Design and implementation of a low-cost LoRa-Based Sensor Node for environmental monitoring in Uganda
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Date
2023Author
Tumuhaise, Christopher
Nyabel, Esther Patricia
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Environmental information plays a crucial role in effective planning and decision-making processes. However, the scarcity of such data often arises due to insufficient deployment of monitoring systems. This project aims to address this issue by proposing the design and implementation
of low-cost sensor nodes, specifically tailored for deployment stations in Uganda. The sensor
nodes will capture real-time data on key parameters, including air quality, temperature and
humidity.
By deploying a network of these nodes, the project aims to significantly enhance the availability
and accessibility of environmental information. The successful implementation of this project
will lead to the narrowing of environmental data gaps in Uganda. Decision-makers, urban
planners, researchers, and policymakers will benefit from the availability of comprehensive and
up-to-date environmental information.
The sensor node designed in this project was based on LoRa technology. The node consists
of two sensors, the SHT31 for temperature and humidity and the Plantower PMSA003 for
particulate matter, RFM95 LoRa module of frequency 868MHz, micro SD card for storage and
an ESP32 microcontroller. This sensor node sends data to the Custom designed ESP32 gateway
which then would upload the data to the online portal. The ThingSpeak has a dashboard
which provides a convenient and organized way to monitor and analyze the data collected by
the sensors in real-time or over a specific time period and can also provide storage.