FarmPulse: IoT Cattle Health Monitoring System

Visit us at: Farmpulse Website

FarmPulse is an advanced IoT-based cattle health monitoring system that enables real-time tracking of vital health metrics, early detection of health issues, and specialized monitoring for pregnant cattle. The system uses wearable IoT sensors and ESP32 devices to collect data, with a central dashboard providing real-time visualization and alerts.

Table of Contents

• System Overview
• Key Features
• Technology Stack
• System Architecture
• Installation
  • Prerequisites
  • Environment Setup
  • Installation Steps
• Usage Guide
  • Dashboard
  • Real-time Monitoring
  • Simulation Tools
• WebSocket Connection
• ESP32 Integration
  • Hardware Setup
  • Device Registration
• Anomaly Detection
• Troubleshooting
  • Common Issues
• Development
  • Project Structure
  • Available Scripts
• License

System Overview

FarmPulse revolutionizes cattle health monitoring by providing:

• Real-time health tracking: Monitor temperature, heart rate, activity levels, and other vital parameters
• Pregnancy monitoring: Special features for monitoring pregnant cattle including fetal heart rate
• Anomaly detection: AI-powered early warning system for health issues
• WebSocket communication: Real-time data flow from sensors to dashboard
• Simulation capabilities: Test the system without physical sensors

The system consists of:

1. ESP32 sensors (or simulator): Collect and transmit animal health data
2. Backend server: Process incoming sensor data and manage WebSocket connections
3. Frontend dashboard: Real-time visualization of health metrics and alerts
4. Database systems: Store and retrieve historical data

Key Features

• Live Sensor Data Display: Real-time visualization of temperature, heart rate, activity level, and more
• Anomaly Detection: AI-powered analysis to flag potential health issues
• Pregnancy Monitoring: Special tracking for pregnant cattle, including fetal heart rate
• Simulation Tools: Built-in data simulation for testing and demonstration
• WebSocket Communication: Persistent connections for instant data updates
• Multi-animal Support: Monitor multiple animals simultaneously
• Responsive Design: Works on desktop and mobile devices

Technology Stack

Frontend

• React: UI framework
• Vite: Build tool and development server
• TypeScript: Type-safe JavaScript
• ShadCN/UI: UI component library
• Lucide React: Icons
• Tailwind CSS: Utility-first CSS framework

Backend

• Node.js: Runtime environment
• Express: Web server framework
• WebSocket: Real-time communication
• SQLite/MongoDB: Data storage (configurable)
• InfluxDB: Time-series data storage

IoT/Hardware

• ESP32: Microcontroller for sensor data collection
• DHT11: Temperature and humidity sensor
• MPU6050: Accelerometer for activity monitoring
• Simulation tools: Software for testing without physical hardware

System Architecture

FarmPulse employs a modern, real-time architecture:

┌─────────────┐      ┌──────────────┐      ┌────────────────┐
│ ESP32 IoT   │      │              │      │                │
│ Sensors     │◄────►│  WebSocket   │◄────►│  Web Frontend  │
│ (or Sim)    │      │  Server      │      │  (React/Vite)  │
└─────────────┘      │              │      │                │
                     └──────┬───────┘      └────────────────┘
                            │
                     ┌──────▼───────┐      ┌────────────────┐
                     │              │      │                │
                     │  Express.js  │◄────►│  MongoDB/      │
                     │  Backend     │      │  SQLite        │
                     │              │      │                │
                     └──────┬───────┘      └────────────────┘
                            │
                     ┌──────▼───────┐      ┌────────────────┐
                     │              │      │                │
                     │  Anomaly     │◄────►│  InfluxDB      │
                     │  Detection   │      │  (Time Series) │

Installation

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v16 or higher)
• npm (v7 or higher)
• Git
• MongoDB (optional, SQLite is used by default)
• InfluxDB (optional for time-series data)

Environment Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/farmpulse.git
   cd farmpulse

2. Create a .env file in the root directory:

   PORT=3001
   MONGODB_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/farmpulse
   INFLUXDB_URL=http://localhost:8086
   INFLUXDB_TOKEN=my-super-secret-auth-token
   INFLUXDB_ORG=farmpulse
   INFLUXDB_BUCKET=iot_sensors
   USE_SQLITE=true
   

   Note: Setting USE_SQLITE=true allows the application to run without MongoDB.

