ESP32 Microcontroller Workshops

The AURORA team in Évora organized two workshops on the low cost ESP32 microcontroller. Each workshop was split into two editions. The first edition occurred on the 15th and 22nd of April and the second session throughout the 16th and 23rd of April 2024.

The workshops attracted a diverse range of participants, and under the guidance of Luís Fava, they were led through the process of learning to use their own ESP32 kits. Throughout the sessions, participants gained practical knowledge about the technology.

The workshop aimed to introduce the ESP32 microcontroller and demonstrate the use of Arduino devices in small projects. It shows how to program the device to perform various functions in several basic setups. After presenting the basic functionalities, a small weather station connected to the Internet is built to collect data.

This is a beginner workshop that provides the necessary tools to the participants to explore this type of device and its applications, particularly in IoT (Internet of Things).

Luís Fava, the workshop facilitator, mentioned that everything “went well,” noting that participants “did not expect microcontroller and IoT usage to be so accessible.” He stated that the feedback at the end of the four sessions was “positive, with people showing curiosity about the presented concepts, as well as interest in further initiatives”.

The Aurora team in Évora will repeat this workshop during the next school year, aiming at developing new exercises.