This repo is for those who are interested in getting started with NodeBots and don't know where to go. I'm here for you. 🤗 I've included the hardware I used, website links, and files to get you going.
| Part | Source | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Arduino Uno Board | Arduino Website | $22 |
| Freenove Starter Kit | Freenove Starter Kit | $34 |
| MAX7219 | Core Electronics | $10 |
- I purchased an Arduino Website board online, and after realizing I had no way to plug it into my computer also bought a Freenove Starter Kit ($34) as well.
- I familiarized myself with Arduino Uno projects to see what’s possible in general.
- I attended a saturday’s hackers session at Connected Community Hackerspace where I learned the basics of Ohm’s Law (electricity) and saw people building and driving around machine learning car robots in python.
- There I did the “hello world” of arduino boards and made an led light turn on through the circuit board
- I’ve looked through the Arduino library for some examples of different projects to build but realized they’re in C++ and I’m wanting to use Node.js
- Johnny-Five is the main site for documentation and community
If you don't have Node installed, go to the Node.js site and grab the latest version.
Once you've gotten Node installed, the next step differs depending on if you're using Mac OS or Windows.
Insert the shorter end of your led light into "GND" (short for ground) and the longer end into "13".
Plug the arduino into the computer using the USB.
Download the Arduino IDE
Go to the Johnn-Five website. And follow their "Hello World!" steps. Step 2, setup your board, was tricky for me. I first went to this site that they refer you to(Firmata Arduino Github) but found this page on Instructables to download Standard-Firmata the screenshots easier to follow.
I also ran into issues with my OS not allowing me to install the test from an unidentified developer, so this site was helpful on unlocking me security settings. How to install programs from unidentified developers
Install node-gyp which "is a cross-platform command-line tool written in Node.js for compiling native addon modules for Node.js."
npm install -g node-gyp
Make a directory
Create a node project
node init
Install the Johnny-Five dependency
npm install johnny-five
Clone this repo into your directory of choice by typing the following:
git clone git@github.com:nikkiricks/Node_Bots.git
Navigate into the folder, you're going to have to install your dependencies.
npm install
In your CLI type:
node blink.js
And watch that light blink! Congrats! 🎉
For other projects see the practice_files and reference the fritzing images on the Johnny-Five Examples pages
Familiarize yourself with the Johnny-Five servo docs and the led-matrix docs.
Insert the MAX7219 into the arduino board. Pay attention to where the "GND" "VCC" "CS" etc. are written as I noticed different boards had them in different places and if you're a newbie like me, you will follow the instructions without looking at what is what.
With the base understanding of ground and volt, wire both the servo and matrix through a breadboard:
Combine the code from the led-matrix docs and add it to the "up-button" conditional statement in the now.js file:
//for servo
const {Board, Servo} = require("johnny-five");
const keypress = require("keypress");
keypress(process.stdin);
const board = new Board();
//for matrix (may not need both?)
var five = require("johnny-five");
// is this a problem that there are two boards?
// var board = new five.Board();
board.on("ready", function() {
// insert code for servo
console.log("Use Up and Down arrows for CW and CCW respectively. Space to stop.");
const servo = new Servo.Continuous(10);
process.stdin.resume();
process.stdin.setEncoding("utf8");
process.stdin.setRawMode(true);
process.stdin.on("keypress", (ch, key) => {
if (!key) {
return;
}
if (key.name === "q") {
console.log("Quitting");
process.exit();
} else if (key.name === "up") {
console.log("CW");
servo.cw();
var matrix = new five.Led.Matrix({
pins: {
data: 2,
clock: 3,
cs: 4
}
});
matrix.on();
var msg = " NOW".split("");
// Display each letter for 2 seconds
function next() {
var c;
if (c = msg.shift()) {
matrix.draw(c);
setTimeout(next, 2000);
}
}
next();
} else if (key.name === "down") {
console.log("CCW");
servo.ccw();
} else if (key.name === "space") {
console.log("Stopping");
servo.stop();
}
});
})
-
npm keypress is helpful to use your keyboard as a controller. For example in the Servo Continuous tutorial you require keypress and use the the up and down arrows, space bar, and q to control the servo.
-
Set up Node.js using the Johnny5 tutorials, configure any necessary settings
- Use the getting started wiki