Ein automatisiertes Gehege mit dem ESP32 entwerfen
Ein sicheres Holzgehege zu bauen und meine ersten ESP-Sensoren haben mir mehr gebracht als jedes Tutorial.
Designing an Automated Habitat with the ESP32
When my girlfriend wished for a hamster for her birthday, it came with the idea of building a proper cage. My brother and I went for non-toxic wood, metal grids, and edible silicone so it would be safe from day one. I like starting with the physical build because it defines the constraints for everything that comes later.
Once the structure felt solid, I took a leap into ESP. I bought boards, sensors, and cameras without having ever worked with them or owning the right equipment. The goal was simple: measure the fill levels in food and water, and add cameras so we could check on the hamster when we were not at home.
Working on a real project taught me far more than theory. I had to figure out wiring, power, and data connections while the physical build was still coming together. That pressure made the learning stick, and the system started to come alive once the first sensors reported data.
Nearly everything worked well. The funniest failure was the hamster climbing into the food canister where he definitely did not belong. It was an easy fix and a good reminder that real-world testing always finds the edge cases.
This project turned ESP into a real hobby for me. The mix of woodworking, wiring, and software made it one of the most satisfying builds I have done so far.