WiFi-Controlled Car

This project is a WiFi-controlled car that can be remotely operated using a smartphone. It integrates the ESP32 microcontroller for WiFi connectivity and the L293D motor driver for motor control. The car uses the Blynk IoT app for real-time commands and logs its movements to Firebase's Real-time Database, enabling remote tracking and control.

Components Required

Hardware

• ESP32 NodeMCU
• L293D Motor Driver (H-Bridge)
• DC Motors (2)
• Chassis
• Wheels (2)
• 1.2 V Ni-MH Batteries (4)
• 7805 Voltage Regulator
• Breadboard
• Jumper Wires
• USB Cable
• Switch Button

Software

• Arduino IDE
• Blynk IoT App
• Firebase Console

Packages Required

• Blynk by Volodymyr Shymanskyy
• Firebase Arduino ESP Client by mobizt
• NTPClient by Fabrice Weinberg

Boards Required

• DOIT ESP32 DevKit V1 (GitHub Repository)

Setup

1. Install Required Libraries and Boards

1. Install the ESP32 Board:

   • Open Arduino IDE.
   • Go to File > Preferences.
   • In the "Additional Board Manager URLs" field, add the following URL:

     https://dl.espressif.com/dl/package_esp32_index.json
     

   • Go to Tools > Board > Boards Manager, search for "ESP32" and install the board.

2. Install the Firebase Arduino ESP Client:

   • Go to Sketch > Include Library > Manage Libraries.
   • Search for Firebase Arduino ESP Client by mobizt and install it.

3. Install the NTP Client Library:

   • Download the library from here.
   • Go to Sketch > Include Library > Add .ZIP Library… in Arduino IDE.
   • Select the downloaded .zip file to install the library.

2. Create Firebase Project

1. Go to Firebase and sign in using a Google account.
2. Click Get Started and then Add project to create a new project.
3. Give a name to your project, e.g., ESP Firebase Demo.
4. Disable the option Enable Google Analytics for this project as it is not needed, and click Create project.
5. After the setup is complete, click Continue to be redirected to your project console page.

3. Set Authentication Methods

1. On the left sidebar, click on Authentication and then on Get started.
2. Select the option Email/Password and enable it. Click Save.
3. Add a user by going to the Users tab and clicking Add User.
4. Enter an email address and password for the user. Save these credentials for later.

4. Get Project API Key

1. On the left sidebar, click on Project Settings.
2. Copy the Web API Key to a safe place for use in your ESP32 code.

5. Set up Realtime Database

1. On the left sidebar, click on Realtime Database and then on Create Database.
2. Select your database location based on your physical location.
3. Start the database in test mode. Click Enable.

6. ESP32 Datalogging (Firebase Realtime Database)

Program the ESP32 to:

• Authenticate as a user with the email and password created earlier.
• Log data (e.g., joystick positions or movement commands) to the database.
• Use the NTP Client library to retrieve timestamps.

Wokwi Simulation

The project includes a simulation on Wokwi Cloud, where the ESP32 microcontroller and L293D motor driver are visualized with LEDs representing motor control signals. This simulation provides a real-time representation of the motor outputs.

Steps for Simulation

1. Open the Wokwi project link.
2. Set the ssid variable to "Wokwi-GUEST" in the code.
3. Leave the pass variable as an empty string.
4. Enter your Firebase auth token in the auth variable.
5. Run the simulation to control the car's movements virtually using the Blynk IoT app.

Features

• Remote Control: Uses the Blynk IoT app's joystick to control the car's direction—forward, backward, left, and right.
• Real-Time Logging: Firebase Realtime Database logs movements with timestamps for analysis.
• Energy Optimization: Implements modem sleep mode on the ESP32 to reduce idle power consumption.
• Simulation: Motor outputs visualized via LEDs in the Wokwi simulator.

Limitations

• Requires manual intervention during peak current scenarios, such as starting the motors.
• Significant power consumption reduces operational time.
• Analytics integration via Firebase's paid services is limited.

Contributors

• Muhammad Ashhub Ali
• Adeel Ahmed Qureshi
• Muhammad Zubair Khalid
• Wasif Mehmood