Cylon.js for Firmata

Cylon.js (http://cylonjs.com) is a JavaScript framework for robotics, physical computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

This module provides an adaptor for microcontrollers such as the Arduino that support the Firmata protocol. This is possible thanks to the firmata module.

Want to use Ruby on robots? Check out our sister project Artoo (http://artoo.io)

Want to use the Go programming language to power your robots? Check out our sister project Gobot (http://gobot.io).

How to Install

To get started, just install the NPM module:

$ npm install cylon cylon-firmata

How to Use

This quick example blinks an LED connected to an Arduino once per second:

var Cylon = require('cylon');

Cylon.robot({
  connections: {
    arduino: { adaptor: 'firmata', port: '/dev/ttyACM0' }
  },

  devices: {
    led: { driver: 'led', pin: 13 }
  },

  work: function(my) {
    every((1).second(), my.led.toggle);
  }
}).start();

How to Connect

Upload the Firmata Firmware to the Arduino

This section assumes you're using an Arduino Uno or another compatible board. If you already have the Firmata sketch installed, you can skip straight to the examples.

OS X

First plug the Arduino into your computer via the USB/serial port. A dialog box will appear telling you that a new network interface has been detected. Click "Network Preferences...", and when it opens, simply click "Apply".

Install the cylon-firmata module:

$ npm install cylon cylon-firmata

Once plugged in, use Gort's gort scan serial command to find out your connection info and serial port address:

$ gort scan serial

Use the gort arduino install command to install avrdude, this will allow you to upload firmata to the arduino:

$ gort arduino install

Once the avrdude uploader is installed we upload the firmata protocol to the arduino, use the arduino serial port address found when you ran gort scan serial:

$ gort arduino upload firmata /dev/tty.usbmodem1421

Now you are ready to connect and communicate with the Arduino using serial port connection

Ubuntu

First plug the Arduino into your computer via the USB/serial port.

Install the cylon-firmata module:

$ npm install cylon cylon-firmata

Once plugged in, use Gort's gort scan serial command to find out your connection info and serial port address:

$ gort scan serial

Use the gort arduino install command to install avrdude, this will allow you to upload firmata to the arduino:

$ gort arduino install

Once the avrdude uploader is installed we upload the firmata protocol to the arduino, use the arduino serial port address found when you ran gort scan serial, or leave it blank to use the default address ttyACM0:

$ gort arduino upload firmata /dev/ttyACM0

Now you are ready to connect and communicate with the Arduino using serial port connection

Windows

First plug the Arduino into your computer via the USB/serial port.

Install the cylon-firmata module:

$ npm install cylon cylon-firmata

Then download and install gort for your OS from the gort.io downloads page and install it.

Open a command prompt window by right clicking on the start button and choose Command Prompt (Admin) (on windows 8.1). Then navigate to the folder where you uncompressed gort (uncomress to a folder first if you haven't done this yet).

Once inside the gort folder, first install avrdude which we'll use to upload firmata to the arduino.

$ gort arduino install

When the installation is complete, close the command prompt window and open a new one. We need to do this for the env variables to reload.

$ gort scan serial

Take note of your arduinos serialport address (COM1, COM2, COM3 etc). You need to already have installed the arduino drivers from arduino.cc/en/Main/Software. Finally upload the firmata protocol sketch to the arduino.

$ gort arduino upload firmata <COMX>

Make sure to substitute <COMX> with the apropiate serialport address.

Now you are ready to connect and communicate with the Arduino using serial port connection.

Using arduino IDE

Open arduino IDE and go to File > Examples > Firmata > StandardFirmata and open it. Select the appriate port for your arduino and click upload. Wait for the upload to finish and you should be ready to start using Gobot with your arduino.

Documentation

We're busy adding documentation to our web site at http://cylonjs.com/ please check there as we continue to work on Cylon.js

Thank you!

Contributing

For our contribution guidelines, please go to https://github.com/hybridgroup/cylon/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md .

Release History

For the release history, please go to https://github.com/hybridgroup/cylon-firmata/blob/master/RELEASES.md .

License

Copyright (c) 2013-2015 The Hybrid Group. Licensed under the Apache 2.0 license.