Electrical Engineering: Zigbee Based Temperature Monitoring Report

This report details the development and implementation of a Zigbee-based sensor network for temperature monitoring. The project aimed to create a wireless system capable of monitoring environmental conditions, specifically temperature, within a building from a remote location. The student, a team member, was responsible for hardware and software component identification, sensor and master node connectivity design, and Zigbee module implementation for wireless communication. The project utilized microcontrollers, temperature sensors (TCN 75), and Zigbee technology for data transmission and communication. The report covers the project's objectives, the engineering knowledge and skills applied, issues encountered such as hardware connectivity, and solutions implemented, including the use of frames for data transmission. The student also discusses the innovative use of Zigbee for wireless communication, the development of a user interface, and collaborative work within the team. The project successfully implemented a temperature detection and monitoring system, achieving wireless communication and a compact design, with data displayed on an LCD and sent to a personal computer via Zigbee and a developed C# interface.

Competency Demonstration Report (CDR)
Career Episode 2

CE 2.1: Project Introduction
Name of the Project : Zigbee Based Sensor Networks For Temperature
Monitoring
Geographical Location :[Please Fill]
Project Duration : [Please Fill]
Organization : [Please Fill]
Position in the Project : Team Member
CE 2.2: Project Background
CE 2.2.1: Characteristics of the Project
With the rise of technological advancement, the technical indoor emergencies have
increased in types and frequencies. In addition to that, it has become more critical to respond to
those critical emergencies for saving the propertied and human from damage and harm. I have
found it was essential to develop an wireless system that was capable to operate and monitor the
environment inside a building from the outside. In industrial plant, the temperature plays a vital
part for the storage of the raw and final products. Therefore, in this project I was associated for
the development and implementation of a wireless sensor network for controlling the
temperature. I have proposed a system that has allowed me in controlling the temperature of
water, machines, electrical appliance from outside the room using wireless connectivity. I have
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used microcontroller for controlling the system and Zigbee Technology for establishing wireless
communication.
CE 2.2.2: Objectives developed for project
During the study, I have learnt that the wireless sensor networks have the capability if
monitoring the temperature and other physical characteristics including environmental
conditions, sound and vibrations through distributed devices. Therefore, I have aimed at
employing the sensor network for monitoring, controlling and determining emergency situation
relating to high or low temperature. Therefore, for the completion of the system implementation,
I have developed the following objectives:
 To review and evaluate the technology used in wireless sensor network;
 To select and obtain the appropriate temperature sensor;
 To determine the block diagram and connectivity between the different element used
for in the project;
 To fabricate the temperature register used for reading the temperature;
 To define and develop the architecture of the sensor network;
 To establish the flow control and functionality of the temperature control system;
 To implement the Zigbee Technology for establishing wireless communication;
CE 2.2.3: My area of work
In spite of being a team member in this project, I have identified the hardware and
software components required for the development of the system. In addition to that, I have
designed and implemented the connectivity between the sensor node and the master node used
for the detection of the temperature. In addition to that, I have determined the Zigbee
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connectivity for establishing the wireless communication between the elements. Through this I
was able to obtain monitoring and controlling of the temperature condition in the building from
remote location. Apart from developing and designing the system, I have conducted test and
simulation of the system for ensuring the proper determination and detecting the temperature.
CE 2.2.4: Project Group
Figure 1: Team Member Associated for the development of the project
CE 2.2.5: My responsibilities throughout the project
I was provided with the responsibility of determining the connectivity and circuitry
between the various sensors and the master module used in the system. In addition to that, I have
developed the architecture and established the connection in the University for testing. I have
further provided with the responsibility of implementing the Zigbee module in the developed
system for ensuring the flow of information and providing wireless communication between the
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nodes. Apart from that I took part in documentation preparing of the project along with the two
other team members.
CE 2.3: Distinctive Activity
CE 2.3.1: Comprehending the Theory of the project
In this project, through the implementation of the wireless temperature sensor network, I
have aimed at utilizing the autonomous devices while equally distributing the devices throughout
the network for monitoring the environmental condition and the physical characteristic of the
