Automatic Weather Station network with IoT

Title: Hologram Nova Controlled Automatic Weather Station Network with Data Loggers

Aim: To design and implement a Hologram Nova controlled data logger for a network of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) using a Raspberry Pi Zero, and the Hologram Nova.

Background: Measuring and collecting weather data from remote places in real time is a challenging aspect for anyone who works with multiple AWS data. Human intervention becomes necessary in monitoring and collecting the logged data. More importantly, transmitting and receiving the data wirelessly in real time is unreliable with other types of wireless technologies (eg: GSM / GPRS) and / or not cost effective. Employing a person to collect the data while having an AWS defeats the purpose of an AWS.

Eventhough meteorological data loggers that support on-board wireless communication that can be used with an AWS exist, they are few in number and expensive and less reliable.

Another aspect of the data logging systems is that they are passive: they can only send data. Configuring the sensors have to be done manually through a wired interface by interrupting the data collection of the data logger.

Plan: Our plan is to interface the Hologram Nova device with a Raspberry Pi Zero to create a synchronous system that can measure weather parameters such as Temperature, Pressure, Relative Humidity, Wind speed, Wind Direction, and Rainfall, and provide data from multiple AWS (connected via Hologram Network) in one end user system's GUI in real time.

Definitions:

DEVICE : Raspberry Pi Zero with Hologram Nova.

INTERFACE : A GUI Program to monitor the actions. We will be using Hologram Dashboard and Hologram Data Engine with or without an auxilliary user made GUI.

USER : The end user.

Design: The GPIO pins of DEVICE are connected to the sensors, which are configured to log the measured data to an external storage device eg: SD card. Alternatively, the data would be available in the SD card of the DEVICE containing the OS. The DEVICE can sample the sensor data at user specified sampling frequency.

Added to this, the DEVICE will send the real time data via the Hologram Nova device to the USER system. There, in the system, the INTERFACE will give a front-end GUI for operating the sensors. And, the real time data would be plotted in the INTERFACE.

From the INTERFACE, there will be provisions to download the data in standard formats eg: CSV. Also, there are provisions in the INTERFACE to send signals to DEVICE to modify the configuration of the sensors based on the need of the USER.

The key aspect here is the INTERFACE has data coming from multiple DEVICEs situated at various locations.

Implementation: For the purpose of exhibitory implementation, one DEVICE (with Hologram Nova) and Hologram Dash will be used in the project. The DEVICE consists of a maximum of 3 sensors with provisions to expand further.

As for the INTERFACE, we are experimenting various combinations of the GUI, Hologram Dashboard, and Hologram Data Engine.

Key Problems Addressed:

• Data logger with wireless communication capability,

• A means to link a network of AWS to work in sync and report in real-time,

• Parameter based switching: sensors can be automatically activated / deactivated based on the data from other parameters, eg: Switching a Disdro Meter (used to measure rainfall droplet characteristics) on / off based on Temperature and RH.

Enhancements:

Make the device compact to install it on a quadcopter to measure the atmospheric parameters at different altitudes.

Make the device robust and include a GPS module to incorporate the weather station in ships or air borne vehicles.