Build your child their very own Node.js Frozen bot

Gabrielle Crevecoeur dives into the world of NodeBots. Using Node.js, the Johnny-Five framework, and an Arduino, Gabrielle walks participants through creating a bot, step by step. Although the NodeBot you build will respond to voice recognition, you'll leave able to create NodeBots with any functionality you like.

A 5-year-old sister who watches Frozen all day might be quite annoying to some, but not to me. Instead, I fell in love with the movie too and catch myself constantly singing its hit song, “Let It Go.” Now that I have moved out of my house for my job, my sister no longer has a sing-a-long buddy, so I figured I would make her one. Node.js is a server that runs JavaScript. Because of Node, we are now able to run JavaScript in places other than the browser, which allows us to run JavaScript on the Arduino. Johnny-Five was created to be the programming framework for JavaScript robotics. The framework is compatible with a variety of platforms including the Raspberry Pi, Intel Edison, Particle Photon, and many more. However, the Arduino is Johnny-Five’s most compatible platform. You’ll get hands-on experience with an Arduino and its different functionalities using Node. We’ll start with setting your Arduino up and getting the Johnny Five framework ready on your machine and continue through getting your voice recognition functionality working properly and having your NodeBot sing to you. Keep in mind that to use the voice-recognition feature with the Arduino, we’ll need a few additional pieces of hardware, including a microphone, a breadboard, and some LEDs to test that everything is working. There will be a thorough breakdown of the wiring, explaining exactly what each wire is accomplishing and why these pieces are needed for the project.