Arduino RC Car Project

Description

The Arduino RC Car Project is an Android application designed to control and manage RC cars powered by Arduino microcontrollers. The app connects to the car via Wi-Fi and provides functionalities for navigation, control, and car management. It leverages Firebase for authentication and data storage, SharedPreferences for user settings, and notifications for real-time updates on car connectivity.

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Github Repository link: https://github.com/GeorgePetre11/RC_Car_Project

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Features

• Directional Control: Use buttons to send commands (/forward, /backward, /left, /right, /stop) to the RC car.
• Car Discovery: Scan the local network for RC cars equipped with ESP8266 microcontrollers.
• Car Management: Add, view, and manage cars from a Firebase Firestore database.
• User Authentication: Login and manage accounts using Firebase Authentication.
• Dark Mode: Toggle between light and dark mode for a personalized experience.
• Settings Menu: Options for logging out, exiting the app, and toggling dark mode.
• Real-Time Notifications: Receive updates about car connectivity status.
• Persistent Preferences: Save user preferences (e.g., dark mode) with SharedPreferences.

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Component Usage by Activity/Service

1. MainActivity

   • Features

     • Displays a list of cars retrieved from Firebase Firestore.
     • Allows adding a test car to Firestore.
     • Provides network scanning functionality to discover RC cars on the local network.
     • Includes a settings popup for toggling dark mode, logging out, and exiting the app.
     • Navigates to other activities such as CarControlActivity and CarDiscoveryActivity.

   • Components

     • Shared Preferences

       • Used to store and retrieve the dark mode preference.
       • Ensures a personalized user experience by persisting theme settings across sessions.

     • Database

     • • Firebase Firestore is used to store and retrieve car details (e.g., name, model, IP address).
       • Handles adding new cars and refreshing the list.

     • Intents Used for navigation between: a) CarDiscoveryActivity to discover new cars. b) Authentication for logging out. c) CarControlActivity for controlling a selected car.

     • Usage of External APIs

       • Firebase Authentication is used to retrieve the currently logged-in user's ID.
       • Firebase Firestore is used to manage and store car data.

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2. Authentication

   • Features

     • Allows users to log in or register using their email and password.
     • Redirects logged-in users to MainActivity.
     • Displays error messages for failed login or registration attempts.
     • Validates user input for email and password before attempting login or registration.

   • Components

     • Usage of External APIs Firebase Authentication is used to manage user accounts and sessions.

       • Sign-in: auth.signInWithEmailAndPassword(email, password) verifies user credentials with Firebase servers.
       • Registration: auth.createUserWithEmailAndPassword(email, password) creates a new user account in Firebase.
       • Ensures secure user authentication and session management.

     • Intents Used for navigation between activities:

       • Redirects logged-in users to MainActivity automatically if they are already authenticated.
       • Navigates to MainActivity after successful login or registration.

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3. CarDiscoveryActivity

   • Features

     • Scans the local network to discover RC cars using the /identify endpoint.
     • Displays a list of discovered devices in a ListView.
     • Allows users to select a discovered device and save it to Firebase Firestore.

   • Components

     • Database

       • Firebase Firestore is used to store details of discovered RC cars (e.g., name, model, IP, and associated user ID).
       • Handles saving new devices to the database when selected from the list.

     • Background Services

       • The network scanning process is implemented using a background thread.
       • Ensures that the main thread remains responsive during network operations.

     • Usage of External APIs

       • Firebase Authentication is used to retrieve the currently logged-in user's ID.
       • Firebase Firestore is used to store car data for the authenticated user.
       • The ESP8266 API (/identify endpoint) is used to check if a discovered IP belongs to an RC car.

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4. CarControlActivity

   • Features

     • Provides directional controls for the RC car using buttons (/forward, /backward, /left, /right, /stop).
     • Sends HTTP commands to the RC car via its IP address.
     • Starts the HeartbeatService to monitor car connectivity.
     • Sets up a notification channel to provide updates on car connection status.

   • Components

     • Intents

       • Used to start the HeartbeatService to monitor the car's connectivity.

     • Usage of External APIs

       • The ESP8266 API is used to send HTTP commands to control the RC car's movements.

     • Notifications

       • A notification channel (car_status_channel) is created to deliver updates about the car's connectivity.

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5. HeartbeatService

   • Features

     • Monitors the RC car's connection status by sending periodic "heartbeat" requests to the car's /heartbeat endpoint.
     • Notifies the user if the car disconnects or reconnects.
     • Runs as a foreground service to ensure persistent monitoring.
     • Broadcasts connection status changes to other components in the app.

   • Components

     • Foreground Services

       • Runs as a foreground service to ensure it continues monitoring the car's connectivity even when the app is in the background.
       • Displays a persistent notification while active.

     • Notifications

       • Sends notifications when the RC car is disconnected or reconnected.
       • Provides real-time updates to the user about the car's connection status.

