DeskBuddy – Your Personal Bedside Assistant
I was lying on my bed one day and wanted to check the time, but I was too comfortable to get up and look at my phone. That gave me an idea: Why not build a little buddy that could show me useful information without having to move?
That's how DeskBuddy was born!
DeskBuddy is a smart bedside assistant powered by the ESP32-C3. It displays the current time, temperature, humidity, gas sensor readings and surrounding light levels on an OLED screen. It also has a button that controls a relay connected to an LED ring light strip, allowing me to switch the light on and off conveniently.
Components Used
- ESP32-C3 – Main microcontroller
- DHT11 – Temperature and humidity readings
- MQ-2 – Gas and smoke-related readings
- Light sensor – Measures surrounding light levels
- OLED display – Displays information
- Relay module – Controls the ring light strip
- Push button – Controls the light
- Connecting wires and breadboard
Challenges We Ran Into
One of our biggest challenges was interfacing multiple components with the ESP32-C3 while managing its available GPIO pins. We had to make sure that the sensors, OLED display and relay worked together properly.
We also faced challenges in displaying all the information neatly on the small OLED screen, handling button inputs and troubleshooting wiring and programming errors.
Accomplishments We're Proud Of
We're proud that we transformed a simple everyday inconvenience into a working electronic assistant.
DeskBuddy combines multiple features in one compact device. It displays useful information on a single screen and lets us control a ring light with a physical button.
We are especially proud of integrating multiple sensors and output devices using the ESP32-C3.
What We Learned
Through this project, we learned how to:
- Program the ESP32-C3.
- Interface multiple sensors with a microcontroller.
- Display live readings on an OLED screen.
- Control electrical devices using a relay module.
- Handle physical button inputs.
- Troubleshoot hardware connections and software errors.
- Combine multiple electronic components into one functional system.
What's Next for DeskBuddy?
DeskBuddy is still a work in progress. We plan to add:
- A stopwatch, countdown timer and Pomodoro study timer.
- Interactive animated faces.
- Games such as Snake.
- A better menu system and user interface.
- A compact, sturdy enclosure.
- Wireless controls and additional smart features.
Our goal is to turn DeskBuddy into a versatile personal companion that makes everyday tasks easier.
Built With
- c++
- wifi
