ESP32-C3 QR-Based Reservation System with Real-Time Dashboard
Real Proven Results
The final system delivers a seamless "Scan-to-Book" experience with sub-second latency. The implementation successfully eliminated booking conflicts and provided administrators with a 100% accurate view of asset utilization. By leveraging the cost-effective RISC-V architecture of the ESP32-C3, the solution is highly scalable, allowing for easy deployment across hundreds of units in smart offices or parking facilities without significant infrastructure costs.
Challenge
Creating a reliable real-time reservation system presents significant hurdles in synchronization and connectivity. The primary challenge is preventing "double bookings" where multiple users scan and reserve a unit simultaneously. Additionally, maintaining accurate state awareness is difficult; if the hardware loses Wi-Fi connection or power, the digital dashboard might falsely show a unit as "available," leading to user frustration and operational inefficiency.
Solution
We engineered a robust architecture using the ESP32-C3 and Firebase Realtime Database. To solve concurrency issues, we implemented database transactions that "lock" a unit the instant a reservation is requested. On the hardware side, we developed a custom firmware with a "Heartbeat" mechanism that pings the cloud every few seconds. If a signal is lost, the dashboard automatically updates the status to "Offline." We also secured the physical-to-digital bridge using dynamically generated, signed QR code URLs to prevent unauthorized remote access.