🤖 Robot IoT Telemetry: Cloud-Connected Robotics

A robust IoT framework designed to bridge the gap between physical robotics and cloud-based analytics. This system captures, transmits, and visualizes real-time sensor data using the ESP8266-ThingSpeak REST API.

Mission Critical: Originally developed for 24/7 environmental monitoring, this architecture now serves as the backbone for remote robot health monitoring and high-frequency data logging.

Downloads

Open-Source Build Instructions & Source Code at GitHub

System Architecture Overview

Technical Framework Features

This project utilizes an edge-to-cloud pipeline to ensure robot health and environmental data persistence:

• Cloud-Native Architecture: Direct integration with ThingSpeak for live graphing and historical data storage using HTTP POST requests.
• Precision ToF Sensing: Uses VL53L0X Laser sensors which utilize photon travel time (Speed of Light) for millimetre-accurate detection regardless of surface color.
• Multi-Node Thermal Monitoring: Implements the 1-Wire protocol for daisy-chained DS18B20 temperature probes, allowing dozens of sensors on a single GPIO pin.
• Remote Alarming: Logic triggers (ThingSpeak React / IFTTT) for critical threshold notifications sent directly to mobile devices.

Hardware Specifications

Operational Logic: Under the Hood

To maintain a reliable cloud link without freezing the robot's local movements, the system follows a non-blocking asynchronous cycle:

1. Sensing: The hub polls the Laser ToF sensor and multi-point temperature probes using millis() timing to avoid code pauses.
2. Data Formatting: The ESP8266 creates a URL-encoded string containing the API Key and field data.
3. Cloud Handshake: A connection is opened to api.thingspeak.com on Port 80, transmitting the telemetry payload.
4. Action: ThingSpeak analyzes the data; if battery levels or distances cross the "Danger" threshold, it triggers an external webhook.