Ravi ParmarRupin ChhedaJehangir Khajotia
Published © MIT

Chat Application Using Mesh Radios

In this project, I am going to demonstrate how you can send and receive messages wirelessly, with the help of two idIoTware shields.

IntermediateFull instructions provided3 hours3,321
Chat Application Using Mesh Radios

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Arduino UNO
Arduino UNO
×2
idIoTware Shield
idIoTware Shield
×2
NRF24L01 NRF24L01+ Wireless Module
×2
0.96" I2C oled display
×2
Generic Jumper (0.1")
Generic Jumper (0.1")
×2
USB-A to B Cable
USB-A to B Cable
×2
9V 1A Switching Wall Power Supply
9V 1A Switching Wall Power Supply
×2

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE
Arduino IDE

Story

Read more

Schematics

idiotware-shield

Code

chatApplication_Sender

Arduino
/*  

    In this example we are using NRF24L01 radio and Arduino to
    communicate with other Arduino and NRF24L01 using Serial Monitor.
    Here we are creating a local mesh between two radios(NRF24L01)
    using <RF24.h> and <RF24Network.h library>.  


*/

#include <RF24Network.h>
#include <RF24.h>
#include <SPI.h>
#include "U8glib.h"
//
// Hardware configuration
//

// Set up nRF24L01 radio on SPI bus plus pins 9 & 10

RF24 radio(7,8);

// Network uses that radio
RF24Network network(radio);

// Address of our node
const uint16_t this_node = 0;

// Address of the other node
const uint16_t other_node = 1;

boolean send_message = false;
char messageToSend[32] = "";

int melody[]= {2000,2000,2000,2000};
// note durations: 4 = quarter note, 8 = eighth note, etc.:
int noteDurations[] = { 8,8,8,8 };

U8GLIB_SSD1306_128X64 u8g(U8G_I2C_OPT_NONE|U8G_I2C_OPT_DEV_0);	// I2C / TWI 

String inputString = "";         // a string to hold incoming data
boolean stringComplete = false;  // whether the string is complete


void setup(void)
    { 
      u8g.setFont(u8g_font_unifont);
      Serial.begin(57600);
      Serial.println("NRF24L01 MESSENGER");
 
      SPI.begin();
      radio.begin();
      network.begin(/*channel*/ 90, /*node address*/ this_node);
      u8g.firstPage();  
      do 
       {
         u8g.setPrintPos(0, 10); 
         u8g.print("Organizer " );
         u8g.setPrintPos(45, 10); 
       //  u8g.print(this_node);
       } while( u8g.nextPage() );   
    }

void loop() 
    {
       // Pump the network regularly
       network.update();
       if (stringComplete)   // if there is typed message on serial monitor ready to send
        { 
          inputString.replace("\r","");
          inputString.replace("\n","");
          RF24NetworkHeader header1(/*to node*/ other_node);
          boolean message = network.write(header1,  inputString.c_str(), 32);   // send message to other user
          if (message)
            {
              Serial.print("Organizer: ");   // print message on serial monitor
              Serial.println( inputString);
              send_message = false;
            }
          
          else
            
              Serial.println("could not write....\n"); // if it is failed to send message prompt error 
               
              stringComplete=false;
              inputString="";   
      }  
    
     //// Is there anything ready for us?
     while (network.available() )
       { // If so, grab it and print it out
         RF24NetworkHeader header;
         char messageToRecieve[32] = "";
         boolean recieve = false;
         while (!recieve)
            {
              recieve = network.read(header, messageToRecieve ,32);
              Serial.print("Organizer: ");   // print recived data on serial monitor
              Serial.println(messageToRecieve);
              for(int thisNote = 0; thisNote < 4; thisNote++) 
                 {
                   // to calculate the note duration, take one second divided by the note type.
                   //e.g. quarter note = 1000 / 4, eighth note = 1000/8, etc.
                   int noteDuration = 1000/noteDurations[thisNote];
                   tone(A1, melody[thisNote],noteDuration);
                   // to distinguish the notes, set a minimum time between them.
                   // the note's duration + 30% seems to work well:
                   int pauseBetweenNotes = noteDuration * 1.60;
                   delay(pauseBetweenNotes);
                   // stop the tone playing:
                   noTone(8);
                 }
                 
                 u8g.firstPage();  
                 do 
                  {
                    u8g.drawStr(0,10, "participant :"); 
                    u8g.setPrintPos(0, 30);  
                    u8g.print(messageToRecieve); 
                  } while( u8g.nextPage() ); 
                 
            }
 
        }
   
   }
  
   void serialEvent() {
  while (Serial.available()) {
    // get the new byte:
    char inChar = (char)Serial.read(); 
    // add it to the inputString:
    inputString += inChar;
    // if the incoming character is a newline, set a flag
    // so the main loop can do something about it:
    if (inChar == '\n') {
      stringComplete = true;
    } 
  }
}
   

chatApplication_receiver

Arduino
/*  

    In this example we are using NRF24L01 radio and Arduino to
    communicate with other Arduino and NRF24L01 using Serial Monitor.
    Here we are creating a local mesh between two radios(NRF24L01)
    using <RF24.h> and <RF24Network.h library>.  


