MORE ABOUT IoT

In this video we review the Elektor ESP32 Smart Kit Bundle consisting of the Elektor book "The Complete ESP32 Projects Guide" and the "ESP32 Smart Kit" component box. We learn how to set up the Arduino IDE for the ESP32-DevKitC, and try a few examples with it. In the end we switch to MicroPython and make an LED flash.

Often the easiest way to get acquainted with new technology such as IoT hardware and software is to apply it in a practical way to build something useful; that way learning gets to be fun. In this project the author builds a remotely controlled model for his grandchildren; they get lots of fun out of using the finished product and also helped him build the boat. It uses some empty drinks bottles, a couple of old PC fans and some small controller boards such as the ESP8266 to handle the control functions, set up a Wi-Fi network and even provide an MQTT broker service!

Artificial intelligence, facial recognition and voice recognition… how do you begin to unpick these rather specialized techniques? Everyone’s heard of them, and even uses them without realizing it. From there to implementing them yourself is another step. Only a small step thanks to ESP-EYE, an artificial intelligence module designed by Espressif for the IoT! Even for your personal projects.

In previous parts of this series we saw how to use a web page on a local network to configure an IoT device. In this part, we use a web page to configure a cloud access that allows us to send sensor values. These can then be accessed and viewed from anywhere in the world.

In the last episode, we configured the ESP32 to set up its own local Wi-Fi network. With a PC, smartphone or tablet, we are able to log into this network called ‘ESP32_MyJourneyIoT’ and request a configuration page from the ESP32 web server using a web browser. To show successful hook up we light up an LED. In this episode we change the indicator light to a pulsing LED and write our own class library.

Steve's voyage to Lilliput may not be exactly the kind of applications for which the ESP-32 SoC was designed, but it deserves two minutes of your attention.​ A 5-cm-high fully-functional Macintosh Plus computer runs on an Espressif ESP-32 Wrover module, and is housed in a 3D-printed exact scale model of the original case.