ESP32 Project Feasibility

Cooltafel
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Sep 26, 2020 11:52 am

ESP32 Project Feasibility

Postby Cooltafel » Sat Sep 26, 2020 12:16 pm

Dear reader,

I am working on a school project for which I try to make a schedule/task reminder. My question is regarding the feasibility of the project, e.g. is this possible with a ESP32. I am well aware that all the components individually will work correctly with the ESP, however, I am not sure if this is also the case when I use all the components together.
The hardware consists of a ESP32 TTGO-T Koala, Waveshare 4.2 inch 3 color e-ink screen, 2 buttons, 1 WS2812 8 led ledstrip, buzzer and a PIR sensor.

I will shortly introduce the required functions:
1) The main working mode should look like a clock. So the time is displayed in big numbers and in smaller letters the upcoming task is written out.
2) When a user approaches, the PIR sensor will detect the movement and the time in big numbers disappears and the upcoming task is displayed larger.
3) When it is 30 min before the start of the task, the display should display 3 things: the current time, the task and a sort of graphical representation of the time, for example a bar that is filling up. For those who are wondering why, the bar is to ensure that the user will have a feeling of the time. Moreover, the led strip should go on and the colours should smoothly change to also indicate something will start.
4) When the 30 minutes are finished and the task had started the state of the display should remain the same. The buzzer should make a sound to alert the user.
5) When the user finished the current task, he should confirm this task by pressing button one. This should also be send to the webserver.
6) Button two is to cycle through the activities of the day.

This device works with a website. The website is already finished and there is an API that makes the connection with the ESP32 smoother. I already implemented a bit of code to request information from the webserver. The other functions still have to be implemented. I am questioning if all these functions can be implemented with the ESP32 or if I have to step up to a Raspberry Pi, however the latter is not really possible since the project has a budget limit.

I would appreciate if someone could give me a short explanation if it is possible or not. If I would start on it and hit brick walls due to the limitations of the components etc, I probably won't be able to finish the project, in other words, I have to redo it next year :(

Thank you in advance for your time!
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Last edited by Cooltafel on Sun Sep 27, 2020 10:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

tommeyers
Posts: 184
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:51 pm
Location: Santiago, Dominican Republic

Re: ESP32 Project Feasibility

Postby tommeyers » Sat Sep 26, 2020 11:09 pm

Since this is a school project: has your instructor authorized your use of consultants? I don't believe so.

For that reason you will need to apply the skills you have and add the ones you don't have. That is part of learning.

Best wishes, Tom
IT Professional, Maker
Santiago, Dominican Republic

PeterR
Posts: 621
Joined: Mon Jun 04, 2018 2:47 pm

Re: ESP32 Project Feasibility

Postby PeterR » Sat Sep 26, 2020 11:26 pm

Good point! I had thought that all posters should make a declaration that they are not completing a home work assignment!
That said I do not think there is much harm in saying that in computing all things are possible - even if you have to add another coprocessor ;)
My one question to OP is how a PIR sensor is going prompt to remind you or ANO about a task?
& I also believe that IDF CAN should be fixed.

ESP_Sprite
Posts: 9043
Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2015 4:08 am

Re: ESP32 Project Feasibility

Postby ESP_Sprite » Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:27 pm

Agree that you could make the point that asking for feasibility is not the same as asking for an answer... also, if the project hasn't even started yet, he's free to ask around, right?

In general, I don't see any big issues with programming that. Only thing I would note is that 3-color E-ink tends to be really slow wrt refreshing, so you may want to look at the refresh times and see if it's acceptable for an user to wait that long for the screen to change when a button is pressed or the PIR is triggered.

tommeyers
Posts: 184
Joined: Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:51 pm
Location: Santiago, Dominican Republic

Re: ESP32 Project Feasibility

Postby tommeyers » Sun Sep 27, 2020 10:58 pm

I agree that he is free to ask around.

Tom
IT Professional, Maker
Santiago, Dominican Republic

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