Published April 11, 2026

Normal Dice vs Smart Dice 😎 (ESP32 Build)

Traditional dice are replaced by Smart Dice, which utilizes ESP32, OLED animation, and buIt simulates real rolling using embedded logic.

BeginnerWork in progress65

Normal Dice vs Smart Dice 😎 (ESP32 Build)

Things used in this project

Hardware components

ElectroPeak 0.96" OLED 64x128 Display Module

Jumper wires (generic)

SparkFun Pushbutton switch 12mm

DFRobot FireBeetle ESP32 IOT Microcontroller (Supports Wi-Fi & Bluetooth)

Buzzer

USB-A to Micro-USB Cable

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE

Story

📝 Project Story: Smart Dice using ESP32

In everyday life, a simple dice is something we often take for granted. Whether it’s for board games or quick decisions, it has remained unchanged for centuries. I wanted to explore how this basic object could be reimagined using embedded systems and modern electronics.

This project, Smart Dice using ESP32, is my attempt to transform a traditional dice into an interactive digital device.

At the core of the system is an ESP32 microcontroller connected to an OLED display (SSD1306). Instead of physically rolling a dice, the user simply presses a button. This triggers a rolling animation on the display, simulating the behavior of a real dice. During the rolling phase, a buzzer generates sound feedback, enhancing the user experience and making the interaction more engaging.

The dice animation is created by rapidly displaying random numbers between 1 and 6, giving the illusion of motion. After a short duration, the system stops at a final random value, just like a real dice coming to rest. The use of randomness ensures that each roll is unpredictable and fair.

From a design perspective, the project focuses on simplicity and clarity. The OLED display provides a clean visual representation of dice faces using graphical dots, while the push button interface keeps the interaction intuitive. The buzzer adds an extra sensory layer, making the system feel more dynamic.

This project also serves as a foundation for more advanced developments. It can be extended by adding motion sensors (such as an IMU) to enable shake-based rolling, wireless connectivity for multiplayer interaction, or even a battery-powered enclosure to convert it into a portable smart gadget.

Overall, this project demonstrates how even the simplest everyday objects can be enhanced using embedded systems, combining hardware and software to create a more interactive and engaging experience.

🔌 Hardware Connections

The Smart Dice system uses an ESP32 microcontroller interfaced with an OLED display, a push button, and a buzzer. The connections are kept simple using the I2C protocol for the display and direct GPIO control for input and output devices.

📟 OLED Display (SSD1306 – I2C)

The OLED display communicates with the ESP32 using the I2C interface, which requires only two data lines.

VCC → 3.3V (ESP32)
GND → GND
SDA → GPIO21
SCL → GPIO22

GPIO21 and GPIO22 are the default I2C pins of the ESP32, making them ideal for stable communication with the display.

🔘 Push Button

The push button is used to trigger the dice roll.

One terminal → GPIO32
Other terminal → GND

The button is configured using INPUT_PULLUP, which means:

Default state = HIGH
Pressed state = LOW

This eliminates the need for an external pull-up resistor and simplifies the circuit.

🔊 Buzzer

The buzzer provides audio feedback during the dice rolling animation.

Positive (+) → GPIO4
Negative (–) → GND

The buzzer is controlled using digital signals:

HIGH → buzzer ON
LOW → buzzer OFF

DrawDice.ino

#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>

#define SCREEN_WIDTH 128
#define SCREEN_HEIGHT 64

Adafruit_SSD1306 display(SCREEN_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT, &Wire, -1);

// Pins
#define BUTTON_PIN 32
#define BUZZER_PIN 4

// Dice position
#define DICE_SIZE 40
#define DICE_X 44
#define DICE_Y 12

bool lastButtonState = HIGH;

// ---------------- DRAW FUNCTIONS ----------------
void drawDot(int x, int y) {
  display.fillCircle(x, y, 3, SSD1306_WHITE);
}

void drawDice(int num) {
  display.drawRect(DICE_X, DICE_Y, DICE_SIZE, DICE_SIZE, SSD1306_WHITE);

  int cx = DICE_X + DICE_SIZE / 2;
  int cy = DICE_Y + DICE_SIZE / 2;
  int offset = 10;

  switch(num) {
    case 1: drawDot(cx, cy); break;

    case 2:
      drawDot(cx - offset, cy - offset);
      drawDot(cx + offset, cy + offset);
      break;

    case 3:
      drawDot(cx, cy);
      drawDot(cx - offset, cy - offset);
      drawDot(cx + offset, cy + offset);
      break;

    case 4:
      drawDot(cx - offset, cy - offset);
      drawDot(cx + offset, cy - offset);
      drawDot(cx - offset, cy + offset);
      drawDot(cx + offset, cy + offset);
      break;

    case 5:
      drawDot(cx, cy);
      drawDot(cx - offset, cy - offset);
      drawDot(cx + offset, cy - offset);
      drawDot(cx - offset, cy + offset);
      drawDot(cx + offset, cy + offset);
      break;

    case 6:
      drawDot(cx - offset, cy - offset);
      drawDot(cx + offset, cy - offset);
      drawDot(cx - offset, cy);
      drawDot(cx + offset, cy);
      drawDot(cx - offset, cy + offset);
      drawDot(cx + offset, cy + offset);
      break;
  }
}

// ---------------- ROLL FUNCTION ----------------
void rollDice() {
  int finalNumber = random(1, 7);

  for (int i = 0; i < 20; i++) {

    display.clearDisplay();

    int randomNum = random(1, 7);
    drawDice(randomNum);

    display.display();

    // Buzzer ON (tone effect)
    digitalWrite(BUZZER_PIN, HIGH);
    delay(50);
    digitalWrite(BUZZER_PIN, LOW);
    delay(50);
  }

  // Final result
  display.clearDisplay();
  drawDice(finalNumber);
  display.display();

  // Ensure buzzer OFF
  digitalWrite(BUZZER_PIN, LOW);
}

// ---------------- SETUP ----------------
void setup() {
  Wire.begin(21, 22);

  pinMode(BUTTON_PIN, INPUT_PULLUP);
  pinMode(BUZZER_PIN, OUTPUT);

  if(!display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C)) {
    while(true);
  }

  display.clearDisplay();
  randomSeed(analogRead(0));
}

// ---------------- LOOP ----------------
void loop() {
  bool buttonState = digitalRead(BUTTON_PIN);

  // Detect button press (falling edge)
  if (lastButtonState == HIGH && buttonState == LOW) {
    rollDice();
  }

  lastButtonState = buttonState;
}

Credits

ELECTRO MOTIF

6 projects • 0 followers

Electronics enthusiast focused on PCB design, power electronics, and embedded hardware. I design circuits and share hardware projects.

Normal Dice vs Smart Dice 😎 (ESP32 Build)

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Story

📝 Project Story: Smart Dice using ESP32

🔌 Hardware Connections

📟 OLED Display (SSD1306 – I2C)

🔘 Push Button

🔊 Buzzer

Code

DrawDice.ino

Credits

ELECTRO MOTIF

Comments

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Normal Dice vs Smart Dice 😎 (ESP32 Build)

Normal Dice vs Smart Dice 😎 (ESP32 Build)

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Software apps and online services

Story

📝 Project Story: Smart Dice using ESP32

🔌 Hardware Connections

📟 OLED Display (SSD1306 – I2C)

🔘 Push Button

🔊 Buzzer

Code

DrawDice.ino

Credits

ELECTRO MOTIF

Comments

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