Hypnos board: A low-cost all-in-one solution for environment sensor power management, data storage, and task...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Computer Science

Background:

• Open-source in-situ environmental sensor hardware is increasingly utilized globally.
• Traditional sensor management involves integrating multiple components like power relays, SD card hardware, and Real-Time Clocks (RTCs).
• These systems require tasks such as scheduled sampling, data logging, and power cycling to conserve energy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an integrated solution for common sensor management tasks.
• To reduce the physical size and cost of environmental sensor systems.
• To facilitate faster prototyping of in-situ environmental sensing projects.

Main Methods:

• Designed a single printed circuit board (PCB) named Hypnos, integrating essential sensor management functions.
• Utilized a Feather form factor for compatibility with existing open-source hardware.
• Incorporated an onboard RTC to manage microprocessor sleep cycles and scheduled operations.
• Developed accompanying code functions for user configuration of Hypnos board features.

Main Results:

• The Hypnos PCB integrates power control, data logging to SD cards, and scheduled sensor operation.
• The Feather form factor ensures easy integration with other open-source hardware.
• Onboard RTC enables efficient power management by waking microprocessors from sleep mode.
• Integration into a single PCB significantly reduces system size and cost.

Conclusions:

• The Hypnos board provides a cost-effective and compact solution for in-situ environmental sensor management.
• It simplifies prototyping and enhances the capabilities of open-source environmental sensing projects.
• The integrated design supports efficient data logging and power cycling for extended field operations.