Ever wanted your devices to be activated by your very presence (or that of your smartwatch, at least)? This project uses a wearable (Apple Watch or custom Esp32 watch) to control a smart device. After connecting to whatever IoT or smart device you choose, it can trigger a proximity sensor through IFTTT.

In this case, the creator’s Apple Watch triggered a smart plug to turn on a lamp while they were sitting at their desk. The smart plug used here is by Techin, which is also compatible with Alexa and Google Home.

• Designer: RodriMendoza
• Difficulty: Easy
• Core compents: Esp32 board, smart plug
• Project page: Instructables

E-paper is based on a technology that looks like ordinary ink on paper but isn’t! It also doesn’t require electricity to maintain the text or images displayed on a screen, only to change the display. Therefore, e-ink is perfect for low-power devices and easier on your eyes compared to typical screens.

This maker has created a digital wristwatch based on the Esp32. It lasts up to three days on an 80-mA battery as long as it connects once per day to sync the time over the internet. Just keep in mind that its firmware is based on the Esp-IDF, so it won’t work on the Arduino framework.

• Designer: Movil
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Core components: Esp32 board, 1.54-inch e-paper module
• Project page: Thingiverse

A theremin is a completely electronic musical instrument controlled by two antennas that sense the musician’s hand positions. The position of the antenna relative to one hand represents a certain pitch, while the other controls the volume. The melody is crafted by moving your hands to produce different notes and harmonies.

With a wearable objective in mind, the maker behind this project created a portable instrument conceptually similar to the theremin, complete with a 3D printed case. The controllers are equipped with inexpensive and safe lasers to replicate the functionality of the antennas. One controller can adjust the pitch of the note with the press of a button and the other controller can adjust the volume of the note or mute the sound. As an added bonus, the central box even includes a button to record a segment of your original melodies.

• Designer: Rob
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Core components: Esp32 board, Esp32 breakout board, ToF Laser Range Finder, USB-C breakout board, 3D printed parts
• Project page: Printables

Ever seen a smart insole? Neither had we! It’s an especially cool project for athletes or avid walkers. This unique wearable is an insole that’s designed to be, according to the maker, minimally noticeable.

With the Esp32, the insole can monitor your weight distribution and position in real time, sending this data to a mobile app over Wi-Fi. Alternatively, the data can also be viewed collectively at the end of a session.

• Designer: cabuu
• Difficulty: Hard
• Core components: Esp32 board, Adafruit conductive sensing sheet, WS2812B LEDs, accelerometer, 3D printed housing (optional)
• Project page: Instructables

This project is an open-source smartwatch that’s built around the Esp32-Wroom module. The goal of the project was to create a smartwatch that’s easy to re-program. It can be used as an IoT device or just as a DIY fashion statement.

The watch is programmable using the Espressif IoT Development Framework (Esp-IDF) or Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE). There are two different firmware versions available, and you can select the one that best suits your needs. The V1 firmware is a battery-saving version that uses deep sleep technology to increase its battery life and keep it running for a longer time.

• Designer: Matthew James Bellafaire
• Difficulty: Hard
• Core components: Esp32-Wroom, 1.8-inch LCD module, lithium ion battery, touch screen controller, accelerometer
• Project page: Hackaday, GitHub

Introducing Cafeino, a barista robot powered by microcontrollers! According to the maker, this internet-connected robot makes high-end artisanal coffee by mimicking the hand-pouring technique of a skilled barista.

Moreover, it has three brewing stations that can be customized with various recipes using a web app. To further personalize your brew, several parameters can be set, such as brewing time and resting time, water quantity, and the hand-pouring pattern.

• Designer: user04650005
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Core components: Esp32 board, Arduino Nano, servos, stepper motor, food-grade water pump
• Project page: Hackster

These days, surveillance robots can be found everywhere. They’re often used for real-time monitoring for the home, workplace, healthcare settings, or even in hazardous environments. While you could build a surveillance robot with an Arduino Uno that has fire detection, what if you want to do it even more cheaply?

Your very own surveillance robot can now be assembled at home for a fraction of the price. This bot is controllable through the internet and a smartphone and uses the camera functionality of the Esp32-Cam.

If you want to take this project a step further, you can download the iRobbie-A app (~$6). With it, you can control the robot’s movements from a joystick while seeing a live view of the attached camera on the Esp32.

