The basic concept behind how the smart mirror works is that the one-way mirrored glass allows light coming from behind the glass to shine through but is reflective like a regular mirror wherever it is dark behind the glass. The tablet would display white letters on a black background so that the tablet itself would be as invisible as possible but the text would appear to be floating on the mirror.
We decided that the best combination of fast and cheap would be to apply mirrored window film to a picture frame and to use an old Android tablet for the display. These are the materials that we used:
An alternative to using mirrored film on glass to create your mirror is to use acrylic or glass that is one-way mirrored (also known as two-way mirrored), which would replace the glass in your picture frame. These can be bought locally if you have a shop nearby or ordered over the Internet for delivery. Either way, they can be cut to order. A disadvantage of acrylic, however, is warping which is especially evident in larger sheets. Both mirrored acrylic and glass are expensive; a sheet of mirrored acrylic for a project comparable to ours would be around $65. We decided to go with film on glass, which is significantly cheaper, especially since the glass comes with the frame. Disadvantages include the patience and attention to detail required to apply the film evenly without bubbles or bumps. If you already have experience applying window film to your house or car, it should be easy. Otherwise, be sure to watch a video to learn the technique so that you have good results.
The mirrored window film is translucent when viewed from dark-to-light; it is opaque and reflective when viewed light-to-dark.
Cut the mirrored window film to the size of your frame, with at least an inch to spare on every side. An easy shortcut is to put the glass (or matting, if you have it) onto the sheet as a quick guide. The film will be trimmed; your cuts do not have to be straight.
Get ready for the application of film to glass. There is water involved! We put a garbage bag down to contain the mess. Also, do this in as dust-free an environment as you can find. Even miniscule particles and fuzz will show between the film and glass.
A great tip we learned that will certainly applicable to other projects is from Gila’s website: Apply scotch tape to the film side and the liner side for easy, quick separation without damaging the film.
Make your application solution in a spray bottle. Mix 1 quart of water with 1/2 cap of baby shampoo. Lay down your film with the side previously abutting the liner facing upwards. Lay down your glass alongside. Spray the solution onto both of these surfaces – be generous.
Apply film to the glass with the side of the film previously against the liner now against the glass. The two wet sides creates surface tension to hold the film to the glass. Next, spray the dry surface of the film – again, be generous. Use your squeegee to smooth out the film over the glass, removing wrinkles and bubbles as you see them. This works much better than trying to apply film dry! If you see any particles, you can lift the film to remove them and then continue.
Trim the edges of the film by cutting along the perimeter of the glass with your utility knife. Use the edge of the glass itself as the guide. Try to be precise, because if you have excess film, it can lift up when you place the glass into the frame.
Next, in one corner of your black posterboard, cut a window that is the size of your tablet screen. The black against the mirrored window film will emphasize its reflective quality. Then construct some cardboard pieces to support the tablet and keep it in place. An alternative would be to tape the tablet in place but that makes it difficult to remove the tablet to make changes. After you’ve done this, it’s time to assemble your mirror! Place your film-covered glass into the frame (glass will be the outside; film will be the inside). Next goes your black posterboard and then the tablet, face-down, followed by the cardboard support and the backing for the frame.
We cut a hole in the cardboard for the tablet’s AC adapter cord to run; we also cut a corner of the frame’s backing for the same reason.
There are various options for the information display. We decided to use an app called Wall Mirror that Nick Hall wrote for his own smart mirror. It is available through the Google Play store and has an easy-to-use configuration tool to customize the display. You can see in the photos that we are using the time, date, weather, birthday, and calendar modules. This needs to be set up before putting the tablet into the frame. Since we didn’t tape down the tablet, however, it is very easy to remove the table to make changes. Using a premade app is the quickest way to getting the smart mirror up and running, and it requires no coding. Alternatives to using a premade app might be to write a custom app or to use a website displayed in a full-screen browser. Alternatives to using a tablet might be to use a Raspberry Pi or other miniature computer with a monitor.
