GoKawiilDeveloper uses Claude AI to build sound-triangulation tool for locating a beeping device
A developer built 'Beep Locator,' a software system created with Claude Code, to pinpoint the source of a recurring beeping noise coming from an unpacked box room. The tool uses multiple devices—including iPads, a phone, a MacBook, and a Surface tablet—as listeners that detect and triangulate sound locations on a map. After calibrating with clapping tests and manually adjusting device positions in a 'Rough mode,' the system successfully located the mystery beep to within about 40cm.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The project illustrates how AI coding assistants like Claude can be used to rapidly prototype practical, personal software tools for everyday problems rather than only large-scale applications. It also demonstrates a multi-device acoustic triangulation technique that could have broader uses, such as locating other hard-to-find sound sources in homes or workplaces. The hybrid approach—combining automated sound calibration with manual position adjustment—suggests that fully automated setup for such consumer-grade triangulation may still face practical limitations.
- A developer used Claude Code to build a custom tool called Beep Locator to find a mysterious beeping sound.
- The system uses multiple networked devices as listeners that triangulate sound locations, refined through a manual 'Rough mode' and clapping tests.
- The tool successfully narrowed down the beep's location to within about 40cm, enabling the source to be found among unpacked boxes.
Anker Soundcore Bluetooth Speaker Tile Mate Tracker — If you're dealing with mystery noises from unpacked boxes, a Tile Mate tracker is a great low-tech complement to any DIY beep-locating project—just toss one into boxes you're worried about losing track of. It pairs with your phone and lets you trigger a ring to help pinpoint location, similar in spirit to the triangulation project described here. It's a handy, practical gadget for anyone dealing with clutter from a move.
See Anker Soundcore Bluetooth Speaker Tile Mate Tracker on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: simonwillison.net — Simon Willison, 2026-11-10
Published there as: “Locating the source of a mysterious beep”
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