Professor Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
The increasing use of open-source technology and the adaptability of low-cost sensors has enabled scientists to design sensor networks for their specific needs at a fraction of the cost of the industry standard. This has allowed researchers to increase the spatial resolution by allowing them to install more sensor networks. While there are other cost-effective sensors, like iButton and TOMST that allow researchers a similar capability to scale up their sensor networks, they lack the adaptability that the use of open-source microcontrollers provides. However, this flexibility comes with a learning curve based around your ability to write/read the code, soldering, wiring, design 2D and 3D models, and troubleshooting any problems that arise. If you are able to get past the learning curve, the adaptability of these sensors can be more valuable than their reduced cost. One example of how we’ve utilized these sensos is making micro-meteorological stations collecting air temperature and relative humidity, soil moisture, and soil temperature to provide a spatially resolved understanding of understory environmental conditions. We designed these stations to be small, lightweight, and easy to install, making them ideal for collecting data in remote locations. We also designed temperature sensors for monitoring the temperature of grassland fires; these collected temperature measurements from k-type thermocouples logging the data at about 40 measurements per second yielding precise data for fast moving grassland fires. Thermocouples can be used to monitor the temperature of the fire, soil, or inserted into plant tissues. In short, the use of microcontrollers and low-cost sensors offer a cost-effective way to increase the temporal and spatial resolution of data collection, but they also offer an adaptability that the industry standards are lacking. We will provide an overview of some the advantages/disadvantages of this technology, provide some examples of their use, and provide information on resources available to get started in building low-cost custom sensors.
