Anti-Theft Flooring System Using ESP32

Abstract

Security systems play a vital role in protecting residential, commercial and institutional environments. Conventional security solutions such as CCTV cameras, magnetic door sensors and motion detectors mainly focus on entry points like doors and windows. However, these systems often fail to detect intruders once they enter the protected area or generate false alarms due to environmental disturbances, pets or stationary objects. The Anti-Theft Smart Flooring System with Dual Sensor Logic and IoT is designed to overcome these limitations by introducing a novel approach to intrusion detection using the floor as the primary sensing medium. Since every human intruder must physically walk on the floor, this system detects unauthorized presence at the earliest possible stage. The system employs Force Sensitive Resistors (FSR) embedded beneath the flooring to sense pressure and Infrared (IR) sensors to detect movement. A dual-sensor logic is implemented, where human presence is confirmed only when both pressure and motion are detected simultaneously, thereby significantly reducing false triggering. An ESP32 microcontroller acts as the central processing unit, continuously monitoring sensor data and executing real-time decision-making algorithms. The system divides the floor into multiple zones, enabling zone-wise intrusion detection and display. A buzzer provides immediate audible alerts, while LCD displays show real-time system status and active zones. To enhance security further, a fingerprint-based door locking system is integrated using a fingerprint sensor and servo motor, ensuring that only authorized users can access the protected area. The project also incorporates IoT functionality using the Blynk platform, allowing remote monitoring, real-time notifications, and mobile-based visualization of zone status. Whenever human presence is detected, instant alerts are sent to the user’s smartphone, making the system suitable for modern smart security applications. Overall, this project presents a low-cost, reliable, scalable, and intelligent security solution that combines sensor fusion, biometric authentication, and IoT technology. It is well-suited for applications such as homes, offices, banks, museums, and restricted zones, and provides an excellent learning platform for students to understand embedded systems, sensor interfacing, signal conditioning, and IoT-based security systems.

Introduction

This paper presents a Smart Anti-Theft Flooring System with Door Security, an intelligent security solution designed to improve protection in homes, offices, banks, laboratories, and other restricted areas. Unlike conventional security systems such as CCTV cameras, motion detectors, and alarms, which mainly monitor entry points and often generate false alarms, the proposed system transforms the floor into a sensing surface capable of accurately detecting human presence. It combines Force Sensitive Resistor (FSR) sensors to detect pressure and Infrared (IR) sensors to detect motion. Human presence is confirmed only when both sensors are activated simultaneously, significantly reducing false detections caused by objects, pets, or environmental disturbances.

The system is controlled by an ESP32 microcontroller, which processes sensor data and manages connected devices including a fingerprint sensor, servo motor, LCD displays, buzzer, and the Blynk IoT platform. Authorized users gain access through fingerprint authentication, which unlocks the door using a servo motor, while unauthorized access attempts trigger alarms and mobile notifications. The system also provides real-time status updates through two LCD displays and enables remote monitoring via a smartphone using IoT connectivity.

The methodology integrates several hardware components. FSR sensors beneath the floor measure pressure by converting changes in resistance into voltage signals through a voltage divider circuit, while IR floor sensors detect movement using infrared reflection. An additional IR sensor monitors the door's open or closed status, enabling automatic door locking after entry. The ESP32 continuously analyzes inputs from all sensors and applies dual-sensor logic, ensuring that only simultaneous pressure and motion are recognized as human activity.

The working principle is based on converting physical pressure into electrical signals that are interpreted by the ESP32. Low pressure or stationary objects generate voltage levels below the detection threshold, while a person's footsteps produce high voltage values indicating valid pressure. Combined with motion detected by the IR sensors, the system reliably distinguishes humans from non-human objects. This approach allows continuous monitoring of different floor zones, making it suitable for high-security environments such as restricted laboratories, vaults, and secure corridors.

Experimental testing under various real-world conditions demonstrated that the system accurately detected human presence while minimizing false alarms. The dual-sensor approach effectively differentiated between genuine human movement and environmental disturbances. When intrusion was detected, the system immediately generated alerts through the buzzer, LCD displays, and IoT-based mobile notifications. Zone monitoring functioned correctly, providing real-time updates of active and inactive areas.

Conclusion

The Smart Anti-Theft Flooring System provides a reliable and efficient solution for enhancing security through real-time human detection. The integration of FSR (pressure) and IR (motion) sensors enables accurate identification of human presence using dual logic, significantly reducing false alarms caused by non-human factors. The use of the ESP32 microcontroller allows fast processing and seamless integration with IoT platforms for real-time monitoring and alerts. Additionally, the inclusion of fingerprint-based access control ensures that only authorized users can enter restricted areas, thereby strengthening overall security. This automated system improves surveillance efficiency, provides immediate alerts through visual, audible, and mobile notifications, and ensures continuous monitoring of secured zones. Hence, the proposed system enhances safety, reliability, and effectiveness in modern security applications such as laboratories, vaults, and restricted access areas

References

[1] “Smart Home Security System Using ESP32 and IoT,” IEEE, 2021. [2] “Pressure-Sensitive Floors for Intrusion Detection,” IEEE, 2020. [3] “Infrared Sensor-Based Motion Detection Systems,” IEEE, 2019.. [4] “IoT-Based Anti-Theft Systems Using Microcontrollers,” IEEE, 2021. [5] “Integration of Multiple Sensors for Smart Security Applications,” IEEE, 2018.

Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Rohan Sathe, Vivek Nalawade, Vaishnavi Jadhav, Gaurav Prabhulkar, Siddhesh Desai. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.