Taka — Mirror holder for Microsoft Surface

thingiverse

We transformed a Microsoft Surface into an item scanner using a $2 mirror and 3D printer. This setup allows us to scan any color or shape placed in front of our Microsoft Surface. 1. Design and Print First, we created a holder for a 6x6 cm mirror and printed it using a 3D printer. The design accommodates most conventional 3D printers. Next, we inserted the mirror into the holder. We used a standard make-up mirror for this purpose. If you can't find a mirror of this size, you can modify the holder's geometry in a 3D application to adapt it. However, don't reduce its dimensions below 6x6 cm, as the view will be distorted. 2. Attach the Holder We attached the holder to our computer. Our design is specifically tailored for Microsoft Surface, but it may also work with other computers that feature a rear camera (a notable benefit of the Surface). 3. Create a Physical Token The fun part begins now. Design an item that serves as a unique identifier. We chose punch cards because they fit well with our Museum of Digital Art theme and can be easily carried in any wallet. 4. Write Code Next, write code to identify the object that the camera needs to capture. We were fortunate to have Greenliff on board, who could accomplish this task efficiently. If you're not as fortunate, don't worry; libraries like tracking.js are available to help a great deal. 5. Connect to Database Once complete, connect your system to a database so it can recognize matches. In our case, we utilize Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform for secure member data storage. As a non-profit organization, you may be eligible for an annual grant of $5000. We successfully applied and received the funds within twenty minutes. That's it! This tutorial should help you create your own system. It significantly simplified our lives and improved our daily operations.