This is a small project I'm working on. It's an ESP32-based
laser tripwire. It uses a vl53l0x time-of-flight laser distance
sensor as the 'tripwire' and in theory will detect a person
and wirelessly communicate with another module somewhere else,
which will beep or flash or something.
So far I've got my parts (except for the batteries which haven't
arrived yet) and got the laser distance sensor to work. I've started on
the actual code for the tripwire (calibration, detection, communication.)
I'll post updates whenever I make some meaningful progress!
Laser Tripwire
9/3/26
So we got the ESP32-C3, and a VL53L0X ToF sensor
This is my first time soldering! It was pretty easy I thought,
even with my cheap soldering iron :).
Got the sensor working!
Here's the setup so far. I didn't solder the sensor
because my soldering iron got all oxidized and i don't have
a brass sponge, nor did a regular sponge work.
28/3/26
Here's the two boards communicating!!!
(Their outputs are in the serial monitor at the bottom)
Here's the boards with their antennas.
So I've got the wireless communication working! (and the
callibration for the sensor, but who cares about that?)
It's really cool how one can just send a text message to the other,
and apparently the antenna allows for a range of over a hundred meters.
This is such a cool piece of hardware!
I picked this up today for the first time in a week, and two small fixes later, it just worked. Turns out I forgot to plug in the external antenna. (It comes with a small built-in antenna, but apparently it isn't powerful enough.)
I picked this up today for the first time in a week, and two small fixes later, it just worked. Turns out I forgot to plug in the external antenna. (It comes with a small built-in antenna, but apparently it isn't powerful enough.)