Step into the world of digital picture frames with a twist: the ability to send new pictures every day. Olivier Simard-Hanley has brought this idea to life through his innovative Raspberry Pi project called DispatchPi. As Tom’s Hardware reported, by combining Raspberry Pi and E Ink display panels, he has created a unique way to send personalized photos to his fiancée, complete with text overlays featuring custom messages.
The project involves two digital picture frames, each equipped with a Raspberry Pi and an E Ink display panel. These Raspberry Pis connect to the internet and retrieve a new image from a designated email address every day. By simply sending an email attachment with a custom message, they can exchange fresh pictures with each other regularly.
To simplify the process, Simard-Hanley has integrated iPhone shortcuts. Using custom shortcuts, the sender can initiate an email that includes the image and personalized text. Although the project can be recreated without these shortcuts, they add a user-friendly touch to the experience.
Recreating this project doesn’t require extensive hardware, and there is room for flexibility in component selection. Simard-Hanley uses Raspberry Pi Zeros and 7.5-inch Waveshare E Ink displays, but alternatives like a Pi 3B or 4 and any E Ink panel can be used. Non-E Ink screens are also viable options.
Simard-Hanley generously shares a comprehensive tutorial, explaining not only the inner workings of the project but also providing step-by-step instructions for recreating it at home. The workflow starts with an iOS shortcut that allows users to send pictures to a shared inbox. The Raspberry Pis periodically check a specific URL for updates. The most recent email with an attachment is then processed into a grayscale bitmap, combined with the email body text as an overlay, and finally displayed on the E Ink frame.
For those interested in embarking on this Raspberry Pi adventure, the official project page on GitHub offers detailed information. Be sure to follow Simard-Hanley for more insights and future creative endeavors.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
