Smart Attendance System Using Mobile and ESP32

Abstract

Accurate and efficient attendance tracking is a critical requirement for modern educational and organizational settings. This study introduces a Smart Attendance System that combines mobile devices with the ESP32 microcontroller to automate the attendance process. The system uses the ESP32’s Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Wi-Fi functionality to detect and authenticate individual mobile devices when they are within range, effectively identifying each participant. Once verified, attendance records are transmitted automatically to a central database, either on the cloud or a local MySQL server, enabling real-time updates and monitoring. A companion mobile application, developed and allows students and staff to access attendance information, while providing administrators with dashboards for efficient management. This design eliminates manual record-keeping, reduces errors, prevents proxy attendance, and streamlines administrative tasks. Testing of the implemented system demonstrated reliable performance, fast data processing, and practical applicability, highlighting its potential as a contactless, automated solution for attendance management in schools, colleges, and workplaces.