In fact, now that we have the basic smart mirror working, we plan to upgrade it and build a more customized version. In order to accommodate the functionality we have in mind, we will look into using a Raspberry Pi with a monitor. Some ideas that may possibly make it into the project include:
Stay tuned for more posts as we build the next version of our Magic Mirror! Please let us know if you have built something similar or if you have any suggestions for us!
Until next time,
Kathy May and Silas
PS. Here are some of the tablet smart mirror projects from which we drew inspiration:
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The IKEA Lack table is extremely popular. It is inexpensive, lightweight, and versatile. Its aesthetically simple shape is simultaneously attractive and neutral. Most importantly, it is HOLLOW which makes it a perfect hack for the installation of… well, anything you can imagine! For our first IKEA hack, we modified the Lack table with inset succulent gardens. Here’s what we used in the mod (we’ll mention the materials for the gardens later):
The Lack tabletop is 55cm square. We planned for two separate insets at a diagonal 2in apart (our ruler is imperial units only). Rather than sitting directly in the tables, our gardens would be contained in these organizer trays that would allow us to remove them for watering and maintenance. The lip of the trays was advantageous, as it could sit upon the tabletop to hide any rough cuts. Here are Silas and his assistant measuring and marking.
[See image gallery at www.kathymayandsilas.com]After carefully preparing our cutting guides, we used our metal ruler as a straight edge and used our utility knife to cut the tabletop. We were patient in making repeated slices, as opposed to a sawing motion, so that our lines would be as clean and smooth as possible. FYI, the tabletop is made of pressed cardboard and is about 5mm thick.
[See image gallery at www.kathymayandsilas.com]Even when all the cuts were made, we found it difficult to remove the cut square because it was so flush! To make it easier, we drilled through the square, then used the hole for leverage to lift it up.
[See image gallery at www.kathymayandsilas.com]As promised, the IKEA Lack table is hollow! You can see that it is supported by innards of mere cardboard in a honeycomb configuration. Honeycombs are a naturally strong and efficient structure that can impressively withstand a great deal of compression. We easily cut and removed the cardboard from the table.
[See image gallery at www.kathymayandsilas.com]Turning our attention to the succulent garden insets: Our gardens would rest in a table without holes for drainage, so we wanted to create an environment that balanced natural drainage and moisture retention. Fortunately, succulents are hardy and forgiving. They do not require much water or soil. We gathered:
First layer was gravel; second layer was moss; and third layer was soil.
[See image gallery at www.kathymayandsilas.com]We selected a few of our intriguing succulents for display in our Lack gardens. One arrangement had a larger centerpiece with smaller plants surrounding; the other was a more natural arrangement of four plants. (Note: If you can help with identification, we would appreciate your comments below!) Finally, Kathy May dropped our tray gardens into the tabletop. They fit perfectly!
[See image gallery at www.kathymayandsilas.com]For top dressing, we used a medium-sized aquarium gravel. The greens of the succulents would be a visual pop in the clean, white background.
[See image gallery at www.kathymayandsilas.com]We threw together a couple of terrariums inspired from some we had seen at Mahoney’s Garden Center to sit on the opposite diagonals from the inset gardens. We used glass candle bowls that we found at the dollar store. Here is our final product!
[See image gallery at www.kathymayandsilas.com] [See image gallery at www.kathymayandsilas.com]The best thing about using the organizer trays is that we can change our minds! We can mix, match, and exchange the contents of the insets. We could do other types of sunken gardens like herbs or flowers (maybe with a built-in drainage system on the underside of the table). We could even inset decorative elements, like a miniature Zen garden.
[See image gallery at www.kathymayandsilas.com]Thanks so much for hearing about our DIY project! We have other IKEA Lack tables and we look forward to modifying – stay tuned to see what we do next. Do you have any ideas for future IKEA hacks we should try? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Until next time,
Kathy May and Silas