PROJECT SILK ROAD · EMBEDDED HARDWARE

SmartFrame

An ultra-low-profile backlight designed to mount behind wall-hung silk Turkish rugs, bringing controlled illumination to a display without distracting from the textile itself.

ULTRA-THIN FORM

The frame is designed around a 0.75-inch profile so it can sit close to the wall and remain visually quiet behind the artwork.

POWER + CONTROL

An Arduino Nano controls the system, with a single supply split into dedicated 12V and 5V rails for the lighting and low-voltage electronics.

STATUS AT A GLANCE

An RGB button communicates system state while providing a compact physical control point. A phototransistor enables automatic day/night activation, and the design features 54W of LED lighting capacity.

Build photos

SmartFrame control panel — Control panel

SmartFrame during the build process — Build process

Completed SmartFrame backlight — Final product

System elements

Arduino NanoLED lightingPower distributionRGB status controlAmbient-light sensingEnclosure design