Tutorials
Smoothing Average Accelerometer Tutorial
Smoothing Average Accelerometer TutorialIntroduction Ever used an accelerometer, but the data was super jittery? Well you’re in the right place. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to hook up your accelerometer and implement a moving average filter to smooth out your data! Learning Objectives Learn how accelerometers work Learn about filtering techniques Learn how to extract meaningful signal from a moving average filter Background Information The problem is that these accelerometer readings are often very noisy, especially for cheap parts that students like us have access to.
June 8, 2025
Arduino Mega 2560 Servo Control with Joystick Tutorial
Note: While this tutorial uses the Arduino Mega 2560 (as my ESP32 was being used for the final project), the principles remain very similar. ESP32 code is provided at the end for reference. Learning Objectives Understanding basic servo motor control Reading analog input from a joystick module Programming the Arduino Mega for motor control applications Working with Arduino libraries Required Components 1x Arduino Mega 2560 board 1x Servo motor (SG90 or similar) 1x Analog joystick module Jumper wires Breadboard USB cable for programming Required Libraries In the Arduino IDE, you only need the standard Servo library (included with Arduino IDE)
June 6, 2025
Arduino Photoresistor Circuit Tutorial
In this tutorial, you will learn how to create a simple light-detecting circuit using a photoresistor (LDR) and an Arduino Uno Mini. The circuit will allow your Arduino to detect light in its surroundings. Components Needed Arduino Uno Mini (any Arduino board will work) Photoresistor (LDR) 10kΩ resistor Breadboard Jumper wires Circuit Diagram Step-by-Step Instructions 1. Connect all of the Components Connect one leg of the photoresistor to the 5V pin of the Arduino.
June 6, 2025
Bloch Sphere Quantum-Bit Model Tutorial
Bloch Sphere Quantum-Bit Model Tutorial06-06-25 Miki Korol Introduction In this tutorial you will learn a little about the states of a quantum bit and and how we can model it using a simple bloch sphere model. This tutorial is aimed to make it easier to break into quantum mechanics and quantum technology by being able to visualise the quantum states and how they evolve into real world measurements. Readers should gain a baseline knowledge of quantum bits and their basic mechanics.
June 6, 2025
Controlling a NeoPixel LED Array with ESP32 Dev Board
Introduction This tutorial walks you through interfacing an addressable NeoPixel LED array (WS2812B) with the Envision ESP32 development board or any other Arduino-compatible microcontroller. You’ll learn how to wire the components, install the required software libraries, and write Arduino-compatible code to create dynamic lighting effects. By the end, you’ll understand how to control individual LEDs, adjust brightness and color, and design simple animations. Learning Objectives Understand the basics of NeoPixel (WS2812B) control protocols Install and configure the Arduino IDE for ESP32 development Wire an ESP32 dev board to a NeoPixel LED strip correctly Use the Adafruit NeoPixel library to set colors and animations Develop and upload sample sketches that produce static and dynamic lighting effects Background Information NeoPixels (manufactured by Adafruit) are RGB LEDs with built-in drivers, daisy-chainable over a single data line.
June 6, 2025
DHT11 with ESP32 DevBoard
Introduction This tutorial will guide you through interfacing a DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor with an ESP32 DevBoard. You’ll learn how to wire the sensor, install the necessary library, and upload test code to Arduino. The DHT11 is a low-cost digital sensor for measuring temperature and humidity. When paired with an ESP32 DevBoard, it can feed real-time environmental data into your sensor projects. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be able to:
June 6, 2025
Distance Finder with ESP and Ultrasonic
Distance Finder Introduction In this guide, we will learn how to use the ESP32 devboard, the Arduino IDE and the HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor to make an easy and (really quite) accurate distance sensor. HC-SR04 The HC-SR04 is an extremely popular ultrasonic sensor with a range of about 400cm, and a reasonably wide FOV (~30 degrees). The sensor is also accurate enough for most projects (0.1-0.5cm), which is why it is the sensor of choice for many projects that use distance or proximity readings.
