Simple Bluetooth Project to Light an LED on a Remote Device

Wireless & IoT Bluetooth
1

I am a Boy Scout Leader interested in introducing my scouts to technology by creating a project that could help them qualify for a merit badge. My goal is to build a Bluetooth-enabled device, similar to a doorbell, that lights a remote LED when a button is pressed.

As I am new to this technology, could you please recommend the specific parts needed for both the initiating device and the receiving device? Additionally, I would appreciate instructions on how to wire, power, and pair the devices so that I can demonstrate the process to the scouts.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

2

If cost is a major factor you could use small usb-c battery banks (the $5 ones) to power a pair of these SparkFun Pro Micro - ESP32-C3 - SparkFun Electronics with one having a button wired to 2 pin and the other having a qwiic led stick

If you’d rather use a standard lipo instead of the battery banks you could consider using 2x of these SparkFun Thing Plus - ESP32-S3 - SparkFun Electronics

3

This is almost right on the nose and you can use the current Xbee3 devices:

2 Likes
4

I was thinking the same thing as Brow.

You could use ESP32 or RP2040 based boards but then you have to deal with writing code to make it all work and you have to get said code on the boards.

The XBee solution will work without programming and might be a simpler solution.

1 Like
5

Thank you for the quick response and initial overview. To ensure we build a robust foundation, I’d like to clarify the long-term objectives as I may not have provided a clear picture initially.

The goal is to create a 1-to-1 Bluetooth link between a transmitter and a receiver that can coexist in a high-density environment (e.g., multiple pairs in the same room) without cross-talk or interference since there will be multiple teams of scouts working on solutions. Specifically, I am looking for a solution that addresses:

  1. Dynamic Pairing: A mechanism (perhaps a physical button-press sequence) that allows a transmitter to ‘bond’ with a specific receiver. This must allow for easy replacement if one unit is damaged or lost. This is bound to happen.

  2. Power Optimization: Since these will be battery-operated, I need to implement ‘Deep Sleep’ or ‘Low Duty Cycle’ modes so that we are not burning through batteries.

I am comfortable bringing in a parent who is capable with providing coding assistance once the logic for this ‘Pairing & Power’ framework is established. What would be the best architectural approach to satisfy these requirements?

6

Those Xbee modules have all of that. What they won’t have is whatever you have imagined (and will imagine as the scope progresses) without any research or effort and it’s unlikely such a thing could exist. The students who complete light switch example I linked can then advance to additional complications like pairing and power mentioned but also battery trays and housings, buttons, bells & whistles, the inputs and outputs and other cool ideas you and I wouldn’t think of. That’s the project.