Start by Gathering Materials
The foundation of crafting a voice-controlled smart mirror begins with the materials you’ll need. Critical components to gather include a Rasberry Pi 3 or 4, monitor, two-way mirrored acrylic sheet, ultrathin HDMI cable, wall plug and cable, USB microphone, speakers, and a standard metal picture frame to encompass your mirror.
Choosing Efficient Software and Establishing Data Privacy
It’s imperative to consider two elements when choosing an efficient software: user-friendliness and data privacy. Nowadays, open-source voice recognition platforms becoming more sophisticated than ever, led by the likes of Mycroft and Jasper. These platforms guarantee user data never gets uploaded or stored onto servers—a valuable necessity in the age of data privacy concerns.
Contrarily, using Google’s Assistant SDK will call for the least effort, but you’ll lose control over your data. All your voice commands will be sent to Google’s servers, making it the less private option.
Decide on your preferred system balancing both quality and privacy, then proceed to the actual installation. For purposes of this article, we will use Google’s Assistant SDK.
Setting Up Raspberry Pi
The crux of your smart mirror will be a Raspberry Pi, a small single-board computer about the size of a credit card. You’ll need to set it up with an operating system. Recommended is Rasbian, a Debian-based operating system specifically adapted for the Raspberry Pi.
Start by downloading the latest version of Raspbian, use a tool like balenaEtcher for easy flash writing to your memory card, and install it to your Raspberry Pi.
Preparing the Monitor
You’re going to build your smart mirror by disassembling an LED monitor. Remove the casing until only the LCD and control board remain. Carefully remove the control board and glue it to the back of the LCD. Attach the ultrathin HDMI cable and power cable, integrating the Raspberry Pi with the monitor.
Creating the Mirror Effect
A two-way mirror film gives your smart mirror its characteristic reflective surface. This film allows light from the monitor to pass through while reflecting ambient light, making it seem like your desired information (weather, time, etc.) is appearing directly on the mirror.
Apply the film onto the monitor screen, ensuring no air bubbles are left. Furthermore, invest in a quality film that will provide the perfect combination of transparency and reflectivity, balance being paramount in ensuring the best mirror effect.
Building the Frame
Fit your monitor into a larger picture frame. The frame is not only decorative, but practical too—it’s there to hold the mirror in place. Be sure the frame is thick enough to house the monitor and the attached Raspberry Pi.
Configuring the Smart Assistant
After installing Google Assistant, you’ll need to configure the project on Google Cloud and enable the Google Assistant API. Download the credentials and save them into your installed Google Assistant directory on Raspberry Pi. It’s a bit complex, but there are many well-documented resources to guide along the process.
Add a User Interface
MagicMirror is an open-source software that provides a user-friendly, customizable interface for your smart mirror. It provides various modules, including a calendar, RSS feeds, and weather forecast.
Adding Voice Control
A voice-activated smart mirror wouldn’t be very smart if it couldn’t respond to your commands. Google’s Assistant SDK includes voice command recognition, but for this to work, investing in a decent USB microphone that Raspberry Pi can use to listen for your commands is essential.
Once you’ve connected the USB microphone, navigate to alsamixer on Raspberry Pi to check that the microphone is being recognized and increase its sensitivity if necessary. Test the microphone using the ‘rec’ command to confirm it works as expected.
Connecting Smart Home Devices
For ultimate smart home integration, it’s possible to connect your voice-controlled smart mirror to a range of smart devices like Hue Lights, Nest Thermostat or even a music streaming service. Depending on your persistence and coding skills, this step can open up an array of possibilities.
Testing the Mirror
Finally, run your smart mirror and check if everything works perfectly. Troubleshoot any issues you encounter until you achieve the desired result. It’s essential to maintain caution throughout the process, dealing with electrical components, data security, and other potential risk factors.
In conclusion, building a voice-controlled smart mirror is a challenging but rewarding DIY project. It combines elements of hardware assembly, software configuration, smart home integration, and a lot of patience. However, the result—an interactive mirror that responds to voice commands and integrates with your smart home devices—will undoubtedly justify the effort.
