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Design and Implementation of a Low-Cost Autonomous Surveillance Robot Using ESP32-CAM with Real-Time Object Detection
Subject area: Science,Engineering and Technology · Area of research: Surveillance Robot
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I7-1718151
Abstract
The high cost and complexity of commercial robotics platforms limit accessibility for education and rapid prototyping in developing regions. This paper presents the design, construction, and evaluation of a low-cost autonomous surveillance robot built around the ESP32-CAM module. The system integrates a dual-core ESP32 microcontroller with an OV2640 camera, L298N motor driver, ultrasonic sensor, and Wi-Fi for remote monitoring and control. The robot streams 1600x1200 MJPEG video at 10 fps over Wi-Fi while performing real-time color-based object detection using OpenCV on a remote server. Experimental results show the prototype achieves 87% navigation accuracy in indoor environments, operates for 2.3 hours on a 2000mAh Li-ion battery, and costs under $35. The design demonstrates that ESP32-CAM can serve as a viable platform for creative robotics education, IoT surveillance, and STEM outreach where budget constraints exist.
Keywords
ESP32-CAM, Robotics, IoT, Surveillance, Low-Cost Hardware, Embedded Vision, Autonomous Navigation
How to cite this paper
@article{1718151,
author = {Dr. Madumere Smart Onyemaechi, Ihim Kingsley},
title = {Design and Implementation of a Low-Cost Autonomous Surveillance Robot Using ESP32-CAM with Real-Time Object Detection},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {9},
number = {7},
pages = {3015-3018},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1718151.pdf},
abstract = {The high cost and complexity of commercial robotics platforms limit accessibility for education and rapid prototyping in developing regions. This paper presents the design, construction, and evaluation of a low-cost autonomous surveillance robot built around the ESP32-CAM module. The system integrates a dual-core ESP32 microcontroller with an OV2640 camera, L298N motor driver, ultrasonic sensor, and Wi-Fi for remote monitoring and control. The robot streams 1600x1200 MJPEG video at 10 fps over Wi-Fi while performing real-time color-based object detection using OpenCV on a remote server. Experimental results show the prototype achieves 87% navigation accuracy in indoor environments, operates for 2.3 hours on a 2000mAh Li-ion battery, and costs under $35. The design demonstrates that ESP32-CAM can serve as a viable platform for creative robotics education, IoT surveillance, and STEM outreach where budget constraints exist.},
keywords = {ESP32-CAM, Robotics, IoT, Surveillance, Low-Cost Hardware, Embedded Vision, Autonomous Navigation},
month = {January},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I7-1718151}
}