High-Tech Baby Monitor

High-Tech Baby Monitor

Materials: Vika Oleby Table Leg

Description: We’re about to welcome triplets into the house, and I wanted to set up video baby monitors in each crib. I couldn’t find a way to mount webcams so they were far enough above the crib to capture the full view and out of the way enough that they wouldn’t impair our ability to get the babies in and out. After seeing the Frosta side table hack, I went to the local Ikea in search of a stool or table leg.

The Vika Oleby is an office table leg with a natural curve, and is wide enough to present a stable surface for mounting both the camera and attaching it to the back of the crib. Best of all, Ikea had these on clearance!

I started by increasing the size of the existing bolt hole in the table leg with a power drill, so that the camera power cord could be run through it. Then, I used three small sheet metal screws to attach the camera mount. Finally, I drilled three small holes about a centimeter above the bottom of the leg, and preset some two-inch wood screws. Once moved to the proper place on the back of the crib, the screw was put in all the way and firmly attached to the back of the crib. Then, as will become the standard around here shortly… I did the exact same thing two more times.

High-Tech Baby Monitor
High-Tech Baby Monitor
High-Tech Baby Monitor

The cameras are Foscam FI8909W, which have infrared emitters and are IR sensitive – the room in the webcam photos was completely dark when these were taken. Any webcam will work, though; there are many models out there. I have a fourth overall camera wall mounted in the room for a view of all three cribs. The output can be viewed on any Internet device using a simple web browser.

~ Dan O’Day, Mesa, AZ