Build Your Own Spy Glasses! An ESP32 Smart Glasses Workshop from Scratch

The Taiwan Women in Science and Technology Association (TWiST), the Institute of Electronics at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, and the Advanced Optoelectronic Technology and Systems Integration Research Center jointly held the “Electrical Engineering Classroom: Spy Glasses Workshop” at NYCU’s Guangfu Campus on March 15, 2025. Organized by the NYCU Maker Club, the workshop introduced high school students to IoT-based STEM education and smart-glasses development, allowing them to experience the entire process from hardware design to software development.

New Opportunities for IoT and ESP32 Smart Glasses Education

As ESP32 development boards become widely used in IoT and wearable technology, smart glasses have emerged as an important platform integrating real-time information displays, Wi-Fi connectivity, and sensors. During this intensive one-day workshop, students learned circuit soldering, ESP32 development, Arduino IDE programming, and basic web design. They ultimately created internet-connected smart glasses capable of displaying stock market information.

From Soldering to Arduino IDE

The workshop emphasized hardware and software integration. In the morning, students soldered and tested electronic circuits and installed the development environment. In the afternoon, they practiced ESP32 programming, Arduino IDE, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, HTTP APIs, and web scraping. Through debugging and system integration, they successfully built their own smart glasses.

Student Reflections: Challenges and Achievements

Although the workshop was challenging, students found it highly rewarding. Some enjoyed creating a webpage with HTML for the first time, while others said that completing the project gave them a strong sense of achievement and greater confidence in exploring STEM and IoT applications.

Teaching Highlights: Interdisciplinary and Hands-On Learning

By combining hardware and software, the workshop helped students develop interdisciplinary skills. Its small-group format also encouraged meaningful interaction between instructors and students. Completing a working product further strengthened their motivation and practical experience.

Looking Ahead: Advancing IoT STEM Education

Although modest in scale, the “Electrical Engineering Classroom: Spy Glasses Workshop” successfully demonstrated the potential of IoT STEM education and hands-on smart-glasses development. Students gained interdisciplinary skills and discovered new possibilities for future technology careers.

TWiST will continue collaborating with universities to offer courses focusing on ESP32, Arduino IDE, and IoT applications, giving more young people opportunities to explore emerging technologies and become the next generation of innovative technology professionals.