Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
It's nearly Halloween again, which is perfect timing for this spooky theatrical prop - a set of drawers that open and close by themselves! Using pneumatic cylinders controlled by an ESP32, you can make the drawers open when a sensor is activated, synchronise them in time to music or triggered by some other event, or activate them manually. I'll demonstrate a simple Bluetooth app I made which allows you to open and close the drawers remotely from a mobile phone app.
Great for haunt attractions or theatre and, because they can be remotely closed, they're also ideal for use in an escape room as a set piece, or an alternative to maglocks that can be automatically reset at the end of the game!
Timings
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00:00:00 - 00:01:30 Introduction and demonstration
00:01:31 - 00:03:07 Benefits of pneumatics
00:03:08 - 00:04:47 Components required
00:04:48 - 00:09:34 Assembly
00:09:35 - 00:12:11 MIT App Inventor Bluetooth app
00:12:12 - 00:17:52 Arduino IDE code listing
00:17:52 - 00:19:36 Electronic and Pneumatic wiring
00:19:37 - 00:20:50 Wrapup and Conclusion
Code & Wiring Downloads
---
If you'd like to support me making more tutorials explaining how to use tech in escape rooms and other playful settings, please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech, where you can also find code downloads, wiring diagrams, and additional resources for this and all the other projects featured in this channel.
You can also join the Playful Technology discord server at discord.gg/eVU8w4QB
#esp32 #theatrical #specialfx #escaperoom #tutorial
It's nearly Halloween again, which is perfect timing for this spooky theatrical prop - a set of drawers that open and close by themselves! Using pneumatic cylinders controlled by an ESP32, you can make the drawers open when a sensor is activated, synchronise them in time to music or triggered by some other event, or activate them manually. I'll demonstrate a simple Bluetooth app I made which allows you to open and close the drawers remotely from a mobile phone app.
Great for haunt attractions or theatre and, because they can be remotely closed, they're also ideal for use in an escape room as a set piece, or an alternative to maglocks that can be automatically reset at the end of the game!
Timings
---
00:00:00 - 00:01:30 Introduction and demonstration
00:01:31 - 00:03:07 Benefits of pneumatics
00:03:08 - 00:04:47 Components required
00:04:48 - 00:09:34 Assembly
00:09:35 - 00:12:11 MIT App Inventor Bluetooth app
00:12:12 - 00:17:52 Arduino IDE code listing
00:17:52 - 00:19:36 Electronic and Pneumatic wiring
00:19:37 - 00:20:50 Wrapup and Conclusion
Code & Wiring Downloads
---
If you'd like to support me making more tutorials explaining how to use tech in escape rooms and other playful settings, please check out my Patreon at patreon.com/playfultech, where you can also find code downloads, wiring diagrams, and additional resources for this and all the other projects featured in this channel.
You can also join the Playful Technology discord server at discord.gg/eVU8w4QB
#esp32 #theatrical #specialfx #escaperoom #tutorial