• Designer: KDPA
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Core components: Esp32-Cam, motor driver, Adafruit three-layer round robot chassis kit, pan/tilt camera platform
• Project page: Arduino Project Hub, Hackster

No longer science fiction, assistive robots are common in this day and age. An assistive robot can be defined as a device that senses, processes sensory information, and acts in ways that benefit humans. Many assistive robots can be found in healthcare: They’re used to monitor the health and safety of a patient – for example, those vulnerable to falls.

Having the ability to view from all angles is a good feature for an assistive robot. That’s why in this build, the maker has created a robot with 360-degree vision. It’s able to detect faces, identify emotions, and tell if a person has fallen.

• Designer: Jaime Andres Rincon Arango
• Difficulty: Hard
• Core components: Esp32 OLED, Arduino Mega 2560, Ricoh Theta V camera, 3D printed parts
• Project page: Hackster

There are numerous 3D printed robots available, ranging from simple to advanced projects. These robots come in all shapes and sizes, with some resembling animals. The Esp32-powered Robot Dog Boston is one such project.

This dog is a redesigned version of ArduinoChan’s project, with 3D printed parts that are more functional and easier to print. You can add an opening in the bottom of the body to hold the battery pack and allow access to the electronics.

Aside from controlling the robot’s movements and speed, you can program it to follow specific instructions and perform tricks, such as sitting on a voice command. Finally, you’ll have an obedient robot dog.

• Designer: John Bradnam
• Difficulty: Hard
• Core components: Esp32 board, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), servos
• Project page: Hackster (redesigned from Thingiverse)

Microcontrollers can be used for AI or machine learning applications, too! For example, there’s an Arduino-based robot that runs neural networks and there’s a hand-gesture-controlled mobile robot. But why not utilize the Esp32’s built-in Wi-Fi to keep things simple?

This build is impressive and practical with its low power consumption and low-latency video streaming. It’s capable of video streaming to an Android device for computer vision processing tasks such as object detection, tracking, and lane detection. You also have the ability to send control commands to the robot, like having it run autonomously in certain conditions.

• Designer: longpth
• Difficulty: Hard
• Core components: Esp32-Cam, motor driver module, gear motor, wheels, ball transfer unit, portable power bank
• Project page: Hackster

There are many benefits to using an automatic pet feeder. One of the most important ones is that your pet gets a timely meal even if you aren’t home.

With an Arduino and some motors, you can easily build a 3D printed pet feeder and control it remotely via the Blynk App or a Web Dashboard. To dispense the food, you have two options: set a timer or control the feeder in real time. So, with this Esp32 pet feeder, you can leave home without worrying about your pet going hungry.

• Designer: raushan-kumar
• Difficulty: Easy
• Core components: Esp32 board, Arduino Uno, stepper motor, servo motor
• Project page: Electromaker

More Ideas

Arduino Pet Feeder: Amazing Projects for Cats & Dogs

Enhancing the aesthetics of a space and adding a touch of fun can be easier than you imagine with this creative lamp. Unlike many others out there, this lamp allows you to rearrange its components in various positions and customize each section with different colors, effects, or brightness levels. With a vast array of settings to choose from, there’s no room for boredom in your decor.

To create a tower with five wings, you can use a standard smartphone charger. For larger towers, a more powerful power source will be required. In addition to placing this lamp on a table with its base, there are also the necessary models and files for wall mounting. The author emphasizes the importance of printing thin walls to allow light to easily pass through.

• Designer: Flotschi
• Difficulty: Easy
• Core components: Esp32 board, LED strips, 3D printed parts
• Project page: Printables

This is a miniature wooden monster truck that you can control remotely via a smartphone app. All of the main wooden components are laser cut and glued together.

Once you’ve assembled and soldered all the electronic components, load everything into the truck (there’s plenty of room) and take this monster for a spin. If you come across any obstacles, don’t forget to honk because this truck has a working horn.

To sum it up, this is a simple project you can complete in a short amount of time and enjoy for hours on end.

