This tutorial describes how to implement IoT Push notifications using Arduino and Firebase. Using IoT push notifications, we can send notifications to other devices. In this case, we want to send an IoT push notifications from a smart object (like Arduino MKR1000) to a mobile smartphone (i.e. Android smartphone). This project integrates different eco-systems: IoT and Android. This project can have several implementations: for example, we can send a push notification to our smartphone when an alert occurs:
- gas leakage
- motion detection
- higher or lower temperature
- general failure systems
As an real example to show how to use IoT notifications, we will use a motion detection sensor. In other words, there is an Arduino MKR1000 connected to a sensor (PIR sensor). When the sensor triggers an event, then MKR1000 makes a call to Firebase server using Firebase API. Through the Firebase API, the smart object sends IoT push notifications to an Android smartphone. We can use the same way, to send notifications to other devices like iOS and so on.
The idea, that stands behind this project, is shown below:
As you can see, this project uses Firebase API in a different way mixing different worlds!
In the last article, we described how to use Firebase API to create a push notification, in this article we want to expand it and integrate Firebase with Arduino.
Moreover, we have already seen in the last post, how to create an Android app that handles push notification and how to configure it in the Firebase console. If you are new to Firebase, I suggest you read the previous post so that you have a clear idea how things work.
As Android app, this project uses the app we developed in the previous post. You can download it if you want to test the project.
Triggering events to send notification to Firebase
The first step is connecting Arduino MKR1000 to a PIR sensor. The picture below shows how to wire the sensor to MKR1000.

The schema is very simple. To know if the PIR sensor detected a movement we have to check if the signal is 1 in the corresponding PIN. The sketch is very simple:
int inputPin = 2;
int pirState = LOW;
void setup() {
pinMode(inputPin, INPUT);
Serial.begin(9600);
}
void loop() {
int val = digitalRead(inputPin);
if (val == HIGH) {
if (pirState == LOW) {
Serial.println("Motion detected");
pirState = HIGH;
// Motion detected
}
}
else {
if (pirState == HIGH) {
Serial.println("Motion ended!");
pirState = LOW;
// Motion ended
}
}
delay(5000);
}
Code language: JavaScript (javascript)
As you can notice, the sketch is very simple. We have to read the signal on the input pin and check if it is 1. If it is 1, then we have detected motion and we can send the notification.
MKR1000 WiFi connection
Before sending a notification, we have to connect Arduino MKR1000 to the internet using WiFi. We can slightly modify the code above and add the WiFi connection:
#include <SPI.h>
#include <WiFi101.h>
int inputPin = 2;
int pirState = LOW;
char ssid[] = "zzzzz-xxxxx"; // your network SSID (name)
char pass[] = "yyyyyyyy"; // your network password
int status = WL_IDLE_STATUS;
WiFiClient client;
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
pinMode(inputPin, INPUT);
// attempt to connect to Wifi network:
while ( status != WL_CONNECTED) {
Serial.print("Attempting to connect to WPA SSID: ");
Serial.println(ssid);
// Connect to WPA/WPA2 network:
status = WiFi.begin(ssid, pass);
// wait 10 seconds for connection:
delay(10000);
}
// you're connected now, so print out the data:
Serial.println("You're connected to the network");
}
Code language: PHP (php)
All done! Now everything is ready and we can focus our attention on the most interesting part: how to send IoT push notifications to a smartphone. There are other ways to send notifications to a smartphone. You can learn how to use PushingBox and PushBullet to send notifcation messages.
Learn More
Internet of Things with Android and Arduino: Control remote Led
How to integrate Android Things with Firebase to develop real-time IoT projects
How to use Ubidots to build IoT projects and integrate it with Android
How to sending IoT push notifications using Arduino and Firebase
To send a push notification we use the Firebase API. We assume you have already created a project in the Firebase console, if not go back to the previous article and read how to configure a Firebase project.
