Design and Implementation of LoRa-Based Forest Fire Monitoring System

One of the great disasters on earth is forest fires. Attempts to detect disaster events have been made with the help of monitoring technology. However, the problem is that the sensor is less responsive to detecting the presence of fire. Furthermore, sending information about fire incidents throughout the forest cannot use the existing communication platform. Therefore, we designed a forest fire monitoring system using LoRa. This technology is based on wireless which can transmit data across the forest. To detect the presence of fire, Arduino Uno is used as a microcontroller that regulates input from the AMG8833 sensor and GPS Ubox 6M. The experiment shows that the AMG8833 sensor is more sensitive in detecting the presence of fire as the catch range changes between 3 to 10 meters. In that distance range, hotspots were detected 19.25 oC to 122.5 oC when testing the sensor node is done. The monitoring system developed in this study demonstrated that sensor nodes and gateways could communicate up to 500 meters apart with a signal quality of -134 dBm. The best LoRa configuration mode for this communication capability is a Bandwidth of 250, a Code Rate of 4/5, and a Spread Factor of 10.One of the great disasters on earth is forest fires. Attempts to detect disaster events have been made with the help of monitoring technology. However, the problem is that the sensor is less responsive to detecting the presence of fire. Furthermore, sending information about fire incidents throughout the forest cannot use the existing communication platform. Therefore, we designed a forest fire monitoring system using LoRa. This technology is based on wireless which can transmit data across the forest. To detect the presence of fire, Arduino Uno is used as a microcontroller that regulates input from the AMG8833 sensor and GPS Ubox 6M. The experiment shows that the AMG8833 sensor is more sensitive in detecting the presence of fire as the catch range changes between 3 to 10 meters. In that distance range, hotspots were detected 19.25 oC to 122.5 oC when testing the sensor node is done. The monitoring system developed in this study demonstrated that sensor nodes and gateways could communicate up to 500 meters apart with a signal quality of -134 dBm. The best LoRa configuration mode for this communication capability is a Bandwidth of 250, a Code Rate of 4/5, and a Spread Factor of 10

Numerical and experimental study of electroadhesion to enable manufacturing automation

Robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) have great potential to propel the world to future growth. Electroadhesion is a promising and potentially revolutionising material handling technology for manufacturing automation applications. There is, however, a lack of an in-depth understanding of this electrostatic adhesion phenomenon based on a confident electroadhesive pad design, manufacture, and testing platform and procedure. This Ph.D. research endeavours to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of electroadhesion based on an extensive literature review, theoretical modelling, electrostatic simulation, and experimental validation based on a repeatable pad design, manufacture, and testing platform and procedure. [Continues.

Implementation of Low-Cost and Open-Source Instrumentation in 2D Material Research

This dissertation examines the importance of open-sourced scientific instrumentation in two-dimensional (2D) material research. 2D materials are gaining attention due to their extraordinary electrical, mechanical, optical, and thermal properties and their potential to transform various fields. However, studying these materials often requires complex and expensive scientific instrumentation, which can limit the accessibility and progress of research. The study explores the potential of open-source software and hardware in scientific instrumentation, and its role in democratizing access, fostering collaboration, and accelerating innovation. The study presents two instruments implemented for 2D material research, using only open-source software and hardware, and demonstrates experiments conducted with these instruments. Additionally, the study explores broader implications of open-sourced scientific instrumentation by demonstrating a motorized variable filter stage and retractable leadless pacemaker. The dissertation concludes by emphasizing the critical role of open-source instruments in the advancement of material science and the broader scientific community and the need for ongoing support and engagement to fully realize their potential

DC House Solar Panel Cleaner

Solar panels lose 0.05% of their power conversion efficiency per day due to soil accumulation, according to an experiment conducted by the University of California, San Diego in 2013 [18]. The project is an electro-mechanical cleaning system that effectively and efficiently cleans solar panels at set intervals. A drip irrigation system with spray jets was attached to a water pump and Arduino, both powered by the DC House Project solar panel battery. The DC House solar panel was the targeted panel set up for the project. Several components of the design could have been chosen more optimally for the system; the converter could have conserved more power and the box could have been designed with more consideration of external connections. In addition, the water sensor’s inconsistent performance caused issues with testing. However, the system did effectively distribute water to a majority of the solar panel and can remove dirt, soil, and other loose particle accumulation. It cannot remove build-ups such as bird droppings because the output pressure from the spray jets is not high enough. The results of the project concluded that a similar system if redesigned using the suggestions described, would perform exceptionally well and meet the desired purpose