June 6, 2025
ESP32 Digital Privacy Window Tutorial
Introduction This tutorial will guide you through building a Digital Privacy Window system using an ESP32 DevBoard to control a switchable (electrochromic or liquid crystal) window film. The motivation is to enable dynamic privacy and solar control for smart homes, offices, or any space where on-demand window opacity is desirable. By following this tutorial, you will gain hands-on experience in embedded programming, hardware integration, and smart device prototyping. Learning Objectives Interface an ESP32 DevBoard with a digital privacy window film.
June 6, 2025
Exploring Analog Inputs with a Potentiometer
Introduction/ Learning Objectives Using analog input allows for control values beyond a simple 0 or 1 This may be especially useful if you have some application which needs such an input. Some examples may include: Controlling the brightness of an LED A game controller joystick By completing this tutorial, you will: Learn about how a potentiometer works Learn how a potentiometer be connected to a microcontroller to generate continuous, non-binary inputs You will also have an optional challenge where you directly apply a potentiometer as a lighting controller Background Information A potentiometer is essentially a variable resistor, meaning it can ideally take on a resistance from zero up to the rating of the potentiometer.
June 6, 2025
Leaderboard and Flash ESP32 LED after Successful Upload
Introduction This tutorial will teach you how to build a live leaderboard and get your ESP32’s led to flash once you’ve updated it! By the end of this tutorial you will: Build a simple web page that displays people’s standings in real - time. Program an ESP32 to flash an on-board LED each time the POST succeeds. Learning Objectives Web development(dealing with result requests) ESP32, how to update leaderboard Toggle LED flash when leaderboard is updated Background Information This leaderboard can keep track of the scores of you and your friends.
June 6, 2025
Magnetic Reed Switches
magnetic reed switches Introduction This tutorial is aiming to accomplish a better understanding of the basic functionalities of magnetic reed switches. In this tutorial we will learn about reed switches, how they work and how to integrate them using an ESP32 microcontroller. Learning Objectives Understand reed switch operation (NO vs NC) Wire reed switches directly to ESP32-S3 Program basic switch detection Monitor switch states via Serial output Background Information A magnetic reed switch is an electronic sensor that acts like a button or a switch.
June 6, 2025
Real-Time Parking Availability with ESP32
Introduction This tutorial walks you through building a real-time parking monitoring system using an ESP32 microcontroller and ultrasonic sensors. The system detects whether a parking spot is occupied and sends the information wirelessly using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to a live web dashboard. The motivation behind this project is to help solve everyday parking frustration, particularly on busy campuses like UC San Diego, by providing accurate, live updates on space availability.
June 6, 2025
Tempature/Gas sensors on ESP32
Introduction This tutorial is aiming to accomplish a better grasp of the application of both tempature and gas sensors on an esp32. In this tutorial we will learn about tempature and gas sensors, how they work and how to integrate them using an ESP32 microcontroller. Learning Objectives Understand what the sensors read PCB design Hand soldering sensors on shield Connecting shield to esp32 Background Information Temperature sensors are devices that measure heat or cold.
June 6, 2025
Ultrasonic Sensor Tutorial
This tutorial will guide you through using an ultrasonic sensor with an ESP32 Devboard. Ultrasonic sensors are used to measure distance using sound waves, and they are usually used for obstacle detection. Learning Objectives Explain the principle of an ultrasonic distance sensor How to connect a HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor to an ESP32. Write and upload Arduino code to the ESP32 to read distance from the sensor. Display real-time distance readings using the Serial Monitor Background Information Ultrasonic sensors are electronic devices that measure the distance to an object by using high-frequency sound waves.
June 6, 2025
Long Range Communication with ESP32 and RYLR993 LoRa Modules
Introduction In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create reliable long-range, low-power wireless communication between two ESP32 S3 Mini 1 boards using RYLR993 LoRa modules. This method doesn’t rely on WiFi or Bluetooth, making it great for places without regular internet access. The goal is to make LoRa communication easier to understand and more approachable for students and developers who are new to the technology. Readers will get practical experience wiring the modules and using AT commands to send and receive data.
June 5, 2025
ESP32 SPI ADC Tutorial
ESP32 SPI ADC Tutorial2025-05-19 By: Luke Wittemann SPI Communication Introduction In this tutorial, we will be learning to use an analog to digital converter, or ADC, which communicates to our ESP32 using the SPI serial interface. While many microcontrollers have built-in ADC’s for analogRead() functionality, they are often limited in temporal or voltaic resolution. By using an external ADC, you can select a much more high performing component for more demanding appplications such as audio signal processing.
