Introduction: Javascript Robotics and Browser-based Arduino Control
Use your JavaScript and web development knowledge to control Arduino projects and even robots (node + robots = nodebots)!
This is made easy with node.js, Firmata and Johnny-Five. Let's get started!
Johnny-Five logo by Mike Sgier. Arduino photo CC-BY Raeky.
Step 1: Install Node.js
Download and install the node for your platform. Source and binaries are available for Windows, OS X and Linux.
http://nodejs.org/download/
If you're using Ubuntu/Debian, you can use apt-get install nodejs (not node). If you're using a distro's package manager, make sure your node version is recent!
node --version
v0.10.26
Step 2: Install Johnny-five
Create a folder for your project and use Node's package manager, npm, to install johnny-five.
At the command line use npm install as follows:
npm install johnny-five
If you'd like to create a web interface you'll need socket.io too:
npm install socket.io
Step 3: Upload Firmata to Your Arduino
- Download and open the Arduino IDE
- Go to File -> Examples -> Firmata -> StandardFirmata
- Upload Firmata to your Arduino board
Step 4: Blink Sketch ... in Javascript
Create a file called ledtest.js with your favorite text editor. Connect your Arduino, copy the code below and run node ledtest.js at the command line. You should see a blinky LED!
var five = require("johnny-five"),board, led;
board = new five.Board();
board.on("ready", function() {
led = new five.Led(13);
led.strobe(1000); // on off every second
});
Troubleshooting:
Johnny-five will try to find your Arduino automatically. If this doesn't work you can specify a serial port in the Board constructor, like so:
LED c/o OpenClipartboard = new five.Board({ port: "/dev/tty.usbmodem1234" });
Step 5: WebSockets
We're using socket.IO, a wrapper that makes using WebSockets very simple. It takes into account the differences between browsers, handles gnarly back-end tasks like disconnections, heartbeats and timeouts so we can focus on the fun stuff.
Socket.io provides example code, we can use it with a little modification to control our Arduino with johnny-five.
Socket.IO Usage
Emit an event called 'message'
Process an event called 'incoming' and print out the datasocket.emit('message', { hello: 'world' });
socket.on('incoming', function(data) {
console.log(data);
});
Step 6: Create a Web Interface With Bootstrap
If you followed the previous steps you should be able to run node webtest.js at the command line, visit http://localhost/ to start controlling your Arduino!
Once you can understand this you're well on your way to advanced Browser-to-Arduino hacking and nodebots (the johnny-five repo is an excellent resource for example code)
An example: on the browser side, when you click on 'Set Delay' emit a socket event 'led'
$('#ledSet').on('click',function(){
// parse number from led delay value
var tmp = parseInt($('#ledDelay').val(),10);
// print out
console.log("Setting LED Delay:",tmp)
// send socket message of delay
socket.emit('led',{delay:tmp});
});
On the server side, your message is processed and the strobe value adjusted:
socket.on('led', function (data) {
console.log(data);
if(board.isReady){ led.strobe(data.delay); }
});
Attachments
Step 7: Additional Resources
- NodeBots - Javascript robots. Hardware hacking meetups around the world!
- Arduino Experimenter's guide for Node.js
- The Rise of JS Robotics
- NodeCopter
- Sumobot Jr
- Johnny-Five on github
- Node-SerialPort
- Bonescript - JS control of GPIO for BeagleBone
2 People Made This Project!
- tyrellperera made it!
- LMaddio made it!
21 Comments
5 years ago
Hi, thanks for tutorial. I want to control my Arduino via my web page ( http://www.safehouse.besaba.com/ ). I want to use wifi shield. Is Johnny Five support this? I know it using usb cable and Firmata library. Is Johnny Five works on just local host? Any way to use it in a server in hosting firm like Go-daddy?
Thanks.
6 years ago
Great tutorial!!
I am newbie to arduino as well as to node.js. I followed the steps as it mentioned in the tutorial but not able to run the code. I am getting below error -
Error: Cannot find module 'johnny-five'
at Function.Module._resolveFilename (module.js:440:15)
at Function.Module._load (module.js:388:25)
at Module.require (module.js:468:17)
at require (internal/module.js:20:19)
at Object.<anonymous> (C:\Ankur\Arduino\ledtest.js:1:72)
at Module._compile (module.js:541:32)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:550:10)
at Module.load (module.js:458:32)
at tryModuleLoad (module.js:417:12)
at Function.Module._load (module.js:409:3)
Could you please help me in resolving the same.
