E-Ink Display Picture Frame
Figure 1: Custom circuit design showing Arduino, transistor control, and power management components for the E-Ink display controller.
Figure 2: Internal electronics layout with SD card reader, rechargeable battery, and USB charging circuit.
Video Demo
Overview
Designed and built a battery-powered E-Ink picture frame with custom electronics, running for 6 months on a single charge through ultra-low-power optimization.
Challenge
Create an energy-efficient digital picture frame that could run for months without charging while cycling through images stored on an SD card.
Solution & Approach
Built all electronics from scratch with custom circuits controlling an E-Ink display via Arduino. Programmed in C with extreme power optimization: Arduino reads SD card, sends image to display controller, then uses a transistor to completely power off the display controller. Arduino enters deep sleep for 10 hours between image updates. Rechargeable 3000mAh battery with USB charge controller.
Outcome & Impact
Successfully achieved 6-month runtime on single charge. Battery charges fully via USB in a few hours. Ultra-low power consumption through hardware power management and optimized C code.
Technologies Used
Key Highlights
- ✓Custom electronics and circuit design from scratch
- ✓6-month battery life on single 3000mAh charge
- ✓Ultra-low-power C code with deep sleep optimization
- ✓Hardware power management via transistor switching
- ✓Automatic image cycling from SD card every 10 hours
- ✓USB rechargeable in a few hours