Bridging Tradition and Technology: Enabling Thai Temple Bell Beater Control through IoT

This study delves into the convergence of tradition and technology through the utilization of the Internet of Things (IoT) to modernize Thai temple bell practices. Temples, essential for worship and Buddhist rituals, trace their origins to the time of the Buddha and play a pivotal role in Thai culture. Buddhism’s introduction to Thailand occurred around 236 B.C., leading to the establishment of numerous temples. These temples, categorized as Royal Monasteries and Wat Rat, house both sacred structures and monks’ quarters. Despite the transformation of daily routines due to urbanization and technology, temple bells continue to signify auspicious beginnings. The study proposes integrating IoT technology to remotely control temple bells while preserving their cultural importance. The research’s primary objectives include designing and developing a system to remotely activate temple bells for novice monks, assessing rhythm and sound precision, and exploring temple bell control through IoT technology. The proposed system employs an ESP8266 microcontroller to manage bell functions, pneumatic cylinders for control, and relay mechanisms for striking and pulling the bell. The study successfully achieves its goals by demonstrating the accurate and consistent functioning of remote bell control, harmonizing tradition and modernity, and offering recommendations for implementing this technology in temple management.