June 4, 2025
Applying a PID controller to ESP32 Tutorial
Team 12 Introduction The tutorial will teach students the basics of setting up a PID controller on the ESP32 to control a system to a desired output based on the input and feedback using Arduino IDE. It is important to be able to control a system to get a desired output in projects, including temperature, humidity, and motor systems. This tutorial should give you a general idea of what PIDs are used for, how to tune them, and how they can be applied to your project!
May 29, 2025
ESP32 BLE Communication with Notifications
Introduction This tutorial shows you how you can set up Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication using the ESP32-S3 Mini and the Arduino IDE. We’ll make the ESP32 advertise itself as a BLE server and send out "Hello World!" notifications every second. You’ll be able to connect to it with your smartphone using an app like LightBlue or nRF Connect and see live data streaming. This can be used for IOT projects later on, it is especially useful for sending sensor readings, triggering actions, or setting up wireless communication in any embedded project.
May 28, 2025
Controlling Vibration Motor with ESP32
Introduction In this tutorial you will learn how to set up the ESP32 to control a vibration motor. A vibration motor is one of many acutators that you can use to give tactile input to the user. By the end you should be able to precisely control the intensity and timing of a vibration motor to fulfill your desired purpose. Learning Objectives Configure the ESP32 Dev board to control a vibration motor Use Circuit Python to control the intensity and delay of the vibration motor Background Information A vibration motor is one of the simplest and easiest ways to give applications a way to provide haptic feedback to the user.
May 19, 2025
Displaying text on an OLED
Introduction This tutorial aims to teach students how to display text on an SSD 1306 OLED using an ESP 32 microcontroller. The motivation behind the tutorial is to help students with any project that requires displaying information to the outside world through a screen. I want readers to learn how to wire the OLED circuit, how to use the I2C communication protocol, and how to write text display code through Arduino Serial input.
May 19, 2025
DIY Todo List
Introduction I am aiming to create a LCD todolist that will just sit at my desk What is the motivation behind the tutorial? I tend to forget a lot of the things I need to do throughout the day especially if its not in front of me. What do you want readers to gain from the tutorial? Power. Aside from that, i hope readers can learn how to program a LCD display and be become more confident in wiring on a bread board.
May 19, 2025
ECE196 Mini Project 3 - renybn
Introduction Creating a Simple AND gate using an ESP32 and Arduino IDEFor this tutorial, the goal is to create an AND gate incorporating an ESP32 and Arduino IDE. The goal of this tutorial is for the user to get comfortable being able to work with both hardware and software and be able to integrate them together. Motivation behind this tutorial : The ESP32 is the “go-to” microcontroller that can be used for countless projects
May 19, 2025
ESP_NOW Two Way Communication Tutorial
Introduction In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to establish two‑way ESP‑NOW communication between multiple ESP32 boards. Rather than relying on a router (Wi‑Fi) or dealing with Bluetooth’s limited range and latency, ESP‑NOW offers a lightweight, peer‑to‑peer protocol capable of sending up to 250 bytes per packet. By the end, you’ll have a reliable, low‑latency link between your ESP32s for seamless data exchange. Learning Objectives By following this guide, you will:
May 19, 2025
ESP32 WiFi Server & Web Socket Tutorial
Introduction This tutorial is designed for anyone that is interested in learning more in using and hosting a WiFi server on the ESP32-S3 devboard and send and communicating realtime using websocket Learning Objectives Learn how to create a WiFi Server on ESP32 Learn how to create websocket for immediate signal transfer Using PlatformIO (instead of Arduino) for faster development Host a WiFi server (access point) on ESP32 Using Websocket to send realtime command
May 19, 2025
ESP32-S3 Wi-Fi LED Toggle Tutorial
Introduction This tutorial teaches you how to build a simple web page hosted by a SoftAP that allows you to control two onboard LEDs on the ESP32-S3 DevKit. The board creates its own Wi-Fi network, and you can control the hardware through your phone or browser, no internet required. Learning Objectives Create a Soft Access Point with the ESP32 Serve an HTML page from the ESP32 itself Toggle GPIO outputs through basic web buttons Background Information The ESP32-S3 is a Wi-Fi-enabled microcontroller that supports hosting its own network using SoftAP mode.
