ArduinoPixel is a distributed system for operating a LED strip. On one side, there is an Arduino sketch that implements a web server and offers an API for controlling a NeoPixel LED strip. On the other side, there is the ArduinoPixel Android app that connects to the Arduino web server and sends requests to control the LED strip.
The Arduino sketch is almost ready for use, but you'll need to tweak a few parameters first. Once you update the network and strip parameters, you are free to upload the code straight to your board. Any Arduino compatible board with an Ethernet or Wifi connection should work fine.
The Android app is available on the Google Play Store. Install the app on your phone or tablet, configure the network parameters you set in the Arduino sketch and you are ready to go. You can watch a demo of the app here.
The web server offers an API to:
- Get info about the strip
- Turn the strip on and off
- Change the color of the strip
- Change what is being displayed on the strip
For more information, see here.
The Arduino code has been tested on Arduino Uno, Leonardo, and Mega with a WIZnet W5100 Ethernet module. The Android app has been tested on a tablet with Android v4.1.1. There is also experimental support for ESP32.
I have made the decision to focus more on functionality and less on support for small boards. Keep in mind that as development progresses and new features are being added, the code will keep growing and thus need more space in memory to operate. If you upload the code to your board and the strip is not working, try lowering the number of LEDs until you observe the desired behaviour.
In my own experiments, the code functioned properly with 112 LEDs on Arduino Leonardo and Mega, but on Arduino Uno it maxed out at 80+ LEDs.
Although the project started with NeoPixel LEDs in mind, it has evolved to be able to support any LED strip. You only need to define a class for the strip and conform to the required API. If interested, see led_strip_base.h.
The project also supports changing what is being displayed on the strip with modes. Currently, the following modes are available: SINGLE_COLOR, SCANNER, RAINBOW, RAINBOW_CYCLE. Once again, you are able to add your own modes, as long as you conform to the required API. If interested, see mode_base.h. The Android app doesn't yet support controlling the modes.
The Android app makes use of Piotr Adamus' ColorPicker view.
Thank you Piotr... with your beautiful work, you gave me the motivation I needed to attempt this project.