Project: Design & Fabrication of Zigbee Based Mine Safety System

This project focuses on the design and fabrication of a Zigbee-based mine safety monitoring system using GSM technology. The project addresses the critical safety concerns of coal mine workers by leveraging wireless sensor networks to monitor underground parameters such as humidity, gas concentration, and temperature. The system incorporates MEMS sensors, a PIC16F877A microcontroller, and Zigbee modules operating in the ISM 2.4 GHz frequency band, adhering to IEEE 802.15.4 standards. The Telecommunications Network Engineer was responsible for selecting the Zigbee module, designing the hardware circuit with sensor modules, programming the microcontroller to decode beep alarms, and implementing the software design using C programming language. The project involved overcoming challenges related to Zigbee technology application and data memory limitations, which were resolved by incorporating power management modules and expanding data memory capacity. The final design aims to provide a cost-effective and reliable mine safety monitoring solution, enhancing worker safety and reducing accidents.

CE 2.1 Project Information
Name of the Project Design and Fabrication of Zigbee Based Mine Safety
Monitoring System using GSM
Location of the project Please fill
Project Duration Please fill
Organization Please fill
Role and Designation
during the time
Telecommunications Network Engineer
CE 2.2 Project Background
CE 2.2.1 Characteristics of the project
Workers of coal mine often undergo some of the major issues regarding their safety
and security. Due to this, several laneways have become checking blind areas and various
unknown dangers are being witnessed. In this project, I have considered the safety of coal
mines by means of technology and communication networking. I have designed a specific
system for monitoring the mine safety on the basis of wireless sensor networks to improvise
the overall levels of checking the safety and also to reduce the accidents in these mines. I
have used Zigbee technology for providing the direction to these workers and also to solve
the issues efficiently. To complete the system architecture, I have used MEMS sensors in the
sensor module and for measuring humidity, I have utilized microcontroller with different
types of beep alarm. For meeting the IEEE 802.15.4 standards, I selected Zigbee modules and
made it operating in the frequency band of ISM 2.4 GHz.

CE 2.2.2 Objectives developed for the project
The Zigbee technology is the specification of IEEE 802.15.4 for the suite of higher
level communication protocols that helps to create the PAN in smaller and lower power
digital devices. I developed the mine safety monitoring system after integrating with Zigbee
network for making it completely wireless. To make the project more effective and efficient,
the following objectives were developed by me:
 To provide a compact design of the mine safety monitoring system with proper
efficiency.
 To use Zigbee technology for making it completely wireless and more safe and
reliable.
 To develop the system architecture in two sections of hardware circuits and software
implementation.
 To decode all types of beep alarms with the help of the developed system of mine
safety.
 To make the developed system more effective and efficient within a specified
frequency band of ISM 2.4 GHz.
 To use C programming language for completing the software design of the project.
 To make the mine safety monitoring system cost effective and lesser complexity.
CE 2.2.3 My area of work
I was appointed as the telecommunications network engineer in the project. Being an
experienced engineer with telecommunication networking and Zigbee technology knowledge,
I did not face any problem while executing this particular project. I selected Zigbee module
since I wanted to make the project wireless. I provided daily progress reports to my
supervisor and even updated to the head of the department regularly. This was the second
final year project of my engineering studies and I executed it with proper efficiency.

Head of the
Department
Project Supervisor
Team Member of
the project
Telecommunications Network Engineer (Me)Team Member of the
project
CE 2.2.4 Project Group
Figure 1: People involved in the project
CE 2.2.5 My responsibilities throughout the project
In this project, my major responsibility was to propose a design of mine safety
monitoring system. For the hardware circuit, I chose sensor module with some of the MEMS
based sensors. I even was responsible for selecting the microcontroller of PIC 16F877A and
Zigbee modules for meeting the IEEE 802.15.4 standards. Moreover, I also programmed the
project at microcontroller after decoding the various types of beep alarms. My other
responsibilities included transmission of the microcontroller data from Zigbee transmission
module to receiver module. I also had to complete software designing with C programming
language.

CE 2.3 Distinctive Activity
CE 2.3.1 Comprehending the Theory of Project
I have used MEMS sensors in the sensor module for measuring the real time
underground parameters such as humidity, gas concentration and temperature. When the
temperature was more than the respective safety level for preprogramming at microcontroller,
I decided the beep alarms through the specified headset speaker that was connected to the
controller.
Figure 2: Block Diagram of Mine Safety Monitoring System
I selected CMX639 for the voice CODEC in low size as well as lower power. The
continuously variable slope delta modulation or CVSD in the main feature of this CMX639.
The selectable and robust coding algorithm helped to increase the data sampling rates from 8
kbps to 128 kbps. I made the connections in this project with Zigbee modules and selected
PIC16F877A microcontroller.

