Asset Monitoring System for Educational Labs: An IoT-based Embedded Hardware–Software Integration

This document outlines the design and execution of the Asset Monitoring System tailored for educational labora- tories. The system combines affordable embedded hardware in- cluding an MCU/SoC, UHF RFID reader, environmental sensors, and door/desk tamper switches with a robust IoT software frame- work (gateway, MQTT broker, cloud services, and web/mobile dashboard). We detail the comprehensive architecture, hardware and firmware development, data flow, and a role-based asset management process for issue/return and geofenced anti-theft notifications. Findings from a pilot deployment demonstrate dependable tag readings in metal-dense lab settings when utilizing optimized antennas and calibrated power management, achieving sub-second event transmission from the edge to the dashboard. In comparison to previous systems, our method improves security, minimizes inventory inaccuracies, and delivers real-time analytics for laboratory managers.