smcallan / datalogger_2024feb

---

Raspberry Pi Sensor Monitoring Project

Overview

This project transforms your Raspberry Pi into a powerful sensor monitoring hub, capable of reading and managing data from various environmental sensors in real time. Leveraging the computational prowess of the Raspberry Pi 4 Model B and a suite of hardware components, it offers an efficient solution for tracking environmental parameters such as gas concentrations, dust levels, and more.

Core Functionality

• Real-Time Sensor Data Acquisition: Utilizes the ADS1115, a 4-channel 16-bit ADC, to continuously monitor analog signals from environmental sensors, converting them into digital form for processing.
• Concurrent Task Management: Employs Python's multitasking capabilities to manage data collection, logging, and display concurrently, ensuring timely response to environmental changes.
• Dynamic Sensor Configuration: Offers a user-configurable setup for various sensors, allowing adjustments for measurement types, units, and ranges without altering the core code.
• Adaptive Alert System: Implements an intelligent alert mechanism in alarm_manager.py, triggering notifications based on pre-defined thresholds to ensure immediate attention to critical changes.
• Intuitive User Interface: Features a GUI, displayed on a Raspberry Pi Touchscreen, for easy monitoring and interaction with the system, enhancing user experience and control.

Hardware Components

1. Raspberry Pi 4 Model B (8GB RAM): Serves as the central processing unit, managing tasks and communication between components.
2. SD Card (32GB) with Linux-based OS: Stores the OS, software libraries, and project data.
3. Raspberry Pi Display v1.1 LCD: Provides a direct user interface for real-time data display and system interaction.
4. 4-Channel 16-bit ADC (ADS1115): Expands the Raspberry Pi's capability to read from analog sensors.
5. Pi Relay V2: Allows control over high-voltage devices, integrating them into the monitoring system.
6. RSA85 RS232 HAT by WAVESHARE: Enables RS232 communication, broadening the range of compatible devices.

Software Modules

• alarm_manager.py: Manages alert thresholds and notifications.
• config.py: Central configuration file for setting sensor parameters and system behaviors.
• data_logger.py: Handles data logging, storing sensor readings for historical analysis.
• gui_manager.py: Controls the graphical user interface on the Raspberry Pi Display.
• main.py: The entry point of the application, orchestrating sensor readings and UI updates.
• sensor_manager.py: Coordinates the acquisition of data from various sensors, applying calibration and conversion as needed.

Essence of Operation

This project excels in its ability to manage multiple sensors and tasks simultaneously, thanks to the Raspberry Pi's multitasking environment and the efficient organization of software modules. Each component—from data acquisition and logging to user interaction and alert management—works in harmony, driven by a robust configuration system that adapts to the needs of diverse monitoring scenarios.

Leveraging high-quality hardware components like the ADS1115 ADC and the Raspberry Pi Display, the system not only captures precise environmental data but also presents it in an accessible manner, ensuring that critical information is always at the fingertips of the user. Whether for home automation, industrial monitoring, or research applications, this project stands as a testament to the versatility and power of combining modern hardware with sophisticated software architecture in environmental monitoring solutions.

---