Figure 3: Connections with Zigbee Modules
I made the operation of the project in the frequency band of ISM 2.4 GHz and this
Zigbee module had the capability of data transmission from 30m to 100m. The rate of data
transmission was 250,000 bps and I made it operate in five distinct modes.
For hardware implementation, I considered the Zigbee wireless sensor nodes with
sensor units, RF module MC13193, MCU and many others. I selected the power module for
providing the required nodes power to run the several parts. To complete the software design
flow, I have used C programming language for data collection display, data analysis and data
storage.
CE 2.3.2 Engineering knowledge and skills applied in the project
The main skill, used here is my understanding of Zigbee technology. In my entire
project team, only I had the idea of using this particular technology. I even used my
knowledge of node hardware and communication protocol to properly execute the project.
Moreover, for the purpose of data transmission, I have utilized my understanding of
PIC168F77A microcontroller and Zigbee XB_RX as well as XB_TX. Being a skilled
telecommunications network engineer, I even had to use my knowledge of processor module,
sensor module and pressure sensor. Regarding software designing, I have used my core
knowledge of C programming language.

CE 2.3.3 Accomplishment and Task Performed
I have accomplished the task with proper deployment of hardware circuit and
software designing. I checked the sensor node and it was comprised of wireless sensor
networks. I used module of data acquisition for the sensing as well as collection of
information; hence transforming this information to respective digital signal.
Figure 4: Wireless sensor at the network node
I completed the node equipment designing after making a compact circuit diagram. I
implemented the sensor nodes with alarm modules, power modules, data processing modules,
wireless communication modules and data acquisition modules.
Figure 5: Block Diagram for Central Monitoring System
For the software design flow, the communication protocol layer has the energy
conservation in the center. Before completing the communication, the module of Zigbee

required effective initialization within the network coordinator and sensor nodes. I also
received and verified the data frame or MAC command frame after sensor node.
Flowchart 1: Design Flow for Initialization and Processing
I had to use C programming language for software designing and also for combining
the lab view to collect the specified data collection display, analysis or storage of that
collected data. I have applied wireless sensor networks to properly monitor the security of the
coal mine and maintain flexibility within the system.
CE 2.3.4 Identified issues and their solutions
2.3.4.1 Issues
I faced issue during the application of Zigbee technology. The wireless sensor nodes
of this technology was mainly due to the use of GSM in this project. It comprised of the RF
modules of MC13193 and signal conditioning circuitry. Due to the absence of power
management module in the sensor nodes, I was not able to obtain proper data. The second
issue that I had faced here was selecting the data memory. Previously, I had selected 200

bytes data memory; however, this was not sufficient for our system. These issues were
bringing major delays in the project.
2.3.4.2 Solutions
I gave the suggestion to solve the issues faced in this project. I suggested to use the
Zigbee wireless sensor node with memory as well as power management modules and hence
our problem was resolved. For the next issue, I suggested to use data memory of 368 bytes
and five input output ports. This helped us to maintain our budget and other project
limitations.
CE 2.3.5 Plan to produce creative and innovative work
To execute this particular project of Design and Fabrication of Zigbee Based Mine
Safety Monitoring System using GSM, I had to make a distinct plan for producing excellent
designs as well as works. Being one of the telecommunication network engineer by
profession, it was my core duty to make the design for this mine safety system with
appropriate efficiency and accurateness.
CE 2.3.6 Collaborative Work
I provided suggestions to my team for working altogether for the reason that it
becomes stress-free for each of us to make the project successful. I then distributed the
various tasks equally within my other members of the team and undertook daily work follow
ups.

CE 2.4 Project Review
CE 2.4.1 Project Overview
I completed this project of mine safety after providing a proper design of the
monitoring system to determine mine safety with the help of Zigbee technology and on the
basis of GSM. I had to use my understanding and knowledge of Zigbee sensor nodes and C
programming language.
CE 2.4.2 My Contribution to work
My role in the project was Telecommunications Network Engineer. I proposed or
developed the compact design of this project and even for solving the various issues faced by
us.