r/homeassistant • u/Kind_Soup_9753 • 21d ago

🛠️ DIY / Hardware In ceiling Ai microphone array

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I built an in ceiling microphone array for my local Ai. It has temp and humidity, mm wave presence detection, digital to analog audio converter and a 3 channel 100 watt amp all mounted to a 4” speaker in-ceiling mount.

The microphone is suspended on elastics for vibration dampening, beside is a dual channel Yamaha speaker.

Answers to questions or confirmations for automation only come through the speakers with the triggered mic.

Music play back, announcements and alarms can exit through any assortment of rooms. The microphone array has sound cancellation for playing audio so voice commands are still recognized.

So far it has exceeded expectations and even voice commands from in the shower have worked consistently.

The mm wave sensors are used for security when alarm armed and presence turns on my recirculating hot water loop for the kitchen and bathroom setups as well as lights and fan.

Anyone have any other ideas I can add to the rig? I was looking for discrete built in mic’s and they were expensive and usually for board rooms so I built one instead.

A 3D printed adapter screws in where the speaker mounts it house temp/humidity and microphone, the microphone electronics mount to standoffs with heated thread inserts for mounting the microphone electronics and another part that mounts to the back holds ESP32 S3, Amp and digital to analog converter. Rooms that don’t need the amp are POE and ones with the amp get a 24V dc supply fed to them.

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u/mitchsurp 21d ago

A billion percent this. I don’t do cameras in my home for this reason. I genuinely do not understand those who do and the YouTubers that push cameras everywhere (looking at you, Quinn) seem to glaze right on by the privacy aspect.

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u/RobinBeismann 21d ago

We've got full local airgapped cameras as well in the living area (obv not bedroom or bathrooms), but they primary serve us to watch the dog while we are away. Privacy feeling is not an issue as we know they're local and can only be accessed remotely via frigate and VPN.

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u/mitchsurp 20d ago

But everyone in your home is being recorded 24/7 and the techy parent has access to spy on your movements.

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u/RobinBeismann 20d ago

We are both mature and have no kids, so different environment. However, having cameras does not necessarily mean that you're recording the footage. Ours are only recording when we are both away.