Hands-On Safety Sensor Demo: Build Your Own Ultrasonic Proximity Alert with ESP32

by hvivanion Posted on
At Pacific Custom Engineering, we’re passionate about turning accessible components into practical, real-world solutions.
Our latest quick demo video showcases a simple yet effective safety sensor system — perfect for obstacle detection, proximity warnings, machinery safety, or even fun interactive projects.

Check out the demo in action here:

What the Demo DoesUsing an ESP32 microcontroller as the brain, the system employs an HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor to continuously measure distance to nearby objects.
When something gets too close (entering a predefined safety zone), the setup triggers a clear visual alert on an LCD1602 I2C display — showing distance readings in real time and flashing warnings like “TOO CLOSE!” or safety status messages.
The setup is powered conveniently via a USB Charging Data Cable (540° Rotation – 3.3ft Red with 3 magnetic tips), making testing and connections a breeze. The magnetic tips allow quick, secure attachments without fumbling with wires during prototyping or repeated demos — ideal for bench testing or educational setups.

Key Components Used

  • ESP32 development board — handles processing, timing for ultrasonic pulses, I2C communication, and logic for alerts.
  • HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Sensor — reliable, low-cost distance measurement up to several meters using sonar-like pulses.
  • LCD1602 with I2C interface — compact display for showing live distance data and safety status (no messy parallel wiring!).
  • USB Charging Data Cable 540° Rotation – 3.3ft Red with 3 magnetic tips — flexible power and data connection with magnetic convenience for fast swaps and testing.
  • Plus jumper wires, breadboard, and buzzer.

This combination keeps the build compact, affordable, and expandable — add buzzers for audible alerts, LEDs, or even Wi-Fi notifications via the ESP32 for remote monitoring.

Why Build This?

Safety sensors like this are everywhere — think automatic doors, robot collision avoidance, parking aids, or industrial guard zones. Our demo proves how quickly you can prototype such a system with off-the-shelf parts. It’s beginner-friendly yet powerful enough for real applications.

Pin Layout

#define TRIG_PIN 5
#define ECHO_PIN 18
#define BUZZER_PIN 27
We’ve open-sourced the ESP32 code on GitHub:https://github.com/PacificCustomEngineering/ESP32-SafetySensor
Stay tuned for more demos, tutorials, and project ideas from Pacific Custom Engineering.
Whether you’re a hobbyist, student, or engineer, we’ve got the parts and inspiration to bring your ideas to life!
What safety or detection project would you build next? Drop a comment below or reach out — we’d love to hear from you.
#ESP32 #HCSR04 #UltrasonicSensor #SafetySensor #DIYElectronics #PacificCustomEngineering

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