ESP32-CAM Robot Control with Live Video Streaming

+Русская версия: readme.ru.md

Overview

This project implements a remote-controlled robot using an ESP32-CAM board. It features real-time video streaming from the ESP32-CAM and controls two motors. The robot can be controlled via a web interface using either a virtual joystick, sliders for motor control, or a physical Bluetooth controller. The web interface also provides controls for video quality settings and LED brightness adjustment.

Features

• Live Video Streaming: Streams camera feed in real-time through HTTP multipart response
• Dual Motor Control: Controls two DC motors, enabling movement in all directions
• Multiple Control Methods:
  • Web Interface Joystick: Intuitive virtual joystick control
  • Web Interface Sliders: Fine-grained control over individual motors
  • Bluetooth Controller: Support for physical Bluetooth controllers (e.g., ExpressLRS Joystick)
  • Keyboard: Use WASD (or the Russian letters "цфыв") or arrow keys with on-screen feedback
  • Adjustable Video Settings: Multiple resolution options (from QQVGA to UXGA)
• LED Brightness Control: PWM-based control of LED
• Resource Monitoring: Optional FreeRTOS task statistics for performance analysis
• Feature Toggles: Easily enable/disable features in configuration

Architecture

The project is built on the ESP32 Arduino framework and utilizes FreeRTOS for multitasking:

Core Components

• Camera Management (camera_config.h, main.cpp):

  • Handles camera initialization and configuration
  • Configures hardware pins and camera parameters

• Motor Control (motor_control.h, motor_control.cpp):

  • Controls motor direction and speed through PWM
  • Processes input from joystick/sliders with deadzone handling
  • Implements smooth acceleration and turning algorithms

• Web Server (http_server_task.h, http_server_task.cpp):

  • Serves the embedded web interface
  • Handles control API endpoints for motors, camera settings, and LED
  • Manages video streaming requests

• Video Streaming (stream_task.h, stream_task.cpp):

  • Captures and streams camera frames in MJPEG format
  • Optimized for performance on the ESP32's limited resources

• Bluetooth Control (bluetooth_task.h, bluetooth_task.cpp):

  • Scans for and connects to Bluetooth controllers
  • Processes controller input and translates to motor commands
  • Provides connection status feedback

• WiFi Connection (wifi_manager.h, wifi_manager.cpp):

  • Manages WiFi connectivity with reconnection handling
  • Uses credentials from environment variables

System Architecture

• Multi-Core Utilization:

  • Web server and UI handling runs on core 0
  • Video streaming and motor control runs on core 1
  • Tasks are balanced for optimal performance

• Embedded Web Interface:

  • HTML/CSS/JS interface is compressed and embedded in the firmware
  • No need for external file storage
  • Interface is generated during build process from data/html/index.html

Hardware Requirements

• ESP32-CAM development board
• L298N / L293D or similar motor driver
• DC motors (2x)
• Power supply for ESP32-CAM (5V)
• Power supply for motors (according to your motors, typically 6-12V)
• Optional: Bluetooth joystick controller (ExpressLRS Joystick compatible)

Setup and Installation

Prerequisites

• PlatformIO IDE (recommended)
• USB-to-TTL converter for ESP32-CAM programming (or ESP32 development environment set up)

Configuration

1. WiFi Settings:

   • Create a .env file in the root directory:

   WIFI_SSID=your_wifi_name
   WIFI_PASSWORD=your_wifi_password
   

2. Feature Selection:

   • Modify feature toggles in include/config.h:

   #define FEATURE_BLUETOOTH_ENABLED 0  // Set to 1 to enable
   #define FEATURE_LED_CONTROL_ENABLED 1
   #define FEATURE_TASK_STATS_ENABLED 0

3. Hardware Configuration:

   • Motor pins and PWM channels are defined in include/config.h
   • LED settings can be adjusted in include/config.h
   • Some other serrings also available in include/config.h

Building and Flashing

Using PlatformIO:

# Build the project
pio run

# Upload to ESP32-CAM
pio run --target upload

Wiring Guide

L298N Motor Driver Connection:

• ESP32-CAM → L293D
  • GPIO12 → IN1 (Left motor forward)
  • GPIO13 → IN2 (Left motor backward)
  • GPIO15 → IN3 (Right motor forward)
  • GPIO14 → IN4 (Right motor backward)
  • GND → GND
  • Motor power should be separate from ESP32-CAM power

Using the Robot

1. Connect to the robot:

   • Power on the ESP32-CAM
   • Connect to the same WiFi network
   • Find the ESP32-CAM's IP address from the serial monitor output
   • Open a web browser and navigate to the IP address

2. Web Interface Controls:

   • Start/Stop Stream - Begin/end video streaming
   • Control Mode - Switch between joystick and slider control
   • Joystick - Drag to control direction and speed
   • Sliders - Adjust left and right motor speeds individually
   • Keyboard Control - WASD (or "цфыв") or arrow keys update the on-screen controls
   • Video Settings - Change resolution for better quality or performance
   • LED Control - Adjust brightness of the onboard LED
   • Bluetooth - Connect to a physical Bluetooth controller

3. Using Bluetooth Controller:

   • Enable Bluetooth in the web interface
   • Power on your compatible Bluetooth controller
   • The ESP32-CAM will scan and connect automatically
   • Use the controller to drive the robot

Troubleshooting

• Video Streaming Issues:

  • Reduce resolution for more stable streaming
  • Ensure stable WiFi connection

• Bluetooth Connection Fails:

  • Ensure your controller is compatible
  • Check the name of BT joystick in config.h