Practical Builds for Smarter Spaces
Build an all-sky camera, energy dashboard, Wi-Fi sensor, touchscreen music panel, workshop tester, quadruped robot, and more with Raspberry Pi, ESP32, 3D printing, and…
ESP32
Build an ESP32 MAX30102 Vital Signs Sensor
Three useful readings come from one fingertip module: heart rate, SpO2, and temperature. This ESP32 project covers the wiring, Arduino sketches, and optical sensing behind each value. It is a practical introduction to I2C and physiological data, but the results are experimental and not suitable for medical diagnosis.
Read the build on randomnerdtutorials.com: Build an ESP32 MAX30102 Vital Signs Sensor3D Printing
Build an Open-Source RP2040 Logic IC Tester
Bench testing gets a practical companion in the OD-PT74, an open-source RP2040 tester for 14-, 16-, and 20-pin 74xx TTL and CMOS chips. Its OLED, rotary encoder, selectable test modes, complete PCB files, and editable 3D-printed enclosure make it a reproducible workshop instrument.
Read the build on pcbway.com: Build an Open-Source RP2040 Logic IC TesterYertle: A 3D-Printed Quadruped for Locomotion Research
Four printed legs give Yertle a practical robot for studying locomotion. Its open-source files cover the mechanical build, while C++ and Python connect hardware with control, simulation, and machine-learning work. Expect assembly, electronics, programming, and calibration—not a ready-made machine.
Read the build on github.com: Yertle: A 3D-Printed Quadruped for Locomotion ResearchDIY Electronics
A CYD Project Menu for Makers
One inexpensive ESP32 Cheap Yellow Display can become a music dashboard, F1 notifier, game system, video player, graphics demo, or 3D-printer panel. This community directory gathers links and flashing tools in one place, while reminding readers to check each project’s parts, documentation, wiring, and installation steps first.
Read the build on github.com: A CYD Project Menu for MakersESP32
Build an ESP32 Cooker Whistle Counter
Pressure-cooker whistles are easy to miss when the kitchen gets busy. This ESP32 project uses a MAX4466 microphone to count sound events, then sends a WhatsApp message through CircuitDigest Cloud when the selected count is reached. It needs careful calibration, reliable Wi-Fi, and continued supervision around the cooker.
Read the build on circuitdigest.com: Build an ESP32 Cooker Whistle CounterESP32 Touchscreen Sonos Wall Panel
On a desk or wall, SonosESP turns a 4-inch or 7-inch touchscreen and ESP32-P4 into a dedicated music remote. It browses libraries, controls speakers across rooms, shows album art and lyrics, displays weather and clocks, and receives firmware updates without being removed from its mounting.
Read the build on github.com: ESP32 Touchscreen Sonos Wall PanelESP32 Tesla BLE Control with Home Assistant
Turn an ESP32 into a local Tesla BLE bridge with ESPHome and Home Assistant. This project brings charging controls, vehicle data, and diagnostics into a dashboard, while keeping communication nearby. Start with the tested YAML example, check pairing and range, and protect every command that can affect the car.
Read the build on github.com: ESP32 Tesla BLE Control with Home AssistantReplace a RIKA Stove Dongle with ESP32-S3
RIKA pellet stoves normally send data through a proprietary Firenet 2.0 dongle and cloud service. Open Firenet substitutes an ESP32-S3, speaking the stove’s USB protocol while providing Wi-Fi, a local control page, and a REST API. Careful board selection matters, and this unofficial appliance interface carries real installation risks.
Read the build on github.com: Replace a RIKA Stove Dongle with ESP32-S3RuView: WiFi Sensing Through Walls
Ordinary WiFi signals become motion clues in RuView, a project built around ESP32 sensing nodes, local processing, live displays, and home-automation links. It estimates presence, movement, breathing, and heart rate without cameras, but room layout, calibration, interference, and privacy determine how useful those results are.
Read the build on github.com: RuView: WiFi Sensing Through WallsIoT
Turning an E-Waste PC into a Router
An old Intel board can make a useful router, but this build hit a software snag: OpenWrt booted while its missing e1000e module hid the 82574L ports. The project then tests OPNsense, weighing a lightweight setup against a fuller firewall platform and showing why drivers matter.
Read the build on hackaday.com: Turning an E-Waste PC into a RouterRaspberry Pi
Run a Powerwall Grafana Dashboard on a Raspberry Pi
A Raspberry Pi can turn Tesla Powerwall readings into useful history. This open-source build collects battery, solar, household, and grid data, stores it as time-series measurements, and presents it in Grafana. You get a practical view of energy habits without giving the Pi control of the battery.
Read the build on github.com: Run a Powerwall Grafana Dashboard on a Raspberry PiA Raspberry Pi Repeater Daemon in Python
A Raspberry Pi-class Linux computer can sit at the center of an OpenHop repeater, running a Python daemon that connects communications software to external radio or audio hardware. The repository’s 1,274 commits, 277 stars, and recent restart fix point to a maintained project, though wiring and setup details need verification.
Read the build on github.com: A Raspberry Pi Repeater Daemon in PythonBuild an Automated Raspberry Pi All-Sky Camera
A Raspberry Pi can run an unattended all-sky camera, controlling compatible astronomy hardware through INDI and saving repeated frames for later review. This project supplies the software foundation; makers still need the camera, lens, enclosure, power, and storage for reliable night-time monitoring.
Read the build on github.com: Build an Automated Raspberry Pi All-Sky CameraBuild a Raspberry Pi Homelab Monitor
Running several home-lab machines and Docker services gets difficult when every check lives in a different tab. homelab-monitor offers a local dashboard for host and container health, plus an MCP server for compatible clients. It looks promising on a Raspberry Pi, but installation, hardware, and metric details still need repository verification.
Read the build on github.com: Build a Raspberry Pi Homelab MonitorRobotics
Inside Pistonudo: A Student-Built WRO Robot
Two YouTube runs show Pistonudo tackling WRO Future Engineers 2026, but the ChaBots repository offers more than competition footage. It records the Mexican team’s route from last season’s lessons through mechanics, electronics, software, obstacle handling, testing, serviceability, and cost planning for a working autonomous robot.
Read the build on github.com: Inside Pistonudo: A Student-Built WRO Robot