May 19, 2025
Getting Started with Accelerometers on ESP32
Introduction In this tutorial, we will discuss how to interface the MPU6050 accelerometer with an ESP32 development board using the C programming language. I will guide you through several steps to help you successfully read raw data from the accelerometer using the I2C protocol. I will also show you the basic logic to detect movement. Learning Objectives what will be covered in this tutorial? How to write embedded code in C How to use ESP32idf framwork How to read and understand datasheets How to install and use useful VScode extension - platformIO How to connect MPU6050 with ESP32 dev board through correct pins Background Information The ESP32 is a widely used development board, and the MPU6050 accelerometer is a powerful motion detection device that can read 6-axis movement data.
May 19, 2025
I2C Tutorial
I2C Tutorial Introduction When designing an electrical system, one of the most common ways to get multiple devices communicating over a wired connection is to use I2C. This is a very common way for sensors to communicate with a main microcontroller/microprocessor. In this tutorial, you should be able to learn how to get devices communicating over I2C fairly easily. Learning Objectives Students should be able to learn how to wire two devices together to communicate over I2C.
May 19, 2025
MPU-6050 Sensor communicates with ESP32 Dev Board Tutorial
Introduction In this tutorial, we will teach how to connect and use the MPU-6050 motion sensor with the ESP32 Dev Board. The sensor gives real-time data about acceleration and rotation, which is useful in many cool projects like balancing robots or motion tracking. In addition, we made this tutorial because the MPU-6050 is a low-cost but powerful sensor, we also used this sensor in our own project, which is an anti-theft device for e-scooters.
May 18, 2025
ECE196 SP25 DHT11 Tutorial
Introduction In this tutorial, we will learn how to use a DHT11 sensor with an ESP32 board. We will connect the sensor, read the temperature and humidity, and show the readings on the computer screen. That this can help us to track the indoor environment. By the end, we will know how to add simple sensors to our own projects and knows how the Inter-Integrated Circuit(I2C) works. Learning Objectives Learn what a DHT11 sensor does Learn how to hook up the DHT11 to an ESP32 board Install Arduino IDE and add ESP32 support Use the DHT library to read sensor data Write and run code to print readings to the screen Learn what is Inter-Integrated Circuit(I2C) Background Information This tutorial is about the DHT11 sensor and how to use it with the ESP32 board.
May 17, 2025
ESP32 LED Alert When Detecting Abnormal Motion
ESP32 LED ALERT WHEN DETECTING ABNORMAL MOTION Introduction This tutorial will show how to light up LEDs connected to an ESP32 when abnormal motion is detected by an accelerometer. Learning Objectives Understand how to read and interpret accelerometer data using CircuitPython. Detect sudden motion or acceleration beyond a threshold. Trigger LEDs to respond to abnormal movement. Background Information Accelerometers are sensors that measure acceleration forces. These forces may be static, like the constant force of gravity, or dynamic — caused by moving or vibrating the sensor.
May 7, 2025
ESP32 Communicaation Over WiFi !
Introduction In this tutorial we will teach you how to use a python script to communicate with your ESP32! In a previous tutorial you learn how to send signals over the serial peripheral interface (SPI), now we will teach you how to send signals wirelessly. We hope this short simple tutorial can help kickstart your project so you don’t have to tirelessly search online watching YouTube videos and reading forums like we did!
December 6, 2024
Servos with ESP32 DevBoard
Introduction After finishing this tutorial you will know how to control servos using an ESP32 Envision DevBoard! Expanding your component knowledge is essential for being able to create new projects. Servos can be applied in different projects relating to smart locks, robotic arms, and more!. This tutorial demonstrates how to control a servo motor using CircuitPython without relying on external libraries for Servos. Instead, we’ll directly generate PWM signals to control the servo.