To send a push notification using Firebase it is necessary:
- Authenticate our client
- Create the message body in JSON
- Send the message to a smartphone
To do it, it is necessary to send some header HTTP parameters and a JSON message. The first thing is set the Firebase host:
Host: fcm.googleapis.com
Code language: CSS (css)
then, to authenticate our client we use a secret key, you get from Firebase console:
Authorization: key=AIzaSyC1mHfa_G89CDoNoq2zWhh1iL9---------
Code language: HTTP (http)
then we have to set the content type:
Content-Type: application/json
Code language: HTTP (http)
and finally we specify the HTTP method and the service we want to invoke:
POST /fcm/send HTTP/1.1
Code language: HTTP (http)
The body of the IoT push notificiation is in JSON format and is very simple:
{
"to":"your_phone_key",
"notification": {
"body": "test message",
"title" : "Title"
}
}
Code language: JSON / JSON with Comments (json)
That’s all!! We will make this request using Arduino HTTP library:
void sendDataToFirebase() {
String data = "{" ;
data = data + "\"to\": \"your_smartphone_id\"," ;
data = data + "\"notification\": {" ; data = data + "\"body\":" +
\"Motion detected\"," ;
data = data + "\"title\" : \"Alarm\" " ; data = data + "} }" ;
Serial.println("Send data...");
if (client.connect(fcmServer, 80)) {
Serial.println("Connected to the server..");
client.println("POST /fcm/send HTTP/1.1");
client.println("Authorization: key=auth_key");
client.println("Content-Type: application/json");
client.println("Host: fcm.googleapis.com");
client.print("Content-Length: ");
client.println(data.length());
client.print("\n");
client.print(data);
}
Serial.println("Data sent...Reading response..");
while (client.available()) {
char c = client.read();
Serial.print(c);
}
Serial.println("Finished!");
client.flush();
client.stop();
}
Code language: PHP (php)
Wrapping up…
So it is very simple to send IoT push notifications and we have integrated two different ecosystems. What will you build using push notifications? Comment below and let me know your experience.
At the end of this post, hopefully, you gained a new knowledge about sending IoT push notifications.
Hi,
I am using Arduino/ESP8266 to receive notification from android device. Can you tell me how I can generate device token on Arduino/ESP8266 board? If not, is there any other way I can receive notification on Arduino/ESP8266 from FCM/Android device?
Thanks in advance.
Regards.
Vicky.
I think it is not so easy to get a token for Arduino because you should run a full webserver that supports javascript on Arduino. In this case, you could add it to Firebase console.
You could give a look at aRest library that helps you to call sketch function from a remote application. If you want to have more information give a look at my post https://www.survivingwithandroid.com/2016/05/arduino-rest-api-iot.html
Instead of aRest, you could give a try to Firmata. What kind of project are you building?
Hi!
I am using an Ultrasonic Sensor, Arduino UNO and ESP8266 to send notification to an android phone when the sensor detects and object. Could you tell me the steps in which I should take in order to receive the notifications from my android phone whenever the sensor detects an object? I am also using Firebase but I do not know how to link it with Arduino UNO.
Thanks in advanced!
Friend you congratulations. I’m developing this same, but I can´t integrate the arduino code for send the notification “push” to my android, you can share the source code.
Sir, I want to do the same(PIR sensor, push notification) but using raspberry pi 3. can u please share the source code.
Very well. It’s so good but I will be so thankful if you tell me or make an article about how to on and off the lights using firebase notification, raspberry pi 3, and Android thing app as well as Android client app.
Thank you, it is a good idea. I will plan a post covering this topic
If you mean passing the ssid and password from your device…..i do not know….i guess it is not possible.
You should find a way to connect to internet
Yes i guess it should work even if i did not try it…anyway they should be compatible
Hi, Where is ‘your_smartphone_id’ ? because in my Firebase setting don’t exist. I don’t know where search this data.
Thanks you
You get the smartphone_key when you register your smartphone in Firebase at the beginning in the app.
Give a look at https://www.survivingwithandroid.com/android-firebase-push-notification/ you will get there how to know the smartphone_id.
Let me know if you need more information
Dear Francesco, the only thing I see in Firebase is the ‘Sender ID’ and the API number, but not ‘smartphone_key’ and I don’t see how to configure it.
In addition, it is not clear to follow the tutorial in a way that I do not understand because, for example:
The body is in JSON format and is very simple:
{
“to”: “your_phone_key”,
“notification”: {
“body”: “test message”,
“title”: “Title”
}
}
Where does this apply? The arduino code to understand it is rare, and I have done many projects with arduino, esp32 and nodemcu, but I still don’t understand how to send push notifications via arduino, firebase so that android / ios can take it.