This ESP32 Antenna Array Can See WiFi
Why Hacker News recommends it
Recommended as the companion explanation to the Espargos project, showing how phase and time differences localize devices.
What it is
The creator of ESPARGOS, an ESP32-based antenna array from the University of Stuttgart, explains how it senses phase and amplitude of WiFi signals to localize devices and build a WiFi camera. It demos the Python library and project.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2025 to 2026.
What Hacker News said
Recommends leoedin · 2025-02 · on “Espargos: ESP32-based WiFi sensing array”
This project uses an array of ESP32s and some clever calibration techniques to do pretty accurate localisation of WiFi signals. There's an excellent companion video here: [this video]
Cites rollulus · 2025-02 · on “Espargos: ESP32-based WiFi sensing array”
As shared elsewhere in this thread: [this video] TL;DW: the ESP’s WiFi driver provides per incoming packet the carrier’s phase and amplitude. All ESPs are calibrated relatively to each other.
Cites rubatuga · 2026-02 · on “WiFi Could Become an Invisible Mass Surveillance System”
I was really impressed that a ESP32 Antenna Array Can essentially make a WiFi camera - it uses both time and phase differences to localize based on MAC addresses (which are sent plaintext) [this video]
Cites alter_igel · 2026-03 · on “Full Spectrum and Infrared Photography”
Author here. I agree with you, "full spectrum" is a generous marketing phrase for what might more accurately be called _extended_ spectrum. People way smarter than me have been able to achieve DIY spatial imaging with x-rays via compressed sensing [1] and with microwaves via phased arrays [2]. Optical wavelengths seem to be at a sweet spot of good angular resolution, varied natural sources, and harmless to humans. [1] [LINK] [2] [this video]