Tech Arcanist

Automated Touch Socket Panel

The Automated Touch Socket Panel is a compact touch-based smart socket control system built using an ESP32. It replaces traditional switches with touch-based activation, delivering a minimalistic and modern user experience similar to high-end smart home panels. Each socket can be activated with a simple tap while the ESP32 processes the touch input and controls the power through relays — Touch → ESP32 → Relay → Socket Power ON/OFF.

Features

  • Touch-Based Switching
    Control sockets by gently tapping the touch pads — no mechanical switches.
  • Independent Dual Socket Control
    Each socket works separately through its own touch sensor.
  • ESP32 Powered Logic
    The ESP32 reads touch input and controls socket relays with reliable switching.
  • Safe Power Conversion
    A dedicated voltage converter ensures stable 5V power to ESP32.
  • Compact & Aesthetic Design
    Clean touch operation without any moving parts.

Components Used

  • ESP32 — Microcontroller processing touch input & relay trigger
  • 2 × Capacitive Touch Sensors — Touch-based switching input
  • 2 × AC Power Sockets — Appliance connection output
  • Voltage Converter (AC → 5V DC) — Powers ESP32
  • Jumper Wires — Connections
  • Power Supply — Main AC power input

How it Works

  • User touches the touch sensor pad.
  • ESP32 detects touch input and toggles the relay ON/OFF.
  • Relay switches the AC socket power accordingly.
  • Voltage converter ensures ESP32 gets stable 5V power.
  • Just tap → socket turns ON
  • Tap again → socket turns OFF
  • No physical switch. No mechanical wear.

Working

Touch Socket Panel

Code & Installation

The complete source code is available in the GitHub repository.
View on Github–>

My Learnings

  • How to interface capacitive touch sensors with ESP32 and handle reliable touch detection
  • Debouncing and improving touch sensitivity through both hardware grounding techniques and software filtering
  • Controlling AC loads safely using relays while keeping ESP32 circuitry electrically isolated
  • Designing a minimalistic touch-based user interface without physical switches
  • Using a voltage converter to step down AC mains to a safe, regulated 5V for ESP32
  • Managing relay toggling logic (state handling, edge detection, avoiding false triggers)
  • Enclosure design considerations when dealing with high-voltage + low-voltage systems together