A mechatronics student has developed a fully open DIY ESP32 Environmental Node project that solves the problem of autonomous plant care. The firmware is written on pure ESP-IDF v5.x using PlatformIO (without any Arduino framework). The device operates in strict power saving mode, periodically waking up from deep sleep.
A mechatronics student has developed a fully open DIY ESP32 Environmental Node project that solves the problem of autonomous plant care. The firmware is written on pure ESP-IDF v5.x using PlatformIO (without any Arduino framework). The device operates in strict power saving mode, periodically waking up from deep sleep.
The heart of the system is a super-budget ESP32-C3 SuperMini microcontroller for the price of a coffee ($1.5 on AliExpress). The main feature of the project is no Arduino framework. Everything is written in the «pure» ESP-IDF v5.x in the C language.
The device wakes up for only a few seconds to take readings and send data, then immediately «falls asleep.» The system can last for months on a single battery.
No hardcoded Wi-Fi passwords in the firmware. Press the physical button for 5 seconds — the device creates its own access point (SoftAP), and you can change network settings or calibrate sensors from your phone via a convenient web interface.
If the soil gets too dry, the device will send a notification directly to Telegram or Discord. There is also support for custom Webhooks for integration with Home Assistant or your own beauty servers.
Demian Zaiats shared his development on Reddit, and you can learn more about the project on GitHub .
