Bringing Emojis to Life: Sending Text and Icons to a Waveshare LED Matrix
We set out to create a real-time, web-powered text and emoji display for the Waveshare LED matrix panel. Instead of using traditional communication methods like Bluetooth, we leveraged a React Single-Page Application (SPA) and Firebase to send messages—including emojis—from a mobile phone to the LED panel. This project opens up exciting possibilities for dynamic, expressive signage, allowing users to display text, symbols, and emojis effortlessly.
Check out our emoji-powered display in action: Watch on YouTube.
Most LED matrix-based display systems focus solely on text, but we wanted to push the boundaries by supporting emojis and special characters. Emojis have become an integral part of digital communication, conveying emotion and intent far more effectively than plain text. The challenge was to ensure that the Waveshare LED matrix could properly interpret and render emojis, given its grid-based, low-resolution display format.
To enable real-time updates, we developed a React SPA that allows users to input text and emojis, which are then sent to Firebase Firestore. The firmware running on the microcontroller listens for updates in the Firebase database and renders the received text—including emojis—on the Waveshare LED matrix. Since the LED matrix does not natively support Unicode emojis, we had to implement a custom bitmap conversion algorithm that maps emojis to a compatible pixel-based format.
With successful real-time updates, our project transforms the Waveshare LED matrix into a smart, emoji-powered display. This technology can be applied to social events, smart signage, or even IoT-based notifications.
"🚀 Want to see it in action? Check out our demo! Watch on YouTube "
Moving forward, we plan to:
- Expand emoji support with more detailed custom patterns.
- Enable animated emoji sequences to mimic facial expressions.
