Sensor Network: Building a Wireless Environmental Monitoring System

Introduction: Sensor networks have become increasingly popular in various fields, enabling the collection of data from multiple locations simultaneously. This article will explore the importance and utility of sensor networks, and provide a practical example of building a wireless environmental monitoring system using Arduino. We will also include a list of components required for the project and provide example codes with detailed explanations.

Project: Our project aims to create a wireless environmental monitoring system using Arduino and sensor nodes. The system will consist of multiple sensor nodes deployed in different locations, collecting data such as temperature, humidity, and air quality. The data will be transmitted wirelessly to a central hub for analysis and monitoring.

Objectives:

• Gather environmental data from multiple locations simultaneously
• Transmit data wirelessly to a central hub for analysis
• Provide real-time monitoring and alerts for critical environmental conditions

Functionality: Each sensor node will be equipped with sensors to measure temperature, humidity, and air quality. The Arduino board will collect data from these sensors and transmit it wirelessly using a communication module (such as NRF24L01). The central hub will receive the data and display it on a graphical user interface (GUI) for monitoring and analysis.

List of Components:

1. Arduino Uno (1x) - [Link to purchase: www.example.com/arduino-uno]
2. NRF24L01 Wireless Transceiver Module (2x) - [Link to purchase: www.example.com/nrf24l01]
3. DHT11 Temperature and Humidity Sensor (1x) - [Link to purchase: www.example.com/dht11]
4. MQ135 Air Quality Sensor (1x) - [Link to purchase: www.example.com/mq135]
5. Breadboard (1x) - [Link to purchase: www.example.com/breadboard]
6. Jumper wires (Assorted) - [Link to purchase: www.example.com/jumper-wires]

Examples:

Example 1: Setting up the Sensor Node

#include <DHT.h>

#define DHTPIN 2
#define DHTTYPE DHT11

DHT dht(DHTPIN, DHTTYPE);

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  dht.begin();
}

void loop() {
  float temperature = dht.readTemperature();
  float humidity = dht.readHumidity();

  Serial.print("Temperature: ");
  Serial.print(temperature);
  Serial.print(" °C\t");
  Serial.print("Humidity: ");
  Serial.print(humidity);
  Serial.println(" %");

  delay(2000);
}

Example 2: Wireless Communication between Sensor Node and Central Hub

#include <RF24.h>

RF24 radio(9, 10); // CE, CSN

void setup() {
  radio.begin();
  radio.openWritingPipe(0xF0F0F0F0E1LL); // Address of the central hub
}

void loop() {
  float temperature = 25.5;
  float humidity = 50.0;

  radio.write(&temperature, sizeof(float));
  radio.write(&humidity, sizeof(float));

  delay(1000);
}