IoT-Based Home Monitoring System Using ESP32CAM Surveillance

Abstract

Using the ESP32-CAM module, this project presents an Internet of Things (IoT)-based home monitoring system intended to improve home security by providing real-time image capture and immediate alerts. The system offers a quick and easy way to remotely monitor activity at home by taking pictures when motion is detected and sending them straight to the user through a Telegram bot. This method is lightweight and economical because it does not require complicated interfaces or cloud storage. Users can receive real-time visual updates on their smartphones from any location thanks to the integration of Telegram, which guarantees secure and instant communication. This project shows how messaging apps and the Internet of Things can be integrated to produce intelligent, approachable surveillance solutions. Cloud-based storage, facial recognition, and video streaming are possible future improvements.

Introduction

The study focuses on developing an affordable, user-friendly IoT-based home security system using the ESP32-CAM microcontroller combined with a PIR motion sensor. Upon detecting motion, the system captures images and sends real-time alerts to users via a Telegram bot, enabling remote monitoring without expensive infrastructure or continuous human supervision.

The literature review highlights similar efforts in integrating ESP32-CAM and Telegram bots for smart surveillance, emphasizing cost-effectiveness and ease of use. The methodology details the system’s hardware setup, including the ESP32-CAM, PIR sensor, and FTDI module for programming, as well as the software development using Arduino IDE and Telegram’s Bot API for notifications.

Testing showed the system reliably detected motion and promptly sent images, improving home security with real-time alerts. However, challenges such as false positives caused by non-human movement were noted, suggesting future improvements like machine learning for better motion discrimination. The Telegram bot integration proved effective but could be enhanced with interactive controls for system management.

Overall, the project demonstrates a scalable, wireless, and low-cost solution for smart home security, with potential for further features like cloud storage, video streaming, and smart home automation integration.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the creation and deployment of an Internet of Things (IoT)-based home monitoring system that integrates the ESP32-CAM and Telegram Bot has shown itself to be a successful and reasonably priced fix for contemporary home security. The system\'s primary goals—real-time motion detection, instant image capture, and prompt alert delivery via Telegram—were all accomplished with ease, while also requiring little to no hardware. A low-cost microcontroller platform and open-source tools are also used to highlight how feasible and accessible the suggested solution is for regular users.Although testing revealed some limitations that offer potential for future improvements, the system provided dependable performance in the majority of scenarios.Although the system operated dependably in the majority of scenarios, testing also revealed some drawbacks that could be fixed in the future. For example, the limited night vision capabilities of the built-in camera point to the possible advantage of adding external infrared (IR) LEDs to enhance visibility in low light. The need for more sophisticated motion detection systems is also indicated by the sporadic false alarms that are set off by non-human movement, like that of pets or shadows Overall, the project shows how a reliable and adaptable security system can be made using a small, affordable device like the ESP32-CAM in conjunction with strong communication tools like Telegram. For further study and advancement in smart home automation and surveillance, this system provides a solid basis. These Internet of Things (IoT)-based solutions can be improved and extended to support wider applications, such as environmental sensing, smart city infrastructure, and industrial monitoring, as technology advances. This makes them invaluable resources in the expanding field of connected, intelligent systems.

References

[1] Sharma, R., & Kaur, A. (2020). Design and implementation of a low-cost IoT-based surveillance system using ESP32-CAM. International Journal of Electronics and Communication Engineering, 7(4), 112–118. [2] Patel, M., & Joshi, K. (2021). Real-time image capture and alert system using Telegram bot and ESP32-CAM. International Journal of Innovative Research in Computer and Communication Engineering, 9(6), 1345–1351. [3] Gupta, S., & Mehta, P. (2020). Smart home automation and monitoring using IoT and Telegram bot. International Journal of Computer Applications, 177(7), 25–29. [4] Kumar, A., & Singh, R. (2022). Implementation of motion detection in ESP32-CAM based surveillance system. Journal of Intelligent Systems and Internet of Things, 4(1), 78–83. [5] Al-Fuqaha, A., Guizani, M., Mohammadi, M., Aledhari, M., & Ayyash, M. (2015). Internet of Things: A survey on enabling technologies, protocols, and applications. IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, 17(4), 2347–2376. [6] Jadhav, M., & Patil, S. (2021). IoT based smart surveillance system using ESP32 and cloud integration. International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET), 8(9), 500–505. [7] Salunkhe, A., & Ghodke, P. (2019). Home automation and security system using Telegram bot and IoT. International Journal of Computer Sciences and Engineering, 7(6), 1202–1206. [8] Bhatia, A., & Sharma, T. (2020). ESP32-CAM-based wireless video surveillance system. Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR), 7(11), 445–450. [9] Rahman, M. M., & Islam, M. N. (2021). An efficient motion detection-based home security system using ESP32CAM and Blynk. International Journal of Computer Applications Technology and Research, 10(4), 141–146. [10] Khandelwal, R., & Jain, P. (2022). Smart security using Telegram bot and microcontroller-based camera module. International Journal of Research in Engineering, Science and Management, 5(2), 87–92.

Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Pradeep Palkar, Prashant Bangar, Pranita Chandhare, Sahil Jadhav. 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.