Your mirror will become smart, will praise you in the morning, will tell you the weather condition, know how

New Delhi. Even an ordinary looking mirror can now become a smart device with the help of technology. Smart Mirror is one such innovative gadget which looks like a normal mirror from outside, but the screen and software behind it keeps showing you information continuously. It seems as if the information is floating directly on the mirror. This project is especially fun for those who like technology. With a little effort and the right materials, you can create your own smart mirror in a weekend, which will add a high tech touch to the wall of your room or home.

Smart mirror is actually a combination of a two-way mirror and a display. Viewed from the front, it looks like normal glass, but the screen behind it shows text and graphics. When white or bright information is shown on a screen with a black background, it is clearly visible through the glass. For this reason, it seems as if information about weather, news or calendar is visible directly on the mirror.

What things will be needed to make it

To make a smart mirror, some basic hardware is required. The most important part is the two-way mirror, which looks like a mirror from one side and is slightly transparent from the other side. If the budget is low then the work can be done by applying two way mirror film on ordinary glass.

Apart from this, an old computer monitor is required, whose screen is placed behind the mirror. To run this entire system, a small but powerful computer is used which is called Raspberry Pi. Along with this, HDMI cable, power adapter and a wooden frame are also required so that the entire setup can fit firmly.

Software that makes mirrors smart

After hardware, the most important part is software. The most popular open source platform for smart mirrors is MagicMirror². After installing this software, you can add different modules to it. For example, weather updates, news feed, calendar, clock or traffic information. The mirror can be completely customized by changing the settings according to your needs in the `config.js` file.

How to assemble a mirror

First of all, the outer plastic case of the monitor is removed so that the screen becomes thin and can easily fit in the frame. After this, a box-like frame of wood is made in which both the monitor and the Raspberry Pi can fit. A two-way mirror is placed at the front of the frame and the monitor screen is placed immediately behind it. The part that is not covered by the screen is covered with black paper or tape so that the back light is not visible and the display is clearly visible.

Making mirrors smarter by adding AI

If AI features are added to it, the smart mirror can become a personal digital assistant. For this, API of ChatGPT or Google Gemini can be integrated. When the camera is connected, the face recognition module can recognize your face and show you personal messages. Similarly, by adding microphone and speaker, it can also be controlled through voice commands. For example, you can ask how much traffic there is to go to office or what the weather will be like today.

Why is smart mirror useful?

Smart Mirror is not just a tech showpiece. It also helps in saving precious time in the morning. You get weather, day’s schedule, news and traffic updates while you’re getting ready. One important thing to keep in mind is that the background of the screen should always be completely black. This is because glass reflects only bright light, whereas black appears transparent. It is because of this small technical principle that the smart mirror looks so special and attractive. With a little creativity and technology, you can also make a smart mirror in your home that will keep you updated every day.