Hi everyone! I wanted to share my recent experience integrating my doorbell camera with AI analysis. Initially, I was a bit overwhelmed by the setup process, but it turned out to be much simpler than I expected.
The Challenge
I’ve always wanted my doorbell to automatically capture snapshots and provide a brief description of what’s happening. However, I was struggling with how to store these images and their descriptions in a way that was easily accessible.
The Solution
I came across a fantastic automation blueprint that captures doorbell snapshots and sends them to Google Gemini for an AI-generated description. The best part? It stores everything in a JSON file, making it easy to display in a photo carousel card within Home Assistant.
The Setup
- Automation Blueprint: I followed the blueprint to set up the automation. It captures a snapshot when the doorbell rings or detects motion, sends the image to Gemini, and stores the data.
- Custom Photo Carousel Card: This card reads from the JSON file and displays the images, timestamps, and AI descriptions in a sleek, swipeable gallery.
The Outcome
The result has been amazing! Now, I have a beautiful gallery of doorbell snapshots with descriptive captions, all accessible right from my Home Assistant dashboard. It’s incredibly useful for reviewing activity and adds a fun element to my smart home setup.
Final Thoughts
I highly recommend this setup to anyone looking to enhance their doorbell security with AI insights. It’s both functional and visually appealing. If you’re interested, the blueprint and card are available on GitHub, and they’re surprisingly easy to install via HACS.
Happy automating! 