An Open-Source Educational Platform for Multi-Sensor Environmental Monitoring Applications

This paper introduces an innovative open-source hardware platform designed for multi-sensor environmental monitoring, rooted in the outcomes of the “Smart Water” project. The primary objective of this platform is to facilitate advanced PCB design education by offering students a modular, expandable, and feature-rich embedded hardware environment. The platform serves as a practical training ground, enabling students to experiment with diverse sensing techniques and refine their skills in the intricacies of PCB design. The “Smart Water” project, which forms the foundation of this educational platform, has yielded invaluable insights into environmental monitoring technologies. Leveraging these findings, our hardware platform integrates a variety of sensors capable of measuring crucial environmental parameters such as water quality, temperature, and atmospheric conditions. The modular design allows students to explore various sensor combinations and experiment with custom configurations, fostering a deeper understanding of sensor integration and optimization. Key features of the platform include its expandability, encouraging students to develop add-on modules for specific applications or to enhance existing functionalities. This approach not only promotes creativity but also instills a sense of ownership and collaboration among students, as they contribute to the continual evolution of the hardware platform. The feature-rich nature of the embedded system enables comprehensive experimentation in sensor data acquisition, processing, and communication, providing a holistic learning experience.