OR Logic Gate-Based NodeMCU (ESP8266) Supported IoT Simulation

The present study employs digital electronic circuits as a practical application area for the learning of logic gates using the binary number system. An experimental Internet of Things (IoT)-based circuit was developed using the NodeMCU V3 (ESP-12E) microcontroller in conjunction with the OR logic gate, a type of logic circuit. The web server system, which is at the centre of the design, is based on NodeMCU V3 (ESP8266). This enables simultaneous and multi-user simulation of logic operations via web browsers, independent of a physical experimental setup. This approach successfully overcomes the physical and economic limitations of traditional laboratory environments, providing high accessibility and resource efficiency, particularly in distance learning processes. From a physical perspective, the system can be regarded as the transfer of switching theory in semiconductor technologies and binary signal transmission to a distributed structure via network protocols. Nevertheless, the originality of the work lies in the structural similarity of this logical framework to biophysical processes. In the domain of biophysics, the processes of nerve transmission and synaptic integration are regarded as the biological counterparts of complex logic gates. The sum of different stimuli required for a neuron to reach its threshold value can be modelled using a logical OR gate. The experimental setup developed in this context provides a concrete simulation tool for engineering students as well as for physics and biophysics students who wish to model action potential mechanisms, the "all-or-nothing" principle of ion channels, and cellular signalling pathways. The implementation of this designed system is expected to facilitate the establishment of an interdisciplinary framework, as well as the development of a cost-effective and expandable educational framework.