The Tech Pulse

The Tech Pulse

I built an AI Powered E-Ink Display

One Sentence Summary:

This video demonstrates building a DIY AI-powered digital picture frame with dynamic image and text plugins on a Raspberry Pi.

Main Points:

  1. Created an AI image plugin to display randomly generated or prompt-based images on an eink display.
  2. Built a web UI for easy configuration, including prompts, image quality, orientation, and scheduling.
  3. Generated and stored OpenAI API keys securely on the Raspberry Pi for API access.
  4. Developed a plugin class that uses OpenAI’s API to generate images from text prompts.
  5. Added options for image model selection, quality, and randomized detailed prompts for more creative visuals.
  6. Implemented support for vertical display orientation with dynamic cropping and resizing.
  7. Encountered issues with images sometimes including frames or empty spaces, seeking prompt refinement tips.
  8. Partnered with Pimon, a UK-based electronics supplier, providing hardware like the inky display and accessories.
  9. Developed a second plugin for dynamic text content, such as quotes, historical facts, or jokes, using GPT models.
  10. Highlighted potential use cases, scheduling features, and API cost considerations for daily content refreshes.

Takeaways:

  • Use API keys securely by storing them in environment files and on the device.
  • Enhance display content with customizable options like background images, colors, and frames.
  • Leverage scheduling to automate daily updates of images and text for a dynamic display.
  • Experiment with prompt engineering to improve image quality and reduce unwanted borders or frames.
  • Consider API costs and model selection when designing frequent or high-quality content updates.