Thanks and Regards,
Ankur
6 years ago
Hi, I'm a newb to all of this and having an issue. I'm on mac and using MAMP to upload to my localhost. I managed to get all the steps working until Step 6. In my console on my localhost I get 'Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 404 (Not Found) http://localhost:8888/socket.io/socket.io.js' as well as 'ReferenceError: Can't find variable: io'. My Arduino has the LED on but none of the HTML controls do anything to change it. When trying to run 'node webtest.js' in terminal when in the MAMP localhost folder, I also get a ' events.js:141 throw er; // Unhandled 'error' event' appear. If anyone can help at all it would be very appreciated!
6 years ago
Hi I am looking for a forum to discuss the johnny five module. Do you have any good suggestions of online communities?
7 years ago
Awesome! , thanks for the tutorial, but:
i dont have any servos, so the web page doesn't do anything to my arduino; how can i turn on and off different leds depending on which button i press?
I couldn't figure out how to do it
Reply 7 years ago
You would have to wright a function that does that.
8 years ago on Introduction
exelent port :D
i was trying to acces localhost from other computer on my network and i can look the page but dont allow me to make change, what can i do ?
Reply 7 years ago
You cannot access localhots via another computer. localhost always* refer the curent computer. If you want to access one computer via another, you'll have to find it's IP address and use it instead of localhost. If you localhost computer IP is 192.168.1.100, then on the other computer you should use http://192.168.1.100 instead of http://localhost.
*Not always, but if it's not the case, your either a ninja in networking, or should call tech support.
7 years ago on Introduction
Instead of an arduino, could an launchpad msp430 be used?
I have the latest firmata running correctly (or so I think) on the launchpad, but I don't have any way of seeing if it speaks firmata to the pc. I'm new to node.js but I believe it installed correctly.. same with Johnny5.
Is there a sample script that will query the launchpad for the firmata version string?
Also, the instruction:
How do you run node.js scripts without the use of the web interface? I thought you execute a node.js script by opening a browser with the url : http://localhost:3000 . Is there another way to run node.js?
Reply 7 years ago
"How do you run node.js scripts without the use of the web interface?"
You have to run it via terminal `node scriptToRun.js`
7 years ago on Introduction
This may be obvious to some, but where does the JavaScript code execute? Is it on the computer or the Arduino?
Reply 7 years ago
On your computer. Node.js execute the code.
7 years ago
Great tutorial!
I'm having a little trouble when I get to the websockets section. When I run 'node webtest.j's' I receive an error message stating "TypeError object Serialport has no method 'write'"
Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong?
Reply 7 years ago
Try installing without npm;
git clone git://github.com/rwaldron/johnny-five.git && cd johnny-five
npm install
7 years ago
Nice project. Is there a way to use this with esp8266? Here is the plot: start an ACcess point and webserver on esp8266 programmed using arduino ide. Run code on esp8266 that can intercept data from a smartphohe running webapp that communicates via websocket. Is this possible?
7 years ago on Introduction
excellent!!! :)
7 years ago on Introduction
Thank you! I hooked up a simple force sensor to an Arduino and managed to browse Google Maps with it!
Reply 7 years ago on Introduction
Well done, very cool :D
8 years ago on Introduction
thanks! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps-6U2mv5JY
8 years ago on Introduction
I cannot get it to work when I specify a board like so:
board = new five.Board({ port: "/dev/tty.usbmodem1431”});
My Terminal says:
/path/to/file/but/this/isn't/it/ledtest.js:3
board = new five.Board({ port: "/dev/tty.usbmodem1431”});
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
SyntaxError: Unexpected token ILLEGAL
at Module._compile (module.js:439:25)
at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:474:10)
at Module.load (module.js:356:32)
at Function.Module._load (module.js:312:12)
at Function.Module.runMain (module.js:497:10)
at startup (node.js:119:16)
at node.js:906:3