Applications and Experiments with eBlocks

Electronic Blocks for Basic Sensor-Based Systems

eBlock is an electronics block. It can define as embedded system building

block used in sensor based system. Enable non-experts to build basic small-

scale sensor based system.

Introduction

Commercial motes/sensor nodes

Commercial Mote Example:

PRICE??

Complicated:◦ Sensor Node on Buoy System◦ Check temperature, wave

height, humidity, and so on.

Applications…

• Simple:– Wide range and closed to daily

usage.– Counting Cars, Customer

Monitoring, Object Locator and so on.

Commercial Sensor Node eBlocka) Expensive a) Cheapb) Complicated b) Simplec) Required technical base end user

d) Enable non-technical base end user to operate

d) General purpose d) Specified purposee) Handle Complex Application e) Suitable for simple application

Sensor Node Vs eBlock

•It is not mean to replace sensor node but e-Blocks can also be used in conjunction with sensor network nodes as a means to combine several sensor block inputs before sensor data enters a sensor network.

Defined four types of blocks: ◦ Sensors

Simple 1/0 (yes/no) output

◦ Logic/state Take at least one 1/0 inputs from others block and

generate at least one output. Allow configure using DIP switch.

Introduction to e-Block

◦ Communication A splitter:

Wireless transmitter or receiver that can replace by wired connection.

Wired or wireless is depend on application.

◦ Output block Include LED, buzzer, electric relay

Example Applications:

In the medical arena, institutions such as hospitals or nursing homes must ensure the safety of their patients.

Able to observe simple activities of patients by nurse or doctor.

Use in monitoring nocturnal (night) endangered species. Typically, scientists study species by first trapping

individual animals, photographing the animals, and attaching a tag such that the scientists can identify the animals later.

Prohibited by law from trapping the endangered species animals.

An alternative: set up a feeding station including a simple sensor-based system to detect motion at night and trigger a camera to take a photograph of the animals as they feed.

Developed e-Blocks to address the need of enabling non-technical user to build basic sensor-based systems.

Used components, such as buttons, light sensors, motion sensors, LEDs, buzzers, etc., and added a low-cost, low power preprogrammed processor to execute the block’s function and communication protocol.

Building e-Block…

LDR-light dependent resistor

LED- Light emitting diode

Microcontroller

Simple Light detecting circuit:

Example microcontroller circuit:

The e-blocks modules that form by several blocks:

Basic set of an e-blocks

e-Blocks at end user side…

Conducted experiments to determine whether people of varying skill levels could build basic sensor-based systems effectively using e-Blocks.

Three skill levels: ◦ Beginner- Student with no programming or

electronics experience.◦ Intermediate-Student that have basic

knowledge but no experiences in electronics.◦ Advanced-Student that have electronics

knowledge and experiences.

Experiments…

Experiment using physical prototypes◦ Students had 15 minutes to follow a small written

tutorial describing how to build e-Block systems before building their own systems.

Experiments…

Experiment using graphic simulator◦ Students were given a short step by-step tutorial illustrating

the basic idea of e-Blocks, how sensors interacted with one another, how to select blocks from a library, and how to draw wires to connect the various blocks within the simulator.

Sensor to output◦ Required the user to select the appropriate

sensor and output blocks and connect those blocks to implement a particular application.

Results with difference type of sensor system…

Sensor with logic◦ Required the user to use at least two sensors and

to feed sensors’ outputs through a logic block before connecting to an output.

Results with difference type of sensor system…

Sensor with state◦ Required the user to connect a sensor with a

state block and then an output.

Results with difference type of sensor system…

Sensor with logic and state◦ Require user to connect multiple sensor through

logic and state block before connecting to an output block.

Results with difference type of sensor system…

Developed sets of electronics block that called e-block.

Experiment done towards various level of student to show the effectiveness of the e-block.

Conclusion…