BHUBANESWAR: You might have seen virtual screens on the wall for daily uses like watching television, playing games and reading newspapers in Hollywood movies.
This is going to be a reality soon, at least on mirrors.
A group of engineering students has developed a smart mirror through which one can know weather updates, time, temperature, watch videos and television channels, listen to news headlines, play music and many more things.
The multi-tasking mirror that can be connected to a cell phone runs on voice command. All the electronic gadgets like ACs, ceiling fans, electric bulbs and tubelights can also be operated through the mirror-device.
Ten final year students of Bhubanananda Odisha School of Engineering (BOSE), Cuttack, have developed it by using Raspberry Pi (a mini computer like device) and artificial intelligence (AI) while Java and Python have been used for coding the programme.
“All the technologies have been integrated to give the feel of a virtual screen on the mirror. You just need to switch on the system and then get everything on the mirror screen. The in-built system offers facilities like watch in both digital and analogue forms, weather, news headlines, music and motivational quotes. Once it is connected to a cell phone, the world is in the mirror,” said team lead Swadhin Das.
The smart automated home system comprises a 40-inch two-way mirror, an LED monitor and Raspberry Pi that enables it to explore computing and speakers.
The idea of developing the system came to his mind when Swadhin was once shutting down his laptop.
“Our face is usually seen on the screen in shutdown mode. I thought if we can see faces on the computer screen, why can a mirror not be developed to function as a virtual computer. This was the kick behind the innovation,” he said.
A virtual assistant, also called an AI assistant, has been integrated in the programme that understands natural language voice commands and completes tasks for the user.
The system is being improved with the addition of infra-red cameras to identify persons.
“We are now programming to make it recognise voice commands in Odia and other regional languages,” said Das, a native of Angul.
His co-developer Biswajit Nayak said around Rs 20,000 has been spent to prepare the smart mirror. Its price can be halved if commercially produced on a large scale.
The system can be best used for elderly and differently-abled people, who can operate it remotely, he added.