Ghosted

Ghosted: The Static Bridge

Inspiration

Deeply rooted in Malaysian folklore, ghost stories aren't just myths—they are part of our cultural fabric. We grew up hearing whispers of the unseen in haunted corridors and quiet kampungs. For Hack&Roll 2026, we wanted to bridge this ancient mysticism with cutting-edge technology. Ghosted is our attempt to turn "what if" into a tangible, spine-chilling reality, moving away from traditional utility apps to create a project fueled by imagination and suspense. We hope to bring much fun to people young and old alike.

What it does

Ghosted is an AI-powered paranormal investigation tool. Using an integrated EMF (Electromagnetic Field) sensor, the device bridges the gap between the physical and the digital. The Unmasking Game: Users have five high-stakes rounds to converse with a unique ghost persona. Dynamic Response: Powered by Gemini AI, each spirit has a distinct history and temperament. Voice Synthesis: Through ElevenLabs, the "static" speaks back in hauntingly realistic tones. Visual Feedback: Five pulsing LEDs react to real-world EMF fluctuations, signaling when a spirit is "near."

How we built it

We utilized the ESP32-S3-BOX-3 as our tactical command center. Hardware: We integrated an antenna to detect ambient EMF signals, mapped to a 5-LED visual array. Firmware: Developed using VS Code and Cursor with the ESP-IDF extension, ensuring low-level control over the S3’s powerful dual-core processor. Intelligence: Gemini AI acts as the "brain," managing complex ghost personas and memory across rounds. Audio: To achieve low-latency, high-fidelity paranormal voices, we integrated the ElevenLabs API for real-time speech synthesis.

Challenges we ran into

The road was haunted by technical hurdles. We faced significant version hell—balancing compatibility between LVGL versions, SquareLine Studio, and the ESP-IDF framework. Since the ESP32-S3-BOX-3 is a niche piece of hardware in Malaysia, documentation was sparse, forcing us to become our own tech support. Additionally, persistent Wi-Fi instability proved costly; every dropped connection during an AI handshake resulted in wasted tokens and interrupted "seances," requiring us to implement more robust error-handling and reconnection logic.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We successfully transformed a development kit into a fully functional paranormal detector. Seeing the LEDs spike in high-EMF zones while a voice generated by Gemini whispered through the speakers was a "Eureka" moment. We take immense pride in our resourcefulness—scouring obscure forums and community comments to solve hardware-level bugs that weren't documented in the official manuals. We are one step closer to bringing the world of the undead to the world of the living.

What we learned

The biggest takeaway was the importance of Pre-Hack Research. Hardware is unforgiving; an hour of compatibility checking before the clock starts is worth ten hours of troubleshooting during the heat of the competition. We also learned how to optimize API calls to minimize token waste during connectivity "ghosting."

What's next for Ghosted

We believe tech should be fun. We plan to expand the "Ghosted" universe by creating a Cross-Dimensional EMF Transmitter. Inspired by Stranger Things, this would allow users at two different locations to communicate through light-bulb patterns triggered by "dimensional" interference—turning the paranormal into a social, interactive experience.