     • Usage of External APIs

       • The ESP8266 API is used to send HTTP requests to the car's /heartbeat endpoint to check connection status.

     • Broadcast Receivers (potential integration)

       • Sends a broadcast (CAR_STATUS) to inform other components, such as activities, about connection status changes.

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6. CarContentProvider

   • Features

     • Provides a standardized interface for querying car data from Firebase Firestore.
     • Supports querying for all cars or a specific car by its name using URIs.
     • Allows deletion of specific cars from Firestore.

   • Components

     • Content Providers

       • Used to share data (e.g., car details) between the app's components in a structured and consistent way.
       • Supports URI-based queries for flexibility in accessing data.

     • Database

       • Firebase Firestore is used as the backend database to store, retrieve, and delete car data.
       • Facilitates querying car details (name, IP, model, userId) for app components.

     • Usage of External APIs

       • Firestore API is used to perform read and delete operations on the car collection in the database.

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7. CarCursor

   • Features

     • Acts as a custom cursor to manage car data in a structured format.
     • Supports column-based data access for car details such as name, model, IP, and userId.
     • Enables integration with Android's ContentProvider for querying car data.

   • Components

     • Content Providers

       • Works in conjunction with CarContentProvider to handle car data efficiently and provide it to components querying the ContentProvider.

     • Database

       • Facilitates access to car data retrieved from Firebase Firestore through the CarContentProvider.

     • Usage of External APIs

       • Supports data retrieved from Firebase Firestore by providing a structured way to interact with and query that data.

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8. CarListAdapter

   • Features

     • Displays a list of cars in a ListView, allowing users to view, control, and delete cars.
     • Provides buttons for each car to:
       • Navigate to CarControlActivity for controlling the car.
       • Delete the car from Firebase Firestore.

   • Components

     • Intents

       • Used to navigate to CarControlActivity when the "Control" button is clicked.

     • Database

       • Firebase Firestore is used to delete car records when the "Delete" button is clicked.
       • Ensures the data is updated both locally (in the adapter) and remotely (in Firestore).

     • Usage of External APIs

       • Firestore API is used to perform deletion of car records.

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Technologies Used

• Android SDK: Developed in Kotlin.
• Firebase Authentication: For secure user login and session management.
• Firebase Firestore: To store and manage car details.
• ESP8266: Arduino-based microcontroller for Wi-Fi communication and car control.
• Material Design: Ensures a modern and user-friendly interface.
• SharedPreferences: Saves persistent user settings like dark mode preferences.

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Project Setup

Prerequisites

1. Install Android Studio:
   Download and install the latest version of Android Studio.

2. Set up Firebase Project:

   • Go to the Firebase Console.
   • Create a new Firebase project or use an existing one.
   • Add an Android app to your Firebase project by registering your app with its package name (e.g., com.example.arduino_rc_car_project).
   • Download the google-services.json file and place it in the app/ directory of your Android project.
   • Enable Firestore Database and Authentication in the Firebase console.

3. Set up ESP8266 RC Car:

   • Ensure the ESP8266 microcontroller is flashed with firmware that supports the /identify and /heartbeat endpoints.
   • Connect the ESP8266 to your Wi-Fi network and configure its IP address.

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Steps

1. Clone the Repository:

   • Clone the project repository from GitHub:

     git clone https://github.com/GeorgePetre11/RC_Car_Project

2. Open the Project:

   • Launch Android Studio.
   • Select File > Open and navigate to the cloned project directory.

3. Sync Gradle:

   • Ensure all Gradle dependencies are synced. Android Studio will prompt you if any dependencies are missing.

4. Add Firebase Configuration:

   • Place the google-services.json file in the app/ directory.
   • Ensure that the Firebase dependencies are included in your build.gradle files:
     • Project-level build.gradle:

       dependencies {
           classpath 'com.google.gms:google-services:4.3.14'
       }

     • App-level build.gradle:

       dependencies {
           implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-auth:22.0.0'
           implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-firestore:24.7.0'
       }
       apply plugin: 'com.google.gms.google-services'

5. Run the App:

   • Connect a physical Android device to your computer (network scanning requires a real device).
   • Select your connected device in Android Studio and click Run to install and launch the app.

6. Test the Features:

   • Authentication: Register a new user or log in with an existing account.
   • Add Cars: Use the "Add Car" feature to discover and save RC cars on the network.
   • Control Cars: Navigate to CarControlActivity to control an added car.
   • Monitor Cars: Verify that the HeartbeatService sends notifications for connection status.

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Notes

• Ensure the Android device and ESP8266 RC car are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and also that the Wi-Fi network is 2.4 GHz.
• If using a custom ESP8266 firmware, ensure it responds correctly to the /identify and /heartbeat endpoints.
• Test network scanning on a physical device, as emulators do not support Wi-Fi scanning.

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