I built ESP32-Pomodoro, a C++ project on my GitHub, as a hands-on exploration of embedded systems, microcontrollers, and interactive electronics. It is an animated desk companion whose README calls it BUDDY and marks it as a prototype and work in progress.
My ESP32-Pomodoro repository is on @abdulwasaeee's GitHub.
The repository is written in C++.
The repository started 2026-10 and was last updated 2026-10.
BUDDY uses 25-minute and 45-minute focus modes; a single-click changes the selected duration, and a double-click starts a focus session.
The device combines an ESP32 DevKit (ESP-WROOM-32), a 0.96-inch SSD1306 OLED display (128 × 64), and a TM1637 4-digit LED display.
The OLED uses SDA on GPIO 21 and SCL on GPIO 22; the push button is on GPIO 18.
The TM1637 display uses CLK on GPIO 25 and DIO on GPIO 26; the DHT11 DATA connection is GPIO 19.
During a session, the 4-digit LED display shows a real-time countdown, while the OLED animates eyes, blinking, yawning, and sleeping.
Button interactions can trigger a squishy giggle expression with blush lines, and six rapid button presses trigger an angry expression temporarily.
At 00:00, BUDDY yawns and returns to its sleeping expression; the timer remains at zero, and after a break I can press the button to start another session using the previously selected duration.
The project monitors temperature and humidity using a DHT11 and provides temperature-dependent facial reactions.
- The hardware list includes an ESP32 DevKit, SSD1306 OLED, TM1637 display, DHT11 sensor, push button, breadboard, jumper wires, and USB power supply or power bank.
All modules share a common ground, and power connections must match each module's electrical specifications.
- The required software is Arduino IDE with ESP32 board support, Adafruit GFX Library, Adafruit SSD1306, TM1637Display by Avishay Orpaz, DHT sensor library by Adafruit, and Adafruit Unified Sensor.
To get started, I clone the repository, open buddy.ino in Arduino IDE, install the required libraries, wire the hardware according to the pin assignments, select ESP32 Dev Module and the correct COM port, upload the sketch, then choose a focus duration and double-click to begin. The session flow is to interact with BUDDY during the countdown, let it return to sleep at zero, and restart manually after resting.
- Possible future improvements—not features I claim are implemented—are buzzer alerts and melodies, an automatic break timer, session statistics and daily focus tracking, a Wi-Fi dashboard, a 3D-printed enclosure, and additional animated expressions.
My README marks the project Prototype / Work in Progress and says hardware testing and refinements are ongoing.
The README has headings for a running focus session and a completed focus session, but the captured material provides no further demo details. It also does not specify the double-click duration, the rapid-press timing criterion, sensor sampling intervals, temperature thresholds, or the specific facial reactions associated with temperatures.