Cave Pearl Data Logger: A Flexible Arduino-Based Logging Platform for Long-Term Monitoring in Harsh Environments
by
Patricia A. Beddows 1,* and
Edward K. Mallon 2
Patricia A. Beddows 1,* and
Edward K. Mallon 2
1
Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd–Tech F374, Evanston, IL 60208-3130, USA
2
Triple Point Design, LLC, Evanston, IL 60202-1125, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sensors 2018, 18(2), 530; https://doi.org/10.3390/s18020530
Received: 26 November 2017 / Revised: 29 January 2018 / Accepted: 5 February 2018 / Published: 9 February 2018
(This article belongs to the Section Physical Sensors)
A low-cost data logging platform is presented that provides long-term operation in remote or submerged environments. Three premade “breakout boards” from the open-source Arduino ecosystem are assembled into the core of the data logger. Power optimization techniques are presented which extend the operational life of this module-based design to >1 year on three alkaline AA batteries. Robust underwater housings are constructed for these loggers using PVC fittings. Both the logging platform and the enclosures, are easy to build and modify without specialized tools or a significant background in electronics. This combination turns the Cave Pearl data logger into a generalized prototyping system and this design flexibility is demonstrated with two field studies recording drip rates in a cave and water flow in a flooded cave system. This paper describes a complete DIY solution, suitable for a wide range of challenging deployment conditions.
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Keywords:
data logger; environmental monitoring; Arduino; open source; submersible; underwater; cave; Yucatan Peninsula; vadose hydrology; subterranean karst estuary
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MDPI and ACS Style
Beddows, P.A.; Mallon, E.K. Cave Pearl Data Logger: A Flexible Arduino-Based Logging Platform for Long-Term Monitoring in Harsh Environments. Sensors 2018, 18, 530.
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