E-reader devices are perfect for people who are addicted to reading. Building something from scratch can be an even more fulfilling experience, perhaps even more applicable to DIY enthusiasts. One of the inherent advantages of such devices is that you have complete control over everything, including the software side.
With off-the-shelf e-readers like Kindle and Kobo, you get a device that offers a very sophisticated user experience, but also ties you into a company’s own content sources. This can be a significant limitation, but not for devices you create yourself.
Take the Pi e-Reader, created by Guyrandy Jean-Gilles, as an example. As mentioned by xda developers, the e-reader project is based on a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 (CM4) board and an E Ink display manufactured by Good Display. This e-reader project also includes a touch interface and a front light system for comfortable reading in the dark.
The e-paper display communicates with the CM4 via an SPI connector, and a Texas Instruments TPS61165 drives the front light. Brightness is controlled by CM4 using PWM. All details are hosted on GitLabs and include schematics, KiCAD files, and bill of materials for the CM4 version of the e-reader project. You can also download a Raspberry Pi HAT version for use with the full-sized SBC.
Apart from the hardware itself, the software is an equally important aspect that ensures a sophisticated user experience. Other open source code and libraries are also used, much of which was also written by Jean-Gilles. In its current form, the Pi e-Reader comes with MuPDF for processing PDF files, but the eReader software comes from The Open Book project.
However, since this is a DIY project, you are always free to customize and fine-tune the hardware and software to suit your professional requirements. That said, I should add that the Pi e-reader is not the simplest DIY project and is best tackled by someone with some hardware and software skills.
As I have a keen interest in technology, I try to stay up to date with the latest developments in technology and gadgets. This includes smartphones and tablet devices, but also extends to AI and self-driving cars. The latter is my latest craze. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, and trying out different recipes. Film is also a very interesting aspect for me and I will probably make a film sometime in the future.