December 6, 2024
Battery Indicator with ESP32
Introduction This tutorial will teach readers how to use ESP32’s ADC pins to measure a battery’s charge. Since the ADC pins can take in a max of 3.3V, we will be covering how to implement a voltage divider to lower the maximum voltage of a battery to an amount allowed by the ESP32. For the coding section, we will use the Arduino IDE to write code that will read, display, and convert the battery readings to a charge percentage using a function.
November 21, 2024
«««< HEAD Hello! In this tutorial, we will be using the Adafruit INA219, a current and voltage sensor that is useful for calculating power and detailing information about your circuit. This guide will be a simple step-by-step guide on integratting the INA219 into your next project! For now, we will start simple by simply measuring the current and voltage across an LED in an LED circuit (don’t forget the resistor).
Current/Voltage Sensor Turorial: Welcome to the Adafruit INA219 Current/Voltage Sensor tutorial where we will be using this sensor to measure the current, votlage, and power of our circuit. This was very useful for our project in ECE 196 when wanting to display our data so we know how well our solar charger is performing. However for this tutorial we will be measuring these things in a much simpler LED circuit.
A Basic Guide to Performing Computer Vision Tasks with ESP32-CAM Module
Introduction The ESP32-CAM is a powerful yet compact module combining a microcontroller, Wi-Fi, and a camera, making it ideal for IoT and computer vision tasks. In this tutorial, we will stream video from the ESP32-CAM to a host computer and run object detection using a YOLO model. Learning Objectives Configure the ESP32-CAM module Stream video over Wi-Fi to a host machine Use OpenCV in Python to capture and display frames Run object detection with a YOLO model using Roboflow Inference Trigger audio alerts with text-to-speech (TTS) Background Information Computer vision enables machines to understand images and video.
Bestest Tutorial Ever
Introduction This tutorial walks you through turning an ESP32 DevKit into a tiny Wi‑Fi “light mixer.” By the end, you’ll serve a webpage with three sliders that change the Red, Green, and Blue channels of an RGB LED in real‑time. The project shows how easy it is to combine embedded PWM control with HTTP requests so that any phone or laptop becomes a wireless color picker. Learning Objectives Spin up a minimalist HTTP server on the ESP32 (using the built‑in WiFi.
Button Input Handling and Menu Navigation Tutorial
Introduction This tutorial will guide readers through the process of using a button to cycle through a list of predefined messages displayed on an OLED screen. The motivation for this tutorial comes from our team’s final project: a communication device designed for hikers in remote areas. Since users won’t have access to traditional messaging services, our device allows them to send and receive predefined messages. A key feature is enabling users to navigate through the available messages and select one to send.
Buzzing the ESP32
Introduction This tutorial is to get you started on your ESP32 and Arduino coding journey. We will start with a speaker to have a more hands on approach to join the bridge between hardware and software. The user should be able to change their code and quickly see that change be outputted based on a different sound that the speaker will produce. This is a great starter project to ease the user into the course for all skill levels.
Calculating Distance using ESP32
[] Introduction This tutorial introduces students on how to use ultrasonic distance sensors with an ESP32 and using those readings to light an LED to signify when an object is out of reach. From this tutorial students will learn to calibrate sensors and get accurate real-world measurements to drive an output device. The motivation behind this tutorial is to introduce students to various different input and output sustems that can be applied to other real world applications.
Controlling an OLED I2C Display
Table of Contents Introduction Getting Started Connecting and Basic Operation Making a Game What Next? Full Game Code Introduction This tutorial will go over how to interact with a small OLED display using the popular U8g2 library. After getting the display up and running, we will create a simple game that will be controlled with keyboard input (over serial). Objectives Learn the basics of PlatformIO to setup the development environment Write to a display using the U8g2_Arduino library Use serial input (from keyboard) to play a game on the display Learn a little about simple game programming methods Discover alternative libraries that you could use in the future!
ESP32 WiFi Scanner
Introduction This tutorial walks through building a simple Wi-Fi scanner using a ESP32 Dev Board you have created and a USB-C cable. It will then display them in both the Arduino Serial Monitor and on a simple web server, which this tutorial will walk you through. The project scans for nearby Wi-Fi networks and displays their names and signal strengths through the Serial Monitor. By the end, you’ll know how to set up your board, write and upload code, and understand how Wi-Fi scanning works on the ESP32!