area including temperature. I have used each of the devices as the sensor node for gathering the
information about the temperature. I have used microcontroller 16f877, TCN 75 and Zigbee
802.15.4 for ensuing the wireless communication between the devices. I have ensured that when
the devices used in the network detects any emergency or irregularities in the temperature; the
master node installed in the network was informed. For designing the sensor node, I have used
LCD for displaying the temperature, Zigbee 802.15.4 for communication, PIC 16f877 for
controlling the sensors and TCN 75 for detecting the temperature.
Figure: Node Architecture
CE 2.3.2: Engineering Knowledge and Skills applied in the project
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While working with the TCN 75 sensor, I have found that A0, A1, A2 are the three
significant address line present in the sensor. I have grounded the input lines for obtaining 0
output for three of the address line in general condition. I have programmed thee sensor in such a
way that the pin number three is activated when abnormality in the temperature is observed. For
transforming the data from the sensor to the microcontroller, I have utilized the bidirectional
serial data line. In this process, I have used serial clock line for activating the data transfer
between the two modules. I have established the connectivity between the sensor and the
microcontroller with four pins. I have further selected TCN 75 as the sensor for eliminating the
need of using external ADC.
CE 2.3.3: Accomplishment and Task Performed
In this project I have utilized the personal computers as the sinks for collecting the data
related to the temperature through the sensors. Through the personal computers, I have stored the
data in the database for later view and utilization. In addition to that, a client side server has been
developed for appropriately viewing the temperature and provides the emergency message as
alert to the user. Apart from that I have used programmable temperature sensor with two wire
port having the temperature range between 125 C to – 55 C.
CE 2.3.4: Identified Issues and Their Solutions
Issue: In order to design the master node for monitoring and controlling the temperature.
I have used the Zigbee series and the personal computer. Apart from that, for the master node, I
have used DB 9 connector, Max 232 and Zigbee 802.15.4. I have faced significant issue in
developing the hardware element and ensuring the connectivity between the master node and the
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sensor nodes allocated in the university campus. This has delayed the testing process for the
developed system.
Solution: For resolving the issue I have worked for determining the connection between
the sensor and master node present in the network. After detailed review and study, I have used
the frames for sending the information from the available sensor node to the computer. In the
master node, I have used decoder for decoding the frames to temperature information. Through
this I was able to show the temperature information in the computer screen.
CE 2.3.5: Plan for producing creative and innovative work
With the aim of providing innovative and creative work in the project, I have used the
Zigbee technology for ensuring wireless communication between the sensor and the personal
computers used in the network. With the use of Zigbee module for wireless connectivity and data
transfer, I was able to provide reliable, low cost, and short ranged communication protocol. I
have used the transmission protocol with multi hop routing technology. I have further developed
the MAC (Medium access control) and PHY (Physical layer) for providing the application
support. After implementing the Zigbee module within the network, I have for developing the
interface for the user computer for viewing and controlling the temperature. I have utilized
RS232 for providing the transfer of the real time data between sensor node and the personal
computer. I have employed C# programming for developing the interface controlling and
monitoring the temperature of the room.
CE 2.3.6: Collaborative work
I have worked as a team for the development of the temperature monitoring system. I
have followed collaboration while discussing the project work and deliverables among the team
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members. In case of any issue or technical problems encountered in this project, I have discussed
the same with the assistant professor and the team members for quick mitigation and resolving
the issue.
CE 2.4: Project Review
CE 2.4.1: Project Overview
After the completion of the system design and implementation, the sensor was efficiently
providing the data regarding the temperature within inside the room. Each of the sensor
implemented within the network have provided the data and transferred to the personal computer
attached to the network with the application of multi-hop routing via Zigbee module. In addition
to that, the information about the sensor was showed to the user in the LCD along with the alert
message.
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Figure: Hardware Implementation
CE 2.4.2: My contribution to work
I have worked in this project for developing temperature detection and monitoring system
using ZigBee Communication. In this project I have applied my knowledge in the field of
microcontroller and communication for developing the wireless communication between the
sensors and the personal computers. Further in this project with the development of the system I
was able to achieve the wireless communication and compact design for the temperature
detection.
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