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RE: A Round-Up of Every Project | Halloween Hackathon 2025

cstanton — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 16:44:08 GMT

beacon_dave Thanks for mentioning this, and the problem crops up now and again.

Please post problems such as this in Feedback and Support because then the developers see it. I think they're determining whether it's a 'front end' problem with the browser and caching, or if it's 'back end' and it's the job server, but reporting a problem in feedback and support is the best place for this kind of thing and you're helping us out to keep track of the problem.

A Round-Up of Every Project | Halloween Hackathon 2025

JoRatcliffe — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 14:04:20 GMT

It is time for our Halloween project round-up! I wanted to give a mention to every project submitted so we can all appreciate everyone's hard work.

There have been so many fantastic submissions this year, a big thank you to everyone who shared their spooky projects, Halloween plans, and took part in the seasonal celebrations. If you have not yet seen every project, then this is your chance! Click through and take a look.

Halloween Motion-Activated Scare System

[mention:330078c07ce64e488ea3c5c4fc602342:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] created an automated scare system for Halloween. They used an ESP32-CAM compact camera module to stream video to a Raspberry Pi. The Raspberry Pi then used computer vision to detect victims and triggers terrifying sounds from a hidden Bluetooth speaker for a perfectly timed fright.

Ghost Projector

[mention:7ac0e16090954ddfa5ac0f03fa891723:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] created a Halloween trick for anyone entering a dark room using a microcontroller, motion, 4 addressable RGB LEDs, a LEGO brick box on a slight angle, and a sheet of paper. When it detects movement, the motion sensor triggers the four LEDs inside the LEGO box which take it in turn to light up and shine through the ghost pattern cut in the sheet of paper. This creates the illusion of the ghost moving, despite the project box staying in a fixed position. A great project with a great use of kit.

Haunting Eyes

[mention:fc585b1aa0654984ae61cf5f62d9431a:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] added an ESP32-S3 microcontroller and two round GC9A01A displays to a 3D-printed skull – with a gesture sensor hidden in the nose – to create a spooky head with scary red eyes that follow movement and reacts with eerie sound effects.

The Vessel

Using an ESP32-S3 microcontroller, a 3.2-inch ILI9341 TFT display, and an HC-SR04 ultrasonic motion sensor, [mention:4d8e5800b74741788d137607a8a56e7f:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] created a motion-triggered haunted box which reacts to trick-or-treaters with warning messages, fog releasing from hidden vents, eerie noises, a servo-driven lid that shakes and bangs, plus suitably spooky lighting effects.

Automated Trick-or-Treating

[mention:6057efc9cca048e7be4bdf777f3698c5:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] built a ‘trick or treat’ machine with lights and sounds that trick-or-treaters can use to press play, choose whether they want a trick or a treat, and then either candy is dispensed or they receive a startling (but not lawsuit-inducing) trick. Check out this submission for its photos, videos, diagrams, plus an 18-page write-up attached covering all the details of the project.

Whispers of the Web

[mention:9162840ab8e84310a34b00a27370f8cd:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] created a browser-based psychological horror experience, with whispers made to sound like they are coming from different directions and the player is prompted to type what they hear.

Haunted Mailbox

[mention:193ac2434c814a24b46635a2210baec1:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] made a mailbox look like it was haunted by adding high resolution TFT displays showing animated eyes that look around. A lawn art black cat was given red LED eyes that turned on when a PIR sensor detected someone approaching. Check out the full write-up for a video, a glowing pumpkin and @dougw’s work party costume.

Screaming Halloween Scary Mask

[mention:4f1ca8255f8742cd8649c704f7ea3bc3:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] added round Seeed Studio XIAO TFT displays with spooky eyes to a very scary mask. A motion sensor from a night light and a Raspberry Pi triggers a scary witch’s laugh which is well worth hearing, super spooky!

Halloween Crabby Crabapple Tree

With a build featuring an Arduino Nano, PIR sensor, ISD1820 voice recorder module, and LM386 audio amp, [mention:626e6e27c407492d81c7e989443cdd1c:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] brought a crabapple tree to life. The tree has plenty of attitude as it tells passersby and trick-or-treaters to stop treading on its roots.

Basement Dragons

Using four computer monitors, 3B+ Raspberry Pi’s, and dark garbage bags, [mention:77de285dc3304dd5b943ccb7ee803caa:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] was able to have two pairs of huge animated eyes peer out of his basement windows. Here be dragons!

SoulCage

[mention:f96dc4e05fad4116b59b504eb6eac388:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] created a wearable pendant which – using a Waveshare ESP32-S3 Round Display and a 3D-printed case – appears to have an animated soul trapped inside it and trying to escape. Their write-up contains plenty of detail and links to all the components for anyone inspired to make one themselves.

The Third Eye

[mention:0ea322df952548b5aa1a232c72d8ea69:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] created a mysterious, animated eye using an 8x8 LED matrix, a head lamp housing, and an ATtiny85 microcontroller. The eye really comes to life in the dark and you can watch the eye look around its surroundings in photos and a video.

Great projects all round! With our round-up complete, it only remains for me to announce the winners on November 16th, so there is not long to wait now :)

If there are any updates on your project and you would like me to add anything to the description above, then just let me know.

RE: A Round-Up of Every Project | Halloween Hackathon 2025

beacon_dave — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 21:21:30 GMT

JoRatcliffe

FYI 'Likes' don't appear to be working properly for this one:

https://community.element14.com/challenges-projects/halloween/a/projects/PR122/the-vessel-an-interactive-haunted-box-of-fog-fear-light

RE: A Round-Up of Every Project | Halloween Hackathon 2025

DAB — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 20:53:06 GMT

Great projects, well done.