• Designer: lasercut24, mbobinger
• Difficulty: Easy
• Core components: Esp32 board, amplifier module, stepper motors, loudspeaker, laser cut wood
• Project page: Arduino Project Hub, Hackster

It’s possible to make a wall-mounted RFID reader that’s both aesthetically pleasing and has a TFT output! At the heart of this project is an Esp32 module housed in an enclosure with a touchscreen. This type of reader can be used for simple door access or scaled up to operate as an intruder alarm. You can also add wireless data transfer to store the access information it collects.

The project is very complete with wiring diagrams, firmware for the Esp32, and a full bill of materials. If you choose not to purchase the specific touchscreen enclosure, a 3D printed case would work just as well!

• Designer: Hartmut Wendt
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Core components: Esp32 board, RFID card reader, touchscreen enclosure
• Project page: Hackster

Trail cameras are excellent for supporting hunting activities, security, or simply studying your local wildlife, but they are often not as affordable as we’d like them to be. To combat this, the maker has created their own camera that should only cost about $10 to create, excluding the batteries.

Depending on your intentions, it may be feasible to produce several of these at a low cost to cover a larger area.

The trigger to activate the camera employs a MOSFET to power on and off the Esp32 module. This has the advantage of not consuming additional power when waking up the module, but in return, there’s a longer delay between motion detection and image capture. The project doesn’t utilize wireless communication, aiding in energy efficiency but limiting image storage to an SD card.

• Designer: Sipsik
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Core components: Esp32-Cam, PIR modules, Lithium-ion battery, 3D printed parts
• Project page: Thingiverse

This is a device that uses RFID tags to play music. It was made by Martin Hierholzer and designed for children. It has a few buttons, no display, and can connect to the internet to download new songs.

Even though it has no display, it has the ability to stop and start songs using RFID tags. The jukebox is based on the Esp32 microcontroller, which is more than powerful enough to play MP3s. It also has integrated Wi-Fi connectivity that allows the player to download new tracks from the network occasionally.

• Designer: Martin Hierholzer
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Core components: Esp32, RFID card reader, digital-to-analog converter module, digital amplifier board, wideband speakers
• Project page: GitHub

From Belgian Punk to Panamanian Pop, the Knobby puts over 5,000 music genres at your fingertips. This handheld device lets you explore new music and randomize song suggestions on Spotify. All you have to do is turn and press the knob to access and play anything from your music library and beyond.

This gadget offers plenty of cool features, such as control of an external speaker and playback of any track. Additionally, you’ll find a tiny display on the Knobby that shows you which song is currently playing.

To build your own Knobby, you can 3D print the case and knob while sourcing the other components as needed. For printing your parts, the maker suggests using PLA with a 0.1-mm layer height and 95% infill.

• Designer: Milo Winningham
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Core components: ESP32 T-Display Module, LiPo battery, rotary encoder with push-button
• Project page: Hackster, GitHub, Thingiverse

Finding an alarm clock that aligns with your preferences and adds a touch of fun seems nearly impossible in these days of smartphone reliance. With this Pac-Man-themed alarm clock, however, you’ll have a solution that not only wakes you up with your favorite sound but also allows you to engage in gameplay on its vibrant screen!

Synchronized via Wi-Fi, this clock enables users to choose characters and set the game tempo through the touchscreen. The project’s designer provides three distinct build options, catering to varying levels of complexity based on your preferences. Whether you opt to purchase a complete kit or decide to assemble everything from scratch using a stripboard, the choice is yours.

• Designer: techkiwigadgets
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Core components: Esp32 DevKit, TFT touchscreen, digital amplifier board, 3D printed parts
• Project page: Thingiverse, Instructables

The Raspberry Pi with RetroPie is often the go-to solution for retro gaming emulation. But what if you wanted to create your own classic games from the ground up and keep costs low? Aside from building an entire retro gaming emulation console, the Esp32 can also be used to reproduce classic arcade games!

In this project, the maker shows you how to recreate classics like Tetris, Snake, Breakout, and Bomber. These will run on the Esp32 with an output to a VGA monitor.

• Designer: Rob Cai
• Difficulty: Easy
• Core components: Esp32 board, VGA monitor (or HDMI adaptor)
• Project page: Instructables

Here’s a keyboard that can not only be used to create beautiful melodies but can also help you orchestrate everyday tasks. When connected to a smartphone app, the eight keys on this instrument produce musical notes. The same wireless connection can be used to turn the keys into quick-access shortcuts for things like switching streams on OBS, opening chat windows, or even connecting to OctoPrint for basic controls.

