ESP32-CAM Compact Development Board Overview | Generated by AI
What is the ESP32-CAM?
The ESP32-CAM is a compact, low-cost development board from Espressif Systems that combines the powerful ESP32 microcontroller with an integrated camera module. It’s designed for IoT (Internet of Things) projects, particularly those involving image capture, video streaming, and computer vision. The “CAM” part refers to the built-in OV2640 camera sensor, which supports up to 2MP resolution (1600x1200 pixels).
Key Features:
- Processor and Connectivity: Powered by the dual-core ESP32 chip (Xtensa LX6 architecture, up to 240 MHz), with 520KB SRAM and 4MB PSRAM. It includes Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n) and dual-mode Bluetooth (classic and BLE) for wireless communication.
- Camera: OV2640 CMOS image sensor with adjustable focus lens, supporting formats like JPEG, BMP, and grayscale.
- Power and Size: Operates on 3.3V (or 5V via regulator), draws low power (under 200mA during capture), and measures just 27x40.5x4.5mm—making it ideal for embedded projects.
- I/O: 10 GPIO pins (some shared with camera), microSD card slot for storage, and support for sensors via expansion.
- Programming: Compatible with Arduino IDE, ESP-IDF, or MicroPython. Libraries like esp32-camera (on GitHub) handle image processing and streaming.
Common Uses:
- DIY Security Cameras: Stream live video over Wi-Fi to a phone or browser, with motion detection.
- Image Recognition: Integrate with AI tools like TensorFlow Lite for object detection.
- Surveillance and Monitoring: Remote photo capture, time-lapse, or wildlife cams.
- Prototyping: Robotics, smart home devices, or augmented reality experiments.
It’s popular among makers due to its affordability (often under $10) and ease of setup—though beginners may need a USB-to-serial adapter for initial programming. For higher-quality video, newer variants like ESP32-S3-CAM exist, but the original ESP32-CAM remains a staple for simple projects.
References:
- ESP32-CAM Camera Module on Amazon
- Espressif ESP32-Camera GitHub Repo
- M5Stack ESP32-CAM Docs
- Instructables: Super Cheap Security Camera with ESP32-CAM
- DFRobot ESP32-CAM Datasheet (PDF)