Context

Built during my IoT Engineer internship in the Kedaireka MBKM program, alongside the micro-hydro and wind turbine kits.

Problem

A fixed solar panel faces the sun well for only part of the day. A tracker keeps the panel turned toward the brightest direction.

Approach

• Sensing: four LDR (light-dependent resistor) sensors, arranged in opposite pairs, measure the light coming from different directions.
• Sensor casing: the LDRs sit in a casing designed by a teammate (see the gallery).
• Actuation: two linear actuators tilt the panel, one actuator for each pair of sensors.
• Control: an ESP32 compares the readings of the two opposite sensors of a pair. If the difference falls outside a tolerance band, it drives the actuator toward the brighter side. Inside the band the actuator stays still, so the panel does not jitter over small differences.

My Contribution

I wrote the ESP32 control program: reading the LDRs, comparing the pairs against the tolerance threshold, and driving the actuators.

Result

The panel follows the light. In a test, the room was fully dark and a light was then shone from one side, and the panel immediately turned to face it.