RE: A Round-Up of Every Project | Halloween Hackathon 2025

foxbat — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 19:24:21 GMT

Thank you! I really appreciate that :-)

RE: A Round-Up of Every Project | Halloween Hackathon 2025

robogary — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 17:54:08 GMT

Your project kicked Halloween butt, awesome job. I enjoy reading the construction details. Those details may solve some other issue with a previous or future project, or inspire a new approach to an old way of doing stuff. Those details also send me down bunny holes for newly available hardware modules and tooling too. Thanks !

RE: A Round-Up of Every Project | Halloween Hackathon 2025

foxbat — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 16:42:21 GMT

Thanks for running the competition! I had way too much fun putting together my write-up (and possibly oversharing my madness). I’ve also been thoroughly inspired by the other entries for next year.

RE: A Round-Up of Every Project | Halloween Hackathon 2025

me_Cris — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 15:25:19 GMT

🤞

RE: Happy Halloween!

ntewinkel — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 01:50:03 GMT

[quote userid="104335" url="~/challenges-projects/halloween/f/forum/56346/happy-halloween/231585"]only one kid stopped by.[/quote]

Same for me! Candy and chips.

We’re kind of hidden at the end of a lane, and the weather was not great, so I guess it’s not too surprising.

Happy Halloween!

JoRatcliffe — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 18:07:53 GMT

Have a great night, everyone! Let us know what your plans are. I saw the new Frankenstein movie yesterday to get into the spirit of the season and I am ready with candy for trick-or-treaters tonight.

Well done to [mention:0ea322df952548b5aa1a232c72d8ea69:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] and [mention:f96dc4e05fad4116b59b504eb6eac388:e9ed411860ed4f2ba0265705b8793d05] for posting the first projects of the competition! There's still plenty of time though before the competition closes on November 9th.

I also created an e14 pumpkin as promised. The 'e' was a little tricky but sellotape worked...ok and isn't too visible in the darkness. Next year I might be a little smarter, make a stencil and carve the top layer of the pumpkin but leave a thin, inner layer so the tealights can shine through it.

RE: Happy Halloween!

DAB — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 20:13:48 GMT

It was a quiet night for me, only one kid stopped by.

So I now have this big bag of candy, just for me.

RE: Happy Halloween!

me_Cris — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 18:33:49 GMT

👻

RE: Happy Halloween!

beacon_dave — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 14:33:04 GMT

With all those triangles, I was thinking more sawtooth... 🙂

RE: Happy Halloween!

scottiebabe — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 14:04:05 GMT

The linear feedback shift register one is a little more spooky

RE: Happy Halloween!

robogary — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 13:57:43 GMT

Happy Halloween everyone, Great pumpkins !

I did get a brand new Halloween E14 project finished just in time for trick or treaters. Ill be submitting and posting the videos soon.

RE: Happy Halloween!

beacon_dave — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 13:54:09 GMT

That's a very happy looking lantern.

RE: Happy Halloween!

beacon_dave — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 13:52:39 GMT

What other vegetables do people carve ?

" Pumpkin or turnip? "
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cx2d0213dzqo

I'm surprised more people don't end up in A&E

RE: Happy Halloween!

scottiebabe — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 13:25:45 GMT

One of my pumpkins had "artificial intelligence" inside

I asked chatgpt to write candle flicker code

RE: Happy Halloween!

dougw — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 23:46:20 GMT

Happy Halloween everyone...

RE: Happy Halloween!

beacon_dave — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 18:31:39 GMT

[quote userid="503895" url="~/challenges-projects/halloween/f/forum/56346/happy-halloween"]Next year I might be a little smarter, make a stencil and carve the top layer of the pumpkin but leave a thin, inner layer so the tealights can shine through it.[/quote]

There is always uppercase 🙂

You could perhaps skewer it and support it from the rear

or get the drill out and do a dot matrix version

or do the magnetic levitation trick.

Perhaps even replace it with an eyeball.

RE: Happy Halloween!

vishalsoniindia — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 18:19:54 GMT

happy Halloween.

This looks very nice😍.

RE: Competition Discussion Thread | Halloween Hackathon 2025

ntewinkel — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 21:40:07 GMT

I built a wooden pumpkin candle holder last year, but then ran out of time and finished it later in the year.

I thought I might try adding some special effects to it this year but the last few years have been overwhelming and I'm just now getting back into electronics projects - first step was fixing the hummingbird feeder monitoring that was starting to glitch. It's been solid for at least 4 years (I spotted "2021" in the influxdb just now), so I can't complain too much.

Maybe a Christmas project then...

Competition Discussion Thread | Halloween Hackathon 2025

JoRatcliffe — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 12:47:36 GMT

It's time for the annual element14 Halloween competition!

I thought I'd create a space for general discussion on Halloween projects, your progress, challenges, and successes.

Plus, feel free to discuss any competition details here too. Don't forget the all-important deadline of November 9th. You can also send me a direct message if there is anything you would like to ask.

Happy building and wishing you all a happy Halloween in advance! [emoticon:8a5101da14f444689487d21cee1969ad][emoticon:47ddd273cb744e9990f86855c72b6bc1]

RE: Competition Discussion Thread | Halloween Hackathon 2025

beacon_dave — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 20:06:48 GMT

We need tracking eyeballs in flower pots... 🙂

That tree fallen across the pavement looks pretty scary as well.

RE: Competition Discussion Thread | Halloween Hackathon 2025

shabaz — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 20:03:09 GMT

Just got back from New Orleans and learned there how seriously they take their decorations : )

The eyeballs on sticks poking out the flowers were a nice touch.