Bookshelf Projects
Make Your Bookshelf Clickable
James embarked on a project close to the hearts of book lovers: creating a digital catalog of his physical bookshelves where each book is clickable for additional information. While seemingly straightforward, the journey to achieve this feat presented several challenges. The initial task involved accurately identifying each book’s envelope to ensure correct associations between book images and their respective titles.
Subsequently, the challenge shifted to accurately extracting the title of each book from its image. This task proved intricate due to variations in fonts, potential upside-down orientations, and diverse title arrangements across book spines. Despite these complexities, James persisted, utilizing optical character recognition (OCR) powered by GPT-4 to extract book titles and authors from the images.
Once the OCR process provided the necessary information, James integrated a Google API to fetch additional details about each book, such as summaries or purchase links. With the title, author, and additional information in hand, James constructed SVG overlays to map clickable areas on the book images, enabling users to access further details or purchase options effortlessly.
The project’s code and journey are available on GitHub, offering insights into the meticulous process of digitizing a personal library and creating a seamless user experience for fellow book enthusiasts.
ShelfChecker – a Smart Bookshelf
Creating a smart bookshelf entails a meticulous process that integrates hardware components and software systems. The project requires technical proficiency in Raspberry Pi and Arduino, along with basic knowledge of Python and MySQL for coding and database management. Essential materials include a barcode scanner, LCD screen, light sensors, NeoPixels RGB LED strip, and various electronic components.
Construction begins with cutting wood planks to size and drilling holes for light sensors, followed by assembling the shelf and adding dividers with corner braces. A plastic box is prepared to house electronic components, and wiring is meticulously executed, including soldering cables and resistors for the light sensors. NeoPixels are integrated, and cables are organized for a tidy appearance. Finally, the Raspberry Pi and Arduino are connected, code is uploaded, and a database is established to manage book data.
Upon completion, the smart bookshelf is equipped to verify correct book placement, integrate a library system with user logins, and track borrowed books. With the barcode scanner enabling easy book identification and the LCD screen providing feedback, the project showcases a sophisticated blend of hardware and software for a functional and interactive book organization solution.
Read more: Make Your Bookshelf Clickable & ShelfChecker – a Smart Bookshelf
