WMATA-ESP8266-Metro-Status

Brian Leschke 2017

• Update 4/30/17: Fully Working release!
• Update 5/7/17: Project Submitted to 2017 Hackaday Prize Contest

Overview

This project utilizes an Adafruit Huzzah esp8266, 24 count neopixel ring (line color), 7-segment serial LED (arrival time in minutes), and 20x4 serial LCD screen (station updates) to display train arrival times per station using the DC metro system api (WMATA).

An Adafruit Huzzah programmed with the Arduino Software using an FTDI cable will attempt to connect to the wifi network specified in the code. If for some reason it does not connect, the ESP8266 CPU will restart and continue trying. Once it connects to the wifi network, it will attempt to connect to WMATA's API "api.wmata.com" using a subscription key. If successful, it will look for the station information and then based on what if available, display the train arrival time and station information.

This project was created for those who hate looking at a phone app for train arrival times for your station.

Project Breakdown:

• Neopixel Ring
  • Displays Metro Line
    • RD - RED
    • OR - ORANGE
    • YL - YELLOW
    • GR - GREEN
    • BL - BLUE
    • SV - SILVER
    • PL - PURPLE (Future implementation)
  • Fades in-out upon arrival (1-3 min)
  • Sparkle flash upon boarding (0-1 min)
• 7-Segment LED
  • Displays arrival time (minutes)
  • arr - arriving
  • brd - boarding
  • oos - out of service
  • no - no passenger
  • na - metro has no data (null return from api call)
• 20x4 LCD
  • Displays station updates
    • LN - Line
    • CAR - Number of cars on train
    • DEST - Destination station
    • MIN - Minutes until arrival

Prerequisities

You will need:

1. Adafruit Huzzah ESP8266 (http://adafru.it/2471)
2. Neopixel Ring (http://adafru.it/1586)
3. 7-Segment Alphanumeric LED (http://adafru.it/878)
4. Serial 20x4 LCD (ebay)
5. Arduino programming software
6. Python 2.7.x installed on your operating system (used for OTA updates).
7. FTDI cable (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9717)
8. WMATA API (http://developer.wmata.com)

Usage

In order to use successfully implement this project and its code, you will need to install the Arduino Programming Software.

Libraries

The following libraries are required for this project:

• Arduino Framework (core library)
• ArduinoOTA
• ArduinoJson
• LiquidCrystal_V1.2.1 (or any supporting version for your lcd)
• Adafruit_Neopixel
• ESP8266WiFi
• NTPClient
• Adafuit LED Backpack
• Adafuit GFX

Uploading

The code can be uploaded to the ESP8266 in two ways, either by OTA (over-the-air) updates or by a serial (FTDI cable) connection. Users will need to initially upload the code using an FTDI cable.

FTDI Upload

This method must be used in the initial flashing of the ESP8266. An FTDI or UART cable has 6 pins. Every time the you want to flash the ESP8266, you will need to do the following to enter the bootloader mode:

1. Press and hold the RESET button.
2. Press and hold the GPIO0 button.
3. Release the RESET button and continue to hold the GPIO0 button.
4. Release the GPIO0 button (you should see a faint red glow from the GPIO0 LED).

OTA Upload

Over-the-air updates is a method to update the ESP8266 without physically being with the device. To update the device you will need to know the IP address and be connected to the same network.

If for some reason, the network ESP8266 network configuration is incorrect, the device will restart.

Recognition and Credit

Thanks to WMATA for providing the API! Thanks to Mike Rankin for the example parsing code!