*/

#include <RF24Network.h>
#include <RF24.h>
#include <SPI.h>
#include "U8glib.h"
//
// Hardware configuration
//

// Set up nRF24L01 radio on SPI bus plus pins 9 & 10

RF24 radio(7,8);

// Network uses that radio
RF24Network network(radio);

// Address of our node
const uint16_t this_node = 1;

// Address of the other node
const uint16_t other_node = 0;

boolean send_message = false;
char messageToSend[32] = "";  //

int melody[]= {2000,2000,2000,2000};
// note durations: 4 = quarter note, 8 = eighth note, etc.:
int noteDurations[] = { 8,8,8,8 };

U8GLIB_SSD1306_128X64 u8g(U8G_I2C_OPT_NONE|U8G_I2C_OPT_DEV_0);	// I2C / TWI 

String inputString = "";         // a string to hold incoming data
boolean stringComplete = false;  // whether the string is complete

void setup(void)
     {
       u8g.setFont(u8g_font_unifont);
       Serial.begin(57600);
       Serial.println("NRF24L01 MESSENGER");
 
       SPI.begin();
       radio.begin();
       network.begin(/*channel*/ 90, /*node address*/ this_node);
       u8g.firstPage();  
       do 
        {
          u8g.setPrintPos(0, 10); 
         u8g.print("Participant " );
         u8g.setPrintPos(45, 10); 
        // u8g.print(this_node);
        } while( u8g.nextPage() );   
      }

void loop() 
    {
       // Pump the network regularly
       network.update();
       
       if (stringComplete)  // if there is typed message on serial monitor ready to send
        {
          inputString.replace("\r","");
          inputString.replace("\n","");
          
          RF24NetworkHeader header1(/*to node*/ other_node);
          boolean message = network.write(header1, inputString.c_str(), 32); // send message to other user
          if (message)
            {
              Serial.print("Participant: ");  // print message on serial monitor
              Serial.println(inputString);
              send_message = false;
            }
          
          else
            
              Serial.println("could not write....\n");  // if it is failed to send message prompt error
              
              stringComplete=false;
              inputString="";
        }  
    
    
     // Is there anything ready for us?
     while (network.available() )   
       { // If so, grab it and print it out
         RF24NetworkHeader header;
         char messageToRecieve[32] = "";
         boolean recieve = false;
         while (!recieve)
            {
              recieve = network.read(header, messageToRecieve , 32 );
              Serial.print("Participant: ");   // print recived data on okserial monitor
              Serial.println(messageToRecieve);
              for(int thisNote = 0; thisNote < 4; thisNote++) 
                 {
                   // to calculate the note duration, take one second divided by the note type.
                   //e.g. quarter note = 1000 / 4, eighth note = 1000/8, etc.
                   int noteDuration = 1000/noteDurations[thisNote];
                   tone(A1, melody[thisNote],noteDuration);
                   // to distinguish the notes, set a minimum time between them.
                   // the note's duration + 30% seems to work well:
                   int pauseBetweenNotes = noteDuration * 1.60;
                   delay(pauseBetweenNotes);
                   // stop the tone playing:
                   noTone(8);
                 }
              u8g.firstPage();  
              do 
               {
                 u8g.drawStr(0,10, "Organizer : "); 
                 u8g.setPrintPos(0, 30); 
                 u8g.print(messageToRecieve); 
               } while( u8g.nextPage() );   
            }
 
        }
   
   }
   
void serialEvent() {
  while (Serial.available()) {
    // get the new byte:
    char inChar = (char)Serial.read(); 
    // add it to the inputString:
    inputString += inChar;
    // if the incoming character is a newline, set a flag
    // so the main loop can do something about it:
    if (inChar == '\n') {
      stringComplete = true;
    } 
  }
}

Credits

Ravi Parmar

Ravi Parmar

13 projects • 42 followers
I am an Electronics and telecom graduate engineer with passion in embedded technology and making new stuff .
Rupin Chheda

Rupin Chheda

35 projects • 83 followers
Resident Maker at CuriosityGym! Electronics Engineer, CAD Modeller, Educator
Jehangir Khajotia

Jehangir Khajotia

14 projects • 19 followers

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