Installation Steps

1. Install dependencies:

   npm install

2. Start the backend server:

   npm run backend

   Look for output confirming WebSocket initialization:

   WebSocket server initialized on port 3001
   WebSocket path: ws://localhost:3001
   

3. Start the frontend development server (in a new terminal):

   npm run dev

4. Open your browser and navigate to the URL shown in the terminal (usually http://localhost:8080)

Usage Guide

Dashboard

1. Navigate to http://localhost:8080 in your web browser
2. Select an animal from the dropdown menu (default samples: A12345, A12346, A12347)
3. View real-time sensor data in the dashboard

Real-time Monitoring

The dashboard displays:

• Temperature: Current body temperature in Celsius
• Heart Rate: Beats per minute (BPM)
• Activity Level: Scale from 0-10 showing movement intensity
• Humidity: Environmental humidity percentage
• Fetal Heart Rate: For pregnant cattle
• Audio Level: Environmental sound detection

Simulation Tools

FarmPulse includes a powerful simulator to test without physical hardware:

1. Start the simulator:

   npm run simulate:enhanced

2. Configure simulation settings:

   • WebSocket URL: ws://localhost:3001
   • Device ID: DEV-SIMULATOR (or any custom ID)
   • API Key: (use default)
   • Animal ID: CATTLE001 (or any ID in your system)
   • Data interval: 5000 (5 seconds)

3. Select sensors to simulate:

   • DHT11 (temperature/humidity)
   • MPU6050 (movement/activity)
   • HEALTH (vital signs)
   • PREGNANCY (fetal monitoring) - for pregnant cattle

4. Choose simulation scenario:

   • Normal: Baseline healthy readings
   • Fever: Elevated temperature
   • Distress: Abnormal vital signs
   • Low Activity: Reduced movement
   • Custom: Define your own parameters

WebSocket Connection

FarmPulse uses WebSockets for real-time data communication. The system is configured to use:

• Backend WebSocket Server: ws://localhost:3001
• Client Connection: Direct connection from frontend to backend
• Connection Types:
  • Dashboard clients: ?type=dashboard&animalId=ANIMAL_ID
  • Device/simulator clients: ?type=device&deviceId=DEVICE_ID&apiKey=API_KEY

Testing WebSocket Connection

Use the built-in WebSocket testing tool:

npm run test:ws

This tool helps diagnose connection issues between components.

ESP32 Integration

Hardware Setup

For physical ESP32 implementation:

1. Required Components:

   • ESP32 development board
   • DHT11 temperature sensor
   • MPU6050 accelerometer
   • Optional heart rate sensor
   • Power supply (battery for wearable use)

2. ESP32 Firmware:

   • Use the Arduino framework
   • Install required libraries (WiFi, WebSockets, DHT, etc.)
   • Configure to connect to your WiFi network
   • Set WebSocket URL to point to your server
   • Flash the firmware to the ESP32

Device Registration

Each physical device needs to be registered:

1. Create a device in the system with a unique device ID
2. Associate the device with a specific animal
3. Generate an API key for authentication
4. Configure the ESP32 with these credentials

Anomaly Detection

FarmPulse includes AI-powered anomaly detection:

• Temperature Analysis: Detects fever and hypothermia
• Heart Rate Monitoring: Alerts for tachycardia or bradycardia
• Activity Analysis: Identifies abnormal activity patterns
• Pregnancy Monitoring: Special algorithms for pregnant cattle

When an anomaly is detected, the system:

1. Displays an alert on the dashboard
2. Stores the anomaly in the database for review
3. Provides contextual information about the potential issue

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

WebSocket Connection Problems

• Problem: Dashboard shows "Disconnected"
• Solution:
  1. Ensure backend server is running
  2. Check that WebSocket URL is configured correctly (ws://localhost:3001)
  3. Use npm run test:ws to diagnose connection issues

No Data Appearing

• Problem: Connected but no data shows
• Solution:
  1. Verify simulator is running and connected
  2. Ensure simulator and dashboard are using the same animal ID
  3. Check browser console for errors

Database Errors

• Problem: "Cannot connect to database" errors
• Solution:
  • For MongoDB issues: Ensure MongoDB is running or set USE_SQLITE=true in .env
  • For InfluxDB: Set up InfluxDB or the system will fall back to limited functionality

Development

Project Structure

farmpulse/
├── src/
│   ├── backend/            # Backend server code
│   │   ├── api/            # REST API routes
│   │   ├── db/             # Database configurations
│   │   ├── middleware/     # Auth and middleware
│   │   ├── ml/             # Anomaly detection and ML
│   │   ├── tools/          # Simulation and utilities
│   │   ├── utils/          # Helper functions
│   │   └── websocket/      # WebSocket server
│   ├── components/         # React components
│   │   ├── Dashboard/      # Dashboard components
│   │   └── ui/             # UI components
│   ├── hooks/              # Custom React hooks
│   ├── lib/                # Utility functions
│   └── pages/              # Page components
├── public/                 # Static assets
│   └── ...
├── .env                    # Environment variables
├── package.json            # Dependencies and scripts
├── vite.config.ts          # Vite configuration
└── README.md               # Project documentation

Available Scripts

• npm run dev: Start frontend development server
• npm run backend: Start backend server
• npm run start: Start both frontend and backend
• npm run build: Build for production
• npm run simulate: Run basic simulator
• npm run simulate:enhanced: Run advanced simulator with scenarios
• npm run test:ws: Test WebSocket connectivity

License

Copyright © 2025 FarmPulse Technologies

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.