirror surface to vibrate instead of a membrane. The battery was replaced by a 5V power supply that also powers the Raspi.
For indirect lighting special 45 ° aluminum profiles were used, into which the LED strips were laid. The lighting can be dimmed and set the color temperature by radio.
As I later discovered, neither the PIR sensor nor the radar sensor detects through a mirror. But since the radar sensor does not need a Fresnel cover to detect at wide angle, I kept using it. So that anything can be detected, I had to drill a hole in the mirror.
Yes, that was just as exciting as it sounds.
Behind the hole came the sensor and before that a cover. Becuase the plastic covers did not look good enough, I used a metal one. Although this lowers the detection performance but looks classy. The sensor now works more as a touch sensor but the compromise on the optics was worth it.
I am satisfied with the final result.