One of the coolest things about this project is that the keyboard is designed to be portable, allowing the included smartphone stand to be folded for secure pocket transportation. The keys are created using an innovative system consisting of a 3D printed piece and wires. The capacitive sensor feature on Esp32 pins can detect signal variations that occur from a direct key touch, activating the designated task.

Check out the demo video to see it in action!

• Designer: Defozo
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Core components: Esp32 board, breadboard wires, 3D printed parts
• Project page: Printables

A small screen for displaying text or graphics data can be very useful in various activities such as weather monitoring, financial markets, and more. This project displays real-time weather data and predictions to keep you informed at all times. It operates on rechargeable batteries, making it completely wireless, but the low-energy consumption of the e-paper display guarantees a long life.

The code for the project can be found on GitHub and even includes several display formats you can choose from. For the housing, WiZeus has shared their second design iteration on Printables with improvements to the charging port, indicator LED, and the design for the back cover. The project also features a rear connector for software updates, which can be done with the help of a CP2102-based converter module for programming.

• Designer: WiZeus, G6EJD
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Core components: Esp32 board, e-paper display, battery, 3D printed parts
• Project page: Printables, GitHub

The compatibility of Esp32 with the Arduino IDE makes it much easier for those familiar with this language to build advanced projects. A great example is this NES emulator that can run at full speed even on a slow Pentium system. With a couple of options for sound systems and controllers compatible with an Esp32 board for this project, it’s easy to see why Arduino IDE and Esp32 boards make a perfect pair.

Even without a case, the emulation performance is impressive given the low cost of the components. You can even test other games, but keep in mind that you’ll have to deal with the limited memory space on the development board. There are detailed instructions to build the core of this device on Instructables, but you can further enhance it according to the author by adding features such as a touchscreen UI, volume configuration, and a backlight, among others.

• Designer: 陳亮
• Difficulty: Hard
• Core components: Esp32-Wroom, LCD module, I2S audio module
• Project page: Instructables

Mechanical keyboards are becoming increasingly popular among gamers, typists, and tech enthusiasts. Their popularity is due to tactile and auditory feedback and customization options.

This Esp32 project, called “The Sanctuary”, is a Bluetooth mechanical keyboard with 3D printed parts. Even though building this project can be a bit challenging, the tutorial includes step-by-step instructions to help you complete it successfully.

While building this keyboard from scratch may be more expensive than purchasing one pre-assembled, putting it together and customizing it to your preferences can be a fun and satisfying experience.

• Designer: FosterP
• Difficulty: Hard
• Core components: Esp32-Wroom module, battery, key switches, keycaps, stabilizers, 3D printed parts
• Project page: Instructables

For More Customization

3D Printed Keycaps: 20 STL Files & Models to 3D Print

This is a small chessboard that you can use to play matches with other people online. It’s driven by two Esp32s and has a really cool feature where if you have two sets of these boards, you and a friend can play a virtual game with real chess pieces!

These beautiful chess parts were created with a CNC machine, but you could easily 3D print them instead. In addition to the Esp32s, the project requires an Arduino Nano IoT 33 and various other electronics. It’s certainly not a simple project, but the results are incredible, as you can see in the video below.

• Designer: Phantom Chessboard
• Difficulty: Hard
• Core components: Esp32 board, Arduino Nano IoT 33, stepper drivers, Hall sensors, multiplexers, magnets
• Project page: Hackaday, GitHub

A miniature arcade full of nostalgia is one of the most enjoyable things you can make with an Esp32. The Galagino arcade emulator system was designed by harbaum on GitHub, while the designer Tokyo_Bird has created housing that can be conveniently 3D printed at home to give the system a worthy appearance.

Most emulation projects use a Raspberry Pi, but the Esp32 has the potential to run many interesting games, although this does put a considerable demand on the board. To ensure everything functions correctly, the creator strongly recommends strictly adhering to the module models for electrical and mechanical compatibility.

To complete this work of art, there’s an optional illuminated sign that can add even more style to your arcade.

• Designer: Tokyo_Bird, harbaum
• Difficulty: Hard
• Core components: Esp32 DevKit, TFT display, I2S audio module, 3D printed parts
• Project page: Thingiverse, GitHub