Build guide · First version

Got an idea?
Build your own button.

Every site in our directory runs on the same simple recipe: a small computer, a bit of electronics, a camera and a web page. You don't need to be an engineer. If you can follow a recipe and plug in a few wires, you can put something real on the internet.

How it fits together

There are two paths. The control path carries the button press from a visitor to your gadget. The video path carries the picture back so they can see what happened.

Control path

VisitorPresses the button
Your web pageQueue and cooldown
The brainRaspberry Pi or ESP32
Relay or motorSwitches the power
The thingBubbles, train, lights

Video path

CameraPointed at the thing
LivestreamLow delay matters
Your web pageVideo next to the button
VisitorSees it happen

Step by step

01

Pick your thing

Start with something that does one obvious thing when it switches on, so people can see the result on camera straight away. The easiest projects run on batteries or USB power, not the wall socket.

Bubble machineFish feederColoured lightsModel trainPlant watererDesk fan

02

Choose a brain

The brain listens for button presses from the internet and flips a switch. There are two popular choices.

Raspberry Pi

A full little computer running Linux. It can run the camera, the livestream and the web connection all in one box. The best place to start if you want video.

ESP32 board

A tiny, cheap board with built-in WiFi. Brilliant for switching things on and off, but it struggles with good video, so pair it with a separate camera.

03

Wire up the electronics

The brain can't power your gadget directly, so it controls something that can.

  • Relay module turns a gadget on and off, like a remote-controlled light switch.
  • Servo moves to an exact angle. Good for pressing buttons, tipping food or aiming things.
  • Motor driver controls speed and direction, for wheels, trains and robots.
  • Jumper wires and a breadboard let you connect everything without soldering.

04

Set up the livestream

This is the part that makes or breaks the fun. If the video runs 15 seconds behind, people press the button, see nothing, and leave. Aim for well under a second of delay.

  • Pi camera with WebRTC: the fastest option and the best feel. A little more setup.
  • Network (IP) camera: plug-and-play, good for outdoors, quality varies a lot.
  • YouTube or Twitch: easiest to set up, but usually several seconds behind, so pressing feels laggy.

05

Build the web page

Your page shows the video with a big button underneath. When someone presses it, the page sends a message to your Pi or ESP32, which flips the switch.

  • Add a cooldown or queue so one person can't hold the button down all day.
  • Use a tunnel service such as Cloudflare Tunnel instead of opening ports on your home router.
  • Add a time limit on every run, so the gadget always switches off even if the connection drops.

06

Get listed

Once it's running, send it in and we'll add it to the directory so people from all over the world can come and push it.

Add your button →

Before you go live

Stay safe

  • Leave mains power alone unless you're qualified. In Australia, wiring anything into 240V needs a licensed electrician. A smart plug is a safe way to switch a mains appliance.
  • Think about strangers. Anyone in the world will be pressing your button, so make sure nothing can hurt people, pets or property, and keep your camera off anything that shows where you live.
  • Lasers and animals: only use low-power lasers, aimed at the floor, and never where they could reach eyes.
  • Protect your network. Change default passwords and keep your Pi updated.