# Dial Computer

> An ESP32-S3 knob display plus a companion daemon that monitors my AI coding agents and system stats.

- Status: active
- Started: 2026-02-07
- Category: Hardware
- Tags: hardware, esp32, ai

Dial Computer is a little physical readout for my digital life: an ESP32-S3 driving a round knob-screen, paired with a companion daemon on the PC. The daemon feeds it what's happening with my AI coding agents and system stats, so a glance at the dial tells me whether an agent is working, waiting, or done — without alt-tabbing.

It ties into Home Assistant too, so the same hardware can double as a tactile control surface for the rest of the house. It's my favourite kind of project: a real knob you can turn, backed by software that actually does something.