Design and Performance Evaluation of an Arduino-Based Vibration Sensor System for Suspicious Activity Detection

Abstract

The increasing incidence of theft and unauthorized intrusion has created an urgent demand for affordable and reliable security systems capable of providing early warning against suspicious activities. Conventional security devices such as mechanical locks, closed-circuit television (CCTV), and alarm systems often exhibit limitations in detecting initial physical disturbances before an intrusion occurs. This study presents the design, development, and performance evaluation of an Arduino-based vibration sensor system for suspicious activity detection. The proposed prototype integrates an SW-420 vibration sensor, an Arduino Uno microcontroller, a 16×2 LCD with an I2C interface, light-emitting diode (LED) indicators, and a buzzer to monitor vibration intensity and provide immediate visual and audible alerts. The vibration sensor continuously detects mechanical disturbances generated by impacts, movements, or unauthorized physical interactions. The Arduino Uno processes the sensor signals in real time and classifies the detected vibration into three levels: normal, moderate, and high. The corresponding system status is displayed on the LCD, while LED indicators and the buzzer provide rapid warning notifications according to the detected vibration level. Experimental evaluation demonstrated that the prototype successfully detected mechanical vibrations with stable and consistent responses under repeated testing conditions. The integrated hardware components operated reliably, and the system effectively distinguished different vibration intensities while maintaining rapid response characteristics. The developed prototype offers several advantages, including low manufacturing cost, simple hardware architecture, low power consumption, and ease of implementation. In addition to its practical application as an early-warning security device, the system also provides an effective educational platform for demonstrating vibration sensing, embedded systems, signal processing, and microcontroller programming. The proposed prototype therefore represents a practical and economical solution for enhancing security monitoring in residential environments, parking facilities, laboratories, and educational institutions while supporting engineering education through hands-on learning.