Uploaded April 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
This is a tutorial project inspired by Captain Tom Moore, who has raised £30 million for the NHS by completing laps of his garden and celebrates his 100th birthday tomorrow. #ThankyouNHS
In this video, I'll explain how you can use a pressure mat sensor attached to an ESP32 as a "lap counter" - sending an MQTT message to update a Node-RED dashboard running on a display screen, and playing a sound effect each time it is stepped on. The concepts, hardware, and software demonstrated could be used in many puzzles and interactions in escape room puzzles.
Hardware/Software used:
- ESP32, ~$7 from, e.g. banggood.com/custlink/GvmKq6b0Rt
- Pressure mat, ~$15 from, e.g. ebay.co.uk/itm/PRESSURE-MAT-PAD-ALARM-MEDIUM-720MM-X-390MM-X-3MM-FLOOR-DOOR-BEDSIDE-SECURITY/192978582555
- Node-RED, free, from nodered.org
Timings:
00:00-01:26 Introduction
01:27-01:53 Demonstration
01:54-04:24 Hardware
04:25-21:59 ESP code
22:00-37:18 Node-RED flow
37:19-38:14 Wrapup
More Info:
To download the code listing and Node-RED flow for this project, or for details of any of my other Escape Room tutorials, see my Patreon account at patreon.com/playfultech
This is a tutorial project inspired by Captain Tom Moore, who has raised £30 million for the NHS by completing laps of his garden and celebrates his 100th birthday tomorrow. #ThankyouNHS
In this video, I'll explain how you can use a pressure mat sensor attached to an ESP32 as a "lap counter" - sending an MQTT message to update a Node-RED dashboard running on a display screen, and playing a sound effect each time it is stepped on. The concepts, hardware, and software demonstrated could be used in many puzzles and interactions in escape room puzzles.
Hardware/Software used:
- ESP32, ~$7 from, e.g. banggood.com/custlink/GvmKq6b0Rt
- Pressure mat, ~$15 from, e.g. ebay.co.uk/itm/PRESSURE-MAT-PAD-ALARM-MEDIUM-720MM-X-390MM-X-3MM-FLOOR-DOOR-BEDSIDE-SECURITY/192978582555
- Node-RED, free, from nodered.org
Timings:
00:00-01:26 Introduction
01:27-01:53 Demonstration
01:54-04:24 Hardware
04:25-21:59 ESP code
22:00-37:18 Node-RED flow
37:19-38:14 Wrapup
More Info:
To download the code listing and Node-RED flow for this project, or for details of any of my other Escape Room tutorials, see my Patreon account at patreon.com/playfultech
