Sensors
sensors

Relatively inexpensive, transportable and deployable sensors are produced all over the world for a variety of analytes. Broadly defined, sensors respond to a physical or chemical property, providing an interpretable output. For our purposes, a main distinction of a sensor versus a sampler is that sensors do not require laboratory-based analyses, and provide outputs in near-real time. Though we often think of sensors as part of the electronics field, plenty of analog sensors have been available for decades. Common analog sensors include things like mercury thermometers and classic barometers. Common digital sensors include things like voltmeters. In Public Lab, we're interested in a broad variety of sensors, both analog and digital, designed for measuring chemical and physical properties in air or water. ###Air Sensors There are a ton of different air sensors on the market these days, with common analytes including carbon monoxide (e.g. smoke detectors), temperature, humidity, particulate matter, and more. Some of these sensors require a digital interface with a controller and data logger, others are analog. Please see more information [here](/wiki/air-sensors) and check out air sensors in the table below. Please add more sensors that you've used! [embed table] ###Water Sensors Water sensors are available for several analytes, such as salinity, pH, and depth. Like air sensors, water sensors may be digital or analog. Any digital water sensors that are meant to be deployed will require water-tight enclosures for the electronic components. Please see more information [here](/wiki/water-sensors), and check out and add more sensors to the table below. [embed table]...


Author Comment Last activity Moderation
liz "Email me liz@publiclab.org, if u can " | Read more » over 6 years ago
liz "Hi @kinasmith this is extremely helpful! I have some additional information to report: the HCHO meter has already been sent to the research site in..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
kinasmith "sorry, I wasn't very clear in that previous message. I'll try to clarify. You'll need an Arduino in the middle between the sensor and the computer...." | Read more » over 6 years ago
liz "Can someone (@kinasmith ?) do a quick screen recording with CoolTerm open while talking about what menus and settings are needed to actually make ..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
liz "Here's what the interface looks like: " | Read more » over 6 years ago
liz "^^ interesting! A whole new angle on this problem. I think I would actually do this first to see the results coming out of the sensor, whether or n..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
liz "ok thanks @cfastie and @kinasmith, i think i get it now! " | Read more » over 6 years ago
yamanoorsai "In fact, if the analog output is linear, I would not need the meter " | Read more » over 6 years ago
yamanoorsai "Hello, I would be glad to help as long as I get to share my work under an open license with everyone. How does one gain access to the HCHO meter li..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
kinasmith "so, how long will the sensor need to collect data for? If there is reliable power, and it's inside of a house, and it isn't running for weeks on en..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
kinasmith "I've read through the datasheet/manual for this sensor. Their use of audio connectors for signal and power connections is pretty questionable, but ..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
cfastie "Liz, I don't know the specs of the 1/4" phone plug, but it needs only two contacts, the tip and one ring along the shaft. I'm not sure which types ..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
warren "Thanks to all the software contributors who helped fix that -- @siaw23 @sagarpreet " | Read more » over 6 years ago
warren "OK - links and uploads now working again on the site! " | Read more » over 6 years ago
liz "wow awesome! @cfastie sorry to ask more but can you draw a picture on paper of what you expect these cables to look like? "A 1/4" stereo/phone plug..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
zengirl2 "@cfastie @warren ah, ok that makes sense now. " | Read more » over 6 years ago
warren "https://gist.github.com/jywarren/599b76ef9cdecdce764a7348f728ae31 " | Read more » over 6 years ago
warren "We're still struggling with a comment formatting bug -- apologies -- over in https://github.com/publiclab/plots2/pull/2605 -- here it is for the ti..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
cfastie "New answer below where I could attach a file. " | Read more » over 6 years ago
cfastie "A 1/4" stereo/phone plug connects to the HCHO sensor and two wires from that cable connect to the Arduino (tip of plug to A3, ring to GND). Below (..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
zengirl2 "@liz I can meet with @nshapiro with some Arduinos, but I think my question is where do you attach alligator clips or wires for testing this beast? " | Read more » over 6 years ago
liz "Perhaps @Zengirl2 can go over the Nick's house and bring an Arduino? (They are both in Philly) and for good measure we can open up a video link wit..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
cfastie "The first step might be to arrange for the co-location of the HCHO sensor, an Arduino, and somebody casually familiar with Arduino. Has the proper ..." | Read more » over 6 years ago
liz "Hi @cfastie -- thank you so much for asking these questions. Here's what i know -- Nick has to go to Georgia with a working solution in 2 weeks...." | Read more » over 6 years ago