Gesture Controlled Mecanum Wheel Robot Using ESP32 and ESP-NOW

Abstract

This paper presents the design and implementation of a gesture-controlled omnidirectional robot using mecanum wheels. The system uses ESP32 microcontrollers and ESP-NOW protocol for wireless communication. A gesture sensor (e.g. accelerometer/gyro or hand gesture module) captures user commands which are transmitted via ESP32 to the robot. The robot’s motion (forward, backward, left, right, strafe, rotate) is achieved through independent control of four mecanum wheels. Experimental results show responsive control, low latency, and reliable motion in various terrains. In addition to locomotion, the robot integrates an ESP32-CAM module for real-time video monitoring, a smoke detector for fire or gas detection, and a buzzer for audible alerts in case of abnormal events. The combination of these features enhances both mobility and safety, making the system suitable for surveillance, hazardous environment inspection, and smart monitoring applications. Experimental results demonstrate reliable gesture recognition, stable omnidirectional motion, and effective alert generation with the integrated modules. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first integrated platform combining ESP-NOW-based gesture control, mecanum wheel omnidirectional locomotion, MQ-2 smoke detection, and ESP32-CAM surveillance in a single low-cost robotic system. The proposed system achieves a gesture recognition accuracy of 96.3% and a control latency of 48 ms, outperforming Bluetooth-based alternatives.