Smart Smartphone Stand: Fixes Phone Addiction

I was tired of wasting hours on my phone every day, so I built a device that literally fights back.

This is a smart smartphone stand that helps keep my phone away, tracks my phone usage habits, and visualizes the data on a web dashboard.

1. ESP32-C3/ESP32-S3
2. Push button x 1
3. OLED display 1.3 Inch (SSD1306) x 1
4. Buzzer x 1
5. Capacitive touch sensor (TTP223) x 1
6. Perfboard
7. 3.7V Li-Po battery
8. Male and female header pins
9. 23-gauge wire
10. Self-tapping M2 x 6mm screws x 5
11. USB-C cable
12. 3D printer (or access to one) + PLA filament
13. Super glue

Solder the circuit onto a perfboard according to the wiring diagram.

Cut the perfboard to a size of 34 mm × 36 mm so that it fits inside the body of the stand. We will install it in the enclosure in a later step.

Make the connections according to the wiring diagram.

Note:

1. We will connect the battery to the circuit in a later step.
2. I am using an ESP32-S3 here. You can also use an ESP32-C3, but you will need to adjust the code for pin assignments accordingly.

There are four parts to 3D print. Download the provided 3MF files and print the following parts:

1. Body
2. Body Cover
3. Enclosure
4. Enclosure Cover

Tip: Add a brim to the base of the body while printing for better adhesion and print quality. Without a brim, the base may warp inward.

Assemble the 3D-printed parts following the image.

Use super glue to attach the enclosure to the main body.

Assemble the electronics inside the 3D-printed body.

1. Start with the enclosure and install the OLED display and push button in their designated slots.
2. Connect the wires to the components according to the circuit diagram provided in the previous step.
3. Secure the enclosure cover using M2 screws.
4. Slide the assembled circuit board into the mounting slot inside the body.
5. Attach the touch sensor to the back of the body using double-sided tape.
6. Finally, secure the body cover using M2 screws.

Download the code file and update the following variables with your own details:

1. `ssid` - Your Wi-Fi name
2. `password` - Your Wi-Fi password

Once updated, upload the code to the ESP32-S3 board.

Solder the battery to the ESP32-S3 board. Optionally, you can add a slide switch between the battery and the board to easily turn the device on or off.

Attach the battery to the body using double-sided tape.

Note: The XIAO ESP32-S3 features an onboard voltage regulator and battery charging circuit, so a single-cell Li-ion/LiPo battery can be connected directly to the designated battery pads on the board.

Once you power on the stand. Here's what happens:

1. On startup, it connects to Wi-Fi. Once connected, it's ready to go.
2. When idle, the OLED shows a pair of animated eyes — giving the stand a personality.
3. Place your phone on the stand and it starts tracking focus time.
4. Try to pick up the phone and you get a 5-second grace window to put it back. Return it in time and the timer continues uninterrupted.
5. Visit the IP address shown on the OLED from any device on the same Wi-Fi to open the focus dashboard. It shows current session timer, highlights, a focus timeline, and a daily productivity heatmap.
6. Tap the touch sensor while idle to set a reminder timer: 2, 5, 10, 15, 25, or 30 minutes. When it expires, the buzzer beeps for up to one minute until you place the phone back.
7. Hold the touch sensor for 2 seconds to switch to clock mode. Phone tracking continues in the background. Hold again for 2 seconds to return to tracking mode.

I've been using this stand for the last two weeks. It hasn't completely stopped me from using my phone — but it has made me significantly more aware of my habits.

And honestly, that's exactly what I was going for.

Happy building!