Turning a $10 Computer into a Powerful DIY Data Logger

Schilperoort, B. (Invited speaker)

Water Resources

Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a conference

Description

H41J-1581

Period	14 Dec 2017
Event title	AGU Fall Meeting 2017
Event type	Conference
Location	New Orleans, United States, Louisiana
Degree of Recognition	International

Documents & Links

Due the rapid advance of consumer electronics, much more powerful and cheaper options are available for DIY projects. The $10 ‘Raspberry Pi Zero W’ computer, with abilities like WiFi, Bluetooth, HDMI video output, and a large cheap memory, can be used for data logging purposes. The computer has a range of input and output pins on the board, with which virtually every type of digital sensor communication is possible. With an extra component, analog measurements can also be made. An extra option is the addition of a camera, which can be connected straight to the board. However, due to the relatively high power consumption (0.5 – 0.7 Watt), the ‘Zero W’ is not optimal for off-the-grid locations. For ease of use, the collected data can be downloaded over a local WiFi network using your smartphone or a laptop. No extra software or skills are needed, it is as simple as visiting a webpage and pressing download, making data collection a quick and easy task. With simple step by step instructions you can set up your own data logger, to collect data from sensors ranging from simple temperature and water level measurements, to sonic anemometers.