Monitor and transmit data over public wifi network

[cupoftea]

Hi,
We wish to sense Carbon dioxide polution levels in citys.
To see how global warming is going.
Are there any cheap sensors for this?

We also wish to send the pollution level over the city's wifi network back to "base".
Do you know of any good wifi transceivers for this?

Preferably some comms module which clips onto an arduino or a raspberry pi and allows us to programme the transceiver like that.

We just want to mount the pi or the 'duino on the PCB....but isnt it best for us to just make a PCB using what bits of the pi or arduino we want and do it like that?
Why are people putting whole pi's or 'duinos into product PCBs?

 

[c_mitra]

Hi,
We wish to sense Carbon dioxide polution levels in citys.
To see how global warming is going.
Are there any cheap sensors for this?

We also wish to send the pollution level over the city's wifi network back to "base".
Do you know of any good wifi transceivers for this?

Preferably some comms module which clips onto an arduino or a raspberry pi and allows us to programme the transceiver like that.

We just want to mount the pi or the 'duino on the PCB....but isnt it best for us to just make a PCB using what bits of the pi or arduino we want and do it like that?
Why are people putting whole pi's or 'duinos into product PCBs?

Surely you should look for cheap sensors but unless you get reliable results for 1-2 years continuous (hourly basis) your goal will not be reached. To get a sensor that can work reliably and unattended for 2 years, you need one that can work reliably for 3-5 years.

There are tested modules for wifi that can be connected to an arduino. You can also attach a couple of sensors.

"Why are people putting whole pi's or 'duinos into product PCBs?"- simply because it is cost-effective and simple.

 

[cupoftea]

"Why are people putting whole pi's or 'duinos into product PCBs?"- simply because it is cost-effective and simple.

Thanks, but sorry i did not explain myself enough...as such, why not just put the arduino micro on a PCB, and the programming connector, and do it like that?....surely its cheaper, than making a PCB, then mounting an arduino on it?

 

[c_mitra]

Thanks, but sorry i did not explain myself enough...as such, why not just put the arduino micro on a PCB, and the programming connector, and do it like that?....surely its cheaper, than making a PCB, then mounting an arduino on it?

I doubt it will be cheaper.

The arduino nano is made in thousands (perhaps in millions) and if you want to design it again from the ground up (even if it is the identical circuit) and just need only a couple of thousand pieces, your cost will be about 10 times higher (my estimate).

Like an IC; it has several functions that you do not need or use. You just ignore them (leave them as if they are not there). You do not start designing a new chip without these pins or functions.

These modules have become a new building block. Complex systems must be modular and easy to maintain and service. There must be several layers of these modules at different levels.

Before ICs came, complex circuits used to be made with discrete components. And that included computers (before LSI era). Now you use microprocessors for simple work even though it may appear as an overkill.

 

[KlausST]

Hi,

ESP8266, ESP32 ... and all the others have WiFi onchip.

Simple, cheap and may be programmed via Arduino IDE.

Klaus

 

[cupoftea]

I doubt it will be cheaper.

Thanks, but using say, an entire Arduino Uno board , when all you need is the micro thats on it seems like overkill?

Arduino Uno Rev3

Arduino Uno is a microcontroller board based on the ATmega328P (datasheet). It has 14 digital input/output pins (of which 6 can be used as PWM outputs), 6 analog inputs, a 16 MHz ceramic resonator (CSTCE16M0V53-R0), a USB connection, a power jack, an ICSP header and a reset button. It contains...

store.arduino.cc