Preliminary Design Review 27 January 2004 Weather Bulletin Board System (WeBBS): Fahid Jahrami, Arian Lalezari, Justin Lasiewicz, Joshua Miers, Nathan Seidle

Overview Project Objectives –Motivation –Goals –Baseline Objectives Approach Division of Labor Implementation –Power –Communication –Wind Sensor –Microcontroller –Enclosure Schedule Extensions

Project Objectives: Motivation Colorado Crew Weather in Remote Places –Skiing –Backpacking Other Remote Sensing Applications –Pets –Security System

Project Objectives: Goals Monitor Basic Weather Conditions –Wind (Speed and Direction) –Temperature –Humidity –Barometric Pressure Autonomous –Solar Powered

Project Objectives: Baseline Objectives Power –Solar Panel –Rechargeable: 3 day charge Communication –Wireless Connection Cell RF Bluetooth

Project Objectives: Baseline Objectives Wind Sensing –Design, implement reliable wind sensor –Solid state vs. mechanical Available Sensors –Integrate off-the-shelf sensors with  C Temperature Humidity Pressure

Project Objectives: Baseline Objectives Microcontroller –Monitor sensors –Monitor power levels –Control Communication –Data Logging Enclosure –Design –Weatherproofing, impregnability

Project Objectives: Baseline Objectives User Interface –Home computer Receive data from weather station Display current weather conditions

Block Diagram Power (PV) CC Temperature Sensor Pressure Sensor Wind Sensor Precipitation Sensor Humidity Sensor ???? Sensor

Division of Labor Power: Fahid and Josh Communication: WeBBS Wind Sensor: Justin Microcontroller and misc. sensors: Nate Enclosure: WeBBS User Interface and Documentation: Arian

Implementation: Power (PUMA) Photovoltaic Cells –Provide > 2× operating current –Prepackaged vs. simple panel –Size vs. power output –Proper voltage

Implementation: Power (PUMA) Charging and Power Monitoring –Control charging Overcharging/Brown out Charge time Charge voltage Trickle charge/Flash charge –Power Regulation Generic Low drop-out –Implementation Master CPU System CPU

Implementation: Power (PUMA) Batteries –Rechargeable only NiCad Li ion LiPoly Lead Acid NiMH –Packaging Prepackaged –Multiple –Single Custom

Implementation: Communication Ideal Solution –Wireless modem connection (cell phone) –Connection speed up to 9600bps Fallback –Short-range simple RF Bluetooth Blackbox wireless –Direct serial connection (long-ass wire)

Implementation: Wind Sensor Ideal Solution –Ultrasonic solid state –Direction detection Fallback –Standard anemometer

Implementation: Sensors Implement off-the-shelf sensors –Temperature (Dallas DS18B20) –Barometric Pressure (Motorola MPX4115AP) –Humidity Sensor (Humirel HS 1100) –Precipitation Sponge Fairchild QRD1114 Optical transistor sensor Calibrate sensor readings with temperature variations

Implementation: Microcontroller Flash-based, 8/16-bit, RISC –Parallax Basic STAMP –Microchip PIC –Texas Instruments MSP Remotely re-programmable On-board ADC, UART, I²C, Timer/counter Interface to sensors, EEPROM data log Power consumption –Sleep state

Implementation: Enclosure Ideal Solution –Custom Plexiglas enclosure Weatherproof Transparent (for Expo) Opaque (for installation) Fallback Solution –Generic electronics enclosure –Locking metal box

Implementation: User Interface Ideal Solution –Automatically updating web page –On-station displays (LCD on box) Fallback –Data display in Windows Application (Excel, Visual Basic, etc.) –Data dump to hyperterminal

Schedule

Extensions Other sensors –Security –Motion –GPS –Compass Webcam Update connection

Questions ?