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
warren "Oh, it looks like the sensor is sending "_now" instead of "now"... I wonder is it possible to modify the spreadsheet script to match that? " | Read more » over 4 years ago
charlotte_clarke "We have 4 turbidity sensors up and running thanks to Will's very clear and helpful instructions! Excited to use them for the event tonight. I do h..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
warren " " | Read more » over 4 years ago
warren "I did this! My first error it was a silly mistake - the yellow/red/black cable was plugged in backwards. "apparently" it makes a difference which ..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
cfastie "I'm not familiar with the details, but I think the goal was to protect the sensor from precipitation (the outer can), radiation (the aluminum foil ..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
alnaumiwebs "HI. Can you give some details about the homemade radiation shield ? Two plastic cans. One surrounded with aluminium paper and the other inside with..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
esmoreido "Hi and thanks for the post! I have had an experience with the DFRobot TDS sensor (bought here https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000030776090.html?sp..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
warren "Hi Will! What do you think of a really basic version of this, shipped assembled, something like a "Simple Turbidity Sensor"? This could help us ju..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
Cyberrod "Hello, this project is interesting to me. My day job is Environmental Geologist. We use water quality meters that measure 5 or 6 parameters. We u..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
panicpuri "I have worked with If-This-Then-That (IFTTT)* systems in the past, and they were simple, yet effective. A system that routinely sends text message ..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
liz "wow great to hear and thanks for the timeline update! We're cheering for you and the team. What system are you thinking about for "prompts and remi..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
panicpuri "Things are advancing (although a bit slower than I hoped, but I guess that's to be expected). I am still designing a plan for the entire system (in..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
liz "How are things advancing? Quite well, i hope! " | Read more » over 4 years ago
eustatic "Perhaps that's easy for me to say, since i work not for the university, but for a membership based organization where the dues paying members influ..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
eustatic "I think you could find residents who want to participate, and could double as field inspectors for your units, if you got them on board to install ..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
panicpuri "Thank you for your response, @cfastie ! The SensorShip looks like a really interesting device and I will definitely consider using that in a part o..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
joyofsoy "We shared this on Public Lab's social media. The Facebook post received this reply: Is there already a community of folks interested in collecting ..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
warren "The links are in the Arduino code - but I'll copy them here too! https://github.com/greiman/SdFat/ https://github.com/adafruit/RTClib https://gi..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
cfastie "It looks like you have made a really good start with this project. I agree that a challenge will be to avoid scaring away the neighborhood resident..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
mimiss "We could have more than one of those larger LED's that we're currently using, but it might be bulky. One bulb on could be green, two bulbs on could..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
warren "true! might it be harder to read a bunch of sensors near each other? depends how theyre positioned i guess... " | Read more » over 4 years ago
mimiss "Moving to something that isn't color based might also help to clear up AQI confusion " | Read more » over 4 years ago
mimiss "The cost would be a bit more, but what about a small strip of LED lights and the number of lights that turn on correlate to the concentration? Simi..." | Read more » over 4 years ago
warren "During a quick chat with @mimiss, we discussed how a clicking sound speeding up or slowing down is used by Geiger counters. Using a blinking light ..." | Read more » over 4 years ago