How to set up RYLR993 LoRa Modules for Basic Communication
Introduction This tutorial is going to teach readers how to setup two RYLR993 modules for basic communication. I decided to create this tutorial because it was tedious to figure out how to configure the modules as the online videos available were often unclear. Overall, readers should be able to understand the basic wiring and serial commands needed to set up the modules. Learning Objectives Learn how to wire the LoRa modules to recieve and transmitt signals Learn the serial commands needed to configure the LoRa modules Understand what hardware is needed to setup the modules Write simple signal reception code Background Information LoRa is short for “long range” and is a form of communication that is able to send signals over long distances using low power.
IR Car Detector
Introduction In the mini project, I will be making an obstacle detecting system using an IR obstacle avoidance senor, LED, and Resistor. From this students will be able to learn how to use the Arduino IDE software and write code so that the ESP tells the sensor an obstacle is near. Most people would use a Proximity Sensor to detect an obstacle, this is an alternative! Learning Objectives Be able to write basic code in Arduino IDE Learn ho to use pinouts of ESP32-Mini How you can further add to this project Background Information An IR Obstacle Detector, RED LED, and Resistor will be used together to act as a car parking sensor We use the IR Obstacle Detector to use give back a binary value (if a obstacle is present or if its clear) In total, there ill be to LED’s used, one on the IR Obstacle Detector (green) and one on a seperate breadboard (red).
Motion Interface Tutorial
Introduction This tutorial is aiming to teach how to interface an accelerometer sensor with an ESP32 Dev Board to detect motion. The motivation behind this tutorial is to help measure forces in all directions which allow to detect shakes, tilts and falls. I want readers to understand how to detect any type of motion and understand how to link the accelerometer with the Dev Board and how they can work correspondingly.
PIR Sensor with ESP32
Introduction This tutorial shows you how to interface an ESP32 development board with a PIR (Passive Infrared) motion sensor to detect movement within its field of view. You’ll learn to wire the components and write firmware that reads the sensor’s digital output. By the end, you’ll be able to build simple presence-sensing projects—security alarms, automatic lights, or data-loggers—that react to motion. Learning Objectives Understand how a PIR motion sensor detects infrared changes Install ESP32 board support in the Arduino IDE (or PlatformIO) Wire the PIR sensor to the ESP32 safely Write, upload, and debug Arduino-style code that reads a digital input Background Information A PIR motion sensor, such as the HC-SR501 module, contains a pyroelectric element that generates a tiny voltage when it “sees” a change in infrared radiation.
Sending Accelerometer Data to Webserver
Introduction This tutorial will teach you how to read acceleration values from MPU6050 interfaced with ESP32, and then send the read values to a webserver via HTTP request. The motivation behind this tutorial is that we want to give a simple example of utilizing ESP32, an accelerometer(Or any other hardware of your wish), and a webserver to build a simple IoT(Internet of Things) application. The Users will gain from the following: How to wire the ESP32 with MPU6050 How to read the acceleration value from MPU6050 by writing firmware.
Team 3 ESP32 OLED Web Graphics
Team 3: ESP32 OLED Web Graphics Introduction This tutorial aims to teach you about the wifi capabilities on the ESP32. This is meant to be an extension to the mini project spinning and blinking control system. The motivation behind this is because my ECE 196 final project uses a similar system to control the window cleaning robot traversal. I want readers to learn the lessons from this tutorial and to create a cool project in the process.
Ultrasonic Sensing
Introduction In this tutorial you will learn how to use an ESP32 with an ultrasonic sensor to measure distance. It’s a simple project to get started with sensors and microcontrollers and how to interface them with code. You’ll learn how to connect the parts, write the code, and read real-time distance data on your computer. Learning Objectives Circuit building Arduino IDE Writing to the serial monitor Background Information In this tutorial, you will be using and ultrasonic sensor to detect the distance of an object in front of it.
Using a PIR Motion Sensor with ESP32
Using a PIR Motion Sensor with ESP32Introduction This project shows how to detect motion with the ESP32 using a PIR motion sensor. The motivation behind this tutorial is that sometimes we want to discern thermal activity from other types of movement and this type of motion sensor can achieve that. I hope that readers can gain a better understanding of how motion sensors work and how they work together with the ESP32 board.