ESP32 Projects: Low Power, Low-Cost Integrated Circuit Projects

The ESP32 is a series of low-power, low-cost system-on-chip microcontrollers that supports Wi-Fi and dual-mode Bluetooth. With these properties, the board supports a wide range of projects when used with Arduino and other custom components. These include IoT projects (ESP-IDF projects), primarily made possible by the wireless features.

We will look at several ESP32 projects to help you get accustomed to using the microcontroller for your work.

ESP32 Pinouts

The ESP32 contains 48 pins with multiple functions, and they fall into the following 14 categories.  

ESP32 Technical Specifications

This microcontroller has the following technical specifications.  

10 Best ESP32 Projects

One fantastic feature of the ESP32 is its versatility because you can use it in the following projects.  

Attendance System Using Face Recognition on ESP32-CAM Board

In addition to the ESP32-CAM, you need an FTDI programmer, jumper wires, and the Arduino IDE. But before uploading code to the board, connect IO0 to GND to enable flashing mode. Next, make the following connections.

After that, open the IDE and go to File > Preferences. Paste this JSON-formatted version of configuration values to the Additional Board Manager URLs.

Next, install the ESP32 by Espressif Systems under Tools > Board > Boards Manager.

Since there is already an example code in the library, go to File > Examples > ESP32 > Camera, and click CameraWebServer.

But before uploading the code, enter your Wi-Fi SSID & password and define the ESP camera module. Do this by uncommenting CAMERA_MODEL_AI_THINKER and commenting on the rest of the modules.  

Program ESP32 Using Arduino IDE to Blink An LED

You will need the ESP32 module, Arduino IDE, and a USB cable for this project. Connect the ESP32 to your computer via the micro USB port (the red light should turn on). After this, open the Arduino IDE and go to Tools > Boards, then select the ESP32 development board.

Next, open the device manager and check which com port the board uses to connect to the computer. After that, navigate to Tools > Port, then select the port that corresponds to the one in the device manager. Once connected, type the following code and upload it to the board.

int LED_BUILTIN = 2;

void setup() {

pinMode (LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);

}

void loop() {

digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);

delay(1000);

digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);

delay(1000);

}

The red LEDs should blink in intervals of one second.  

Automatic Hand Sanitizer Dispenser with COVID19 Live Updates

The complete ESP32 setup for this project includes the following components.

• ESP32 module
• 16x2 LCD
• Ultrasonic sensor
• Mini DC submersible pump
• Relay module
• Hand sanitizer
• Arduino IDE

Also, get Corona live updates using this API for the project. To get this data, an HTTP get request reads the JSON-formatted version of the corona file from the internet, then displays it on the screen.

Next, make the following connections.  

Remember to connect the pump to the ESP32 via the relay module. Link the Vcc, GND, and input pins of the relay to the Vin, GND, and D19 pins of the ESP32. Complete the circuit with these connections.  

Next, open the IDE, type the following code and upload it to the board.

ESP32 Active Mode and Deep Sleep Mode Power Consumption Comparison

The goal is to use a push button to switch the ESP32 to deep sleep mode. This mode turns off the CPU, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, then puts the ULP-Co processor in an on/off state to reduce power consumption. You require the following components.

• An LED
• A Push-button
• Two 4.7K resistors
• One 680 ohm resistor
• A breadboard
• A hookup wire
• Power supply unit (5V adapter)
• USB cable
• IDE (Arduino)

After setting up, run the following code in the IDE.

ESP32 DHT11/DHT22 Web Server – Temperature and Humidity using Arduino IDE

The DHT11 combines a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor into one module, making it the ideal candidate for interfacing with the ESP32. But you can also use the DHT22.

Connecting the two is straightforward because the sensor only has three pins.  

After that, use the free web-based IFTTT service (If This Then That) to build chains of conditional statements. These lines of code will send out an email whenever the humidity or temperature levels exceed the predefined limit. Apart from measuring the atmospheric humidity levels, you can use the DHT11 as a soil moisture sensor.  

ESP32 Based Smart Clock with Weather Forecasting

At the heart of this project is the ESP32-WROOM-32 chip. You will also need the following:

• Six 1k resistors
• Four 10k and 4.7k resistors
• One 2k and one 470-ohm resistor
• Four 10uF electrolytic capacitors
• Two 100nF ceramic capacitors
• A 2-pins female header
• Three buttons and one buzzer

After connecting and soldering the parts, download this smart clock code and upload it to the board via the Arduino IDE. It might not be an advanced weather station, but the ESP32 based smart clock mini-TV weather station is still accurate and effective.  

ESP32 Based Internet Radio using MAX98357A I2S Amplifier Board

Since the world is phasing out analog radios, designing an internet radio is perfect for the digital world. You can build the radio as a standalone, portable version or software operating on a computer to access the internet.

For the standalone, portable version, you need the following components.

• ESP32 Devkit
• MAX98357A
• An 8-ohm speaker (0.5 – 1W rating)
• 5V 1A charger
• USB cable
• An active internet connection

The ESP32 Devkit is ideal for this project because it contains an I2C serial port for Digital to Analog conversion for the speaker. After gathering the components, make these connections.  

Also, power the ESP32 using a 5V input and connect the speaker to the MAX98357A amplifier. Next, download this interface library from the Git repository, import it into Arduino, and type the following code.

Remember to include the header files for the interface libraries.  

Smart Wi-Fi Video Doorbell using ESP32 and Camera

A Smart Wi-Fi video doorbell system is a critical security feature for homes and businesses, making this a vital IoT application. You require the following components to set up the circuit.

• ESP32-CAM
• FTDI programming board
• AC (220V) to DC (5V) converter
• Two LEDs
• A push-button
• Buzzer

An IFTTT server is also essential for supporting the system (playing music and sending an SMS). Once set up, download this code, paste it to Arduino and upload it to the board.  

IoT Based Air Quality Index Monitoring System – Monitor PM2.5, PM10, and CO using ESP32

The complete ESP32 for this IoT application requires the following components.

• ESP32 module
• DHT11 sensor
• Nova PM sensor SDS011 (PM2.5 & PM10 measurement)
• MQ-7 sensor (CO measurement)
• 0.96’ SPI OLED display module
• Jumper wires

Make these connections.

Next, download the Adafruit MQTT interface library plus the DHT sensor library from the Git repository. Install these libraries into Arduino, type the following code, and upload it to the microcontroller. Remember to include the interface library header files at the start.

MPU6050 Gyro Sensor Interfacing with ESP32 Board

The last project involves creating a communication interface between the ESP32 and the MPU 6050 gyro sensor. You need the following components.

• ESP32 NodeMCU
• MPU6050 accelerometer and gyroscope module
• Jumper wires

Connect the two boards as follows.  

The communication interface between the two is the I2C protocol, so you only need two wires after creating the interface; type and upload the following code to read the gyro sensor values from the MPU6050.

Summary

There you have it! You can try out these projects, and there is much more this microcontroller can achieve using the Arduino IoT cloud. Feel free to contact us if you need more information.