{
  "id": 16100086,
  "title": "5 ESP32 projects that make dumb appliances smart without opening them up",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/5-esp32-projects-that-make-dumb-appliances-smart-without-opening-them",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-22T19:30:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "XDA Developers",
    "slug": "xda-developers",
    "url": "https://www.xda-developers.com/esp32-projects-that-make-dumb-appliances-smart-without-opening-them-up/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Turning old, non-smart appliances into smart devices is possible without dismantling them. This can be achieved using an ESP32 board and various sensors or components. The ESP32 board can be programmed to interact with different appliances, such as magnetic reed switches for monitoring door status, Bluetooth proxies for controlling Bluetooth-enabled devices, vibration sensors for detecting washing machine cycles, audio kits for turning traditional speakers into smart speakers, and infrared transmitters for controlling old TVs, ACs, and fans. These methods allow users to make their appliances smarter without voiding warranties or risking damaging the devices.",
  "summary": "Smarter appliances without voiding the warranty.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}