Smartphone App with ESP32

In this article, I discuss Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and demonstrate its basic implementation structure on the ESP32. I also cover how to create a Smartphone app on Thunkable which connects to the ESP32. Working with BLE can be challenging when using libraries and drivers from the manufacturer of the microcontroller (MCU). It can also be difficult to create a smartphone app to connect your BLE device, as it requires understanding mobile software development. I’ll show a straightforward method to get something up and running, and what’s possible with BLE development. Topics Discussed How do you implement BLE on an ESP32? How can I create a smartphone app that connects to an ESP32? How do you use Thunkable? Tech Used ESP32 BLE Thunkable It seems everything can be connected to a smartphone these days. Devices like refrigerators, watches, and cars are but a few items on that long list. As designers, engineers, and entrepreneurs, we need to keep up with technology’s constant, lightning-fast evolution. I found myself in this daunting position when I had to create a device whose settings could be configured using a smartphone over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). I’m comfortable writing firmware for your run-of-the-mill electronics project, but I found learning the drivers needed to communicate over BLE to be a challenging endeavor. In my opinion, ESP-IDF, the framework that Espressif uses for its infamous ESP32 line of microcontrollers (MCUs), does a good job at accessing the BLE feature. But the other side of this project was the creation of a smartphone app that could communicate with this electronics device. I found that it was much easier to use a development platform called Thunkable. It touts itself as the easiest way to create smartphone apps with “no code.” Indeed, it was much easier than learning traditional mobile app development, and it was even possible to release my app through both App Store and Google Play.