Introduction: WoodThing IOT Security Camera

About: IOT, HomeKit, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Robotics.

This is a powerful IP cam based of the Raspberry PI. It runs motionEyeOS, so can be used to manage multiple remote IP cameras as well as allowing you to attach up to four additional low cost USB web cams.

Features: USB powered, motion sensing with smart masking, Webhooks/IFTTT intigration, FTP/Cloud, basically it does it all. You can also integrate with Homekit via the Homebridge plugin here https://github.com/KhaosT/homebridge-camera-ffmpe...

IFTTT integration is achieved though the maker channel, basically you could trigger a web hook to trigger the maker channel and then trigger anything you like, its covered on the last page.

Step 1: Parts

1 A bamboo toilet brush holder - I got mine from Bunnings in Australia, they seem to be everywhere though.

2 Raspberry Pi 2 or Pi 3 or Pi Nano (you need the micro SD to reduce the height).

3 A Pi Camera or Pi NoIR Cam (for night vision)

4 A "3-in-1 Kit Magnetic Camera Lens Fish Eye+Wide Angle+Macro" for smartphones - these are a few dollars on eBay

5 Micro USB cable + Charger - a white one looks best

6 Micro SD card with MotionEyeOS installed. Suggest 32 gig or more for storing images/video. The faster the card the better.

Step 2: Software

The camera runs motionEyeOS on the standard MicroSD card. This basically sets its self up and requires very little configuration.

1 Install the OS on your micro SD card

Instructions are here https://github.com/ccrisan/motioneyeos/wiki/Insta...

Make sure you Install the correct OS for your device, different Raspberry Pi's need different OS' versions.
https://github.com/ccrisan/motioneyeos/wiki/Suppor...

2 Plug the SD card into the Pi - No need to plug in a keyboard or screen

3 Connect to your router with a Ethernet cable

4 On a web browser type in the IP address of your Pi (you may need to use a network scanner to find it)

5 The web interface will appear, Login :admin Password: blank

6 Configure your wifi details in the network tab (see image)

7 Then chose shutdown, don't pull the plug - (see image)

8 Unplug the power

9 Unplug the Ethernet cable, you don't need it anymore

Step 3: The Power

You need to power the Pi with a micro USB cable, but most plugs are straight, not right angled, meaning the space inside the enclosure will be too tight. I fixed this by removing the outer shielding from the micro USB cable, now it's thinner and more flexible, and we can have a smaller hole in the back.

Step 4: The Enclosure

Remove the brush from the toilet brush holder, this now becomes an ideal tool for brushing your toilet. Drill a hole in the front of the wooden holder for your camera lens, you can do this nearly anywhere you want. I did this two thirds of the way up the bamboo part. I used a multi size drill bit which is very useful, you can just keep drilling until the chosen (see step 5) lens fits. Then drill a hole in the back for the USB cable, this will need to be wide enough to get the micro USB though.

Step 5: The Lens

You need to decide whether to use the Fisheye, Macro or Telephoto lens (I used Macro), I suggest experiment in the room the camera will go in to see what works best. Stick the magnetic ring to the Pi Cam, I used some high strength double sided tape to do this. You may need more than one ring depending on the thickness of your enclosure, the lenses come with a few. Then stick the lens though the outside of the enclosure and fix in place - I used the tape for this too, it's much cleaner to use than glue.

Note: with the method above the magnets are so strong removing the camera carelessly could damage it.

Step 6: The Pi

Put the Pi in with the Camera connected and connect the power cable (not the power). Then clip the camera to the inside of the lense, it will just magnetically snap itself into place. Fix the Pi in place with hot glue or tape.

You should place a piece of insulating tape over the back of the camera to prevent anything metal causing a problem.

Step 7: Final Touches

Take the white inner part that came inside the toilet brush holder and cut the edges down so it can slide over the Pi and other internals, but still touches the bottom inside, be careful to make the gaps high enough so you don't damage the camera.

I used some polymorph to block up the whole around the power cable, Sugru would be good for this too.

Step 8: The Final Product

Plug it in to your USB charger and connect to the correct IP address via any browser.

Once you are in, add a new password (this is important).

Then add your camera on the top left - the Pi Cam will automatically be detected.

IFTTT integration is done using the maker channel pin IFTTT - you use the motion detection "Run a Command" function to trigger the maker channel (see the image)

1) Make a channel on IFTTT that IF is the Maker Tigger, and THAT is what ever you want (I use iOS notifications)

2) Call it "motion_detected"

3) Set up motionEye os to run a command when it detects motion the command should be:

curl https://maker.ifttt.com/trigger/{motion_detected}...PUT YOUR IFTTT KEY HERE

Thats it.

One more thing: If moving the camera I suggest shutting down via the browser before unplugging to avoid SD card corruption.