The System
Upgrade any home with a high-performance visual alert system. This plug-and-play solution uses wireless ESP-NOW protocols to bridge the gap between sound and sight.
Installation Strategy: The Leader is placed directly next to the chime of your existing doorbell. Its volume trigger threshold is set high enough that it's only triggered by the specific chime and won't react to conversations or TV noise.
Unlimited Scalability: You can deploy as many Follower nodes as your house requires. Because the system uses ESP-NOW Broadcast, the Leader triggers every Follower in range (~200m line-of-sight, or 40-60ft through typical walls) simultaneously with zero lag.
The Leader (Ears)
Live RMS volume meter. Mirrors the physical status LED.
The Follower (Eyes)
Flashes 8x8 matrix on trigger. Pulsing heartbeat when idle.
Configuration & Tuning: Settings are reached by connecting to the device's WIFI Access Point. The built-in captive portal takes you right to the live dashboard.
Firmware & Deployment
Set up this project on any brand-new computer in three steps:
1. Python Environment
Install Python from python.org. Ensure you check the box "Add Python to PATH" during setup.
2. PlatformIO Core
Open a terminal (PowerShell) and run the core installer:
3. One-Click Upload
Download the firmware package for your device. Extract the .zip, connect your ESP32-C3, and run upload.bat.
Power & Assembly
Assembly: Solder wires directly to the 5V and GND pins. Use Hot Glue generously for insulation and stress relief where cables meet the 3D-printed mounts.
The ESP32s are kept mostly out in the open for optimal cooling and visible status monitoring.
Hardware Pinouts
| Device | Function | Pin | Function Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leader | I2S Data (SD) | 0 | Mic Input |
| Leader | I2S Clock (SCK) | 1 | Mic Clock |
| Leader | Status LED | 8 | Volume Reactive PWM |
| Follower | 8x8 Matrix | 4 | WS2812B Data |
| Follower | Heartbeat LED | 8 | Status LED |
Hardware (BOM)
3D Fabrication
Download the STL files for assembly. Print in PETG or PLA with 15% infill.