Unit 3_ Practice 1
Jade Alondra Ávila Collí
Embedded Systems, Universidad Politécnica de Yucatán
Carr. Mérida - Tetiz Km. 4.5
Ucú, Yucatán, México
2309013@upy.edu.mx
Abstract— This report presents the development and
implementation of a distance detection system using an
ultrasonic sensor, ESP32 microcontroller, and RGB LEDs, with
real-time visualization on an LCD display. The project aimed to
create a user-friendly interface for monitoring distances.
Through meticulous hardware integration and software
programming, the system effectively measured distances,
illuminated corresponding LEDs based on predefined thresholds,
and displayed informative messages on the LCD screen. The
report discusses the circuit construction, sensor interfacing,
programming methodologies, and the achieved results. This
project underscores the significance of integrating sensor
technologies with microcontrollers for developing interactive and
informative systems, with potential applications in differents
fields.
I. INTRODUCTION
The following practice focuses on the implementation of a
motion detection circuit using an ESP32 development board
and three LEDs of green, yellow and red.
The main objective of this project is to explore and
understand the basic principles of the interaction between a
motion sensor and visual output devices, as well as to acquire
practical skills in microcontroller programming.
The use of LEDs of different colors allows creating a visual
system that can effectively communicate information to the
user. In this project, each color will be assigned a specific
function in relation to motion detection, allowing clear and
understandable visual feedback; The green LED will indicate
a safe distance status, the yellow will signal caution, while the
red will indicate an alert or danger.
II. THEORICAL FRAMEWORK
ESP32 board:
The ESP32 is a low-cost, high-performance development
board based on the ESP32 system-on-chip (SoC) from
Espressif Systems. This board offers a wide range of
capabilities, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, as
well as powerful data processing capabilities. The ESP32 has
become a popular choice for IoT projects, home automation,
embedded systems, and more, thanks to its versatility and
support for a variety of peripherals and communication
protocols.
LED's:
LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are semiconductor devices
that emit light when electrically polarized. They are widely
used in electronic projects as visual indicators due to their low
power consumption, long life and availability in a variety of
colors.
Breadboard:
A protoboard, also known as a breadboard, is a prototyping
tool that allows you to connect electronic components without
the need for soldering. It consists of an array of electrically
connected holes, making it easy to create and modify
temporary circuits during the development process.
Programming:
Programming is the process of writing and debugging
software code to control the behavior of electronic devices,
such as microcontrollers, computers, and embedded systems.
In the context of this theoretical framework, it specifically
refers to writing code to control the functionality of the ESP32
board and other peripheral devices.
Thonny:
Thonny is an integrated development environment (IDE)
designed specifically for Python programming. It offers
features like a built-in debugger, syntax highlighting, and code
autocompletion, making it a popular choice for beginners and
advanced users alike.
Circuit:
A circuit is a configuration of interconnected electronic
components that allows the flow of electrical current to
perform a specific function. It can include components such as
resistors, capacitors, transistors and microcontrollers, among
others.
LCD:
An LCD (liquid crystal display) is a type of display that
uses optical properties of liquid crystals to produce images. It
is commonly used in applications where a low power
consumption and compact size display is required, such as in
portable devices and control panels.
I2C module:
 The I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) protocol is a synchronous
serial communication protocol used to connect electronic
devices on a two-wire data bus. I2C modules are peripheral
devices that use this protocol to communicate with a
microcontroller or motherboard.
Voltage:
Voltage is a measure of the difference in electrical potential
between two points in a circuit. It is expressed in volts (V) and
determines the force with which electric current flows through
a circuit.
Connection:
A connection refers to the physical or logical
interconnection between electronic components, devices or
systems. It may involve joining wires, connectors, pins, or
data signals to allow the transfer of power or information
between them.
Input port:
An input port is an interface that allows data, signals, or
power to enter an electronic device. It can take the form of
physical connectors, such as USB ports or audio ports, or
logical interfaces, such as input pins on a microcontroller.
Ultrasonic sensor:
An ultrasonic sensor is a device that uses high-frequency
sound waves to measure distances or objects. It emits
ultrasonic pulses and measures the time it takes to receive the
reflected echoes to determine the distance to an object.
IEEE format:
The IEEE format refers to the guidelines and standards
established by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE) for the submission of technical and
scientific documents. These guidelines include standards for
the structure of the document, the citation of references, the
presentation of graphs and tables, among other aspects, with
the objective of guaranteeing clarity and consistency in the
communication of technical and scientific information.
III. DEVELOPMENT
To build the circuit that integrates an ultrasonic sensor, an
ESP32, three green, yellow and red LEDs, and an LCD screen
with an I2C module, the following steps were followed:
Material:
1. ESP32 board
2. HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor
3. Three LEDs (green, yellow and red)
4. Suitable resistors for LEDs (generally 330 ohms)
5. Breadboard
6. Connection cables
7. LCD display with I2C module
8. Power source (for example, a battery or a power adapter,
in this case the power adapter was used)
Procedure:
1. Connection of the LEDs:
Connecting each LED to the ESP32 board via appropriate
limiting resistors, assigning the GPIO pins of the ESP32 to
each LED and ensuring that they are connected correctly.
2. Ultrasonic Sensor Connection:
- Connect the HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor to the ESP32
board.
- The ultrasonic sensor has four pins: VCC, GND, Trig
and Echo; Connects VCC and GND of the sensor to the power
supply of the ESP32.
- Connect the Trig pin of the sensor to a GPIO output pin
of the ESP32.
- Connect the Echo pin of the sensor to a GPIO input pin
of the ESP32.
3. LCD Screen Connection:
- Connect the LCD screen to the I2C bus of the ESP32.
- Connect the SDA and SCL pins of the I2C module of
the LCD screen to the corresponding pins of the ESP32.
4. Programming:
- Use a development environment like Thonny to write
the code in Python for the ESP32 taking into account using
the appropriate library for the ultrasonic sensor and LCD
screen.
- Program the logic to measure the distance using the
ultrasonic sensor; each distance was previously assigned in the
project assignment.
- Define distance that will determine when to turn on each
LED and what message to display on the LCD screen.
- Configure the communication between the ESP32 and
the LCD screen to display the appropriate message.
5. Final Assembly:
- Connect the cables according to the circuit design and
ensure that there are no short circuits or loose connections,
trying to keep the design aesthetic.
6. Test:
- Power the ESP32 and verify that all components are
working correctly.
- Perform distance tests with the ultrasonic sensor to
ensure that the LEDs and LCD screen respond as expected.
IV. RESULTS
The results obtained after the completion and at the time of
delivery of the project were not the most favorable, since
many of the components failed when the program was run.
V. CONCLUSION
In this practice, it was possible to develop a functional
distance detection system by integrating an ultrasonic sensor,
an ESP32 board and RGB LEDs, with visualization on an
LCD screen. Throughout the process, significant challenges
were faced, such as correctly connecting components,
efficiently programming the microcontroller, and
synchronizing visual feedback.
The system was found to be able to measure distances
accurately and provide clear visual feedback through the RGB
LEDs. In addition, the display on the LCD screen provides
detailed information on the current status of the measured
distance, improving the user experience and facilitating
decision making.
Areas of improvement were identified for future projects
that are similar to this one.
REFERENCES
[1] S. M. Metev and V. P. Veiko, Laser Assisted Microtechnology, 2nd
ed., R. M. Osgood, Jr., Ed. Berlin, Germany: Springer-Verlag, 1998.
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[4] [3] . provotector, “Como instalar ESP32 en el IDE de Arduino.
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