Modelling and Design of a Smart Prototype Garage Door

Abstract

The focus of this paper is to design and model a smart garage door while demon- strating how its contraption works. A prime mover (a stepper motor) is attached to the mechanical system. The system is automated by the use of ESP32 micro- controller containing a Wi-Fi module. It also serves as the interface between the software and the hardware parts of the system. The software part of the system is embedded within the ESP32 microcontroller and is accessed with a smartphone. The smartphone screen serves as the Graphical User Interface (GUI) between the Arduino codes and the hardware. Commands are sent through the smartphone whose hotspot system is connected to the ESP32’s Wi-Fi, the ESP32 then con- trols the switches through a series of relays and the door opens or closes at the user’s convenience. The design is tested and demonstrated with a prototype of a garage door built from easily obtained materials; plywood and plastic. A rack and pinion arrangement was used in the design. On testing the Wi-Fi range, about 600m was obtained for outdoor testing without barriers while 45m was obtained for indoor testing in the presence of barriers.