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BtM, a Low-cost Open-source Datalogger to Estimate the Water Content of Nonvascular Cryptogams

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Published on: March 25, 2019

Octopus: A low-cost, modular environmental sensing platform for makers.

Oluwatobi Oyinlola¹, Åse Håtveit¹, Chada Elalami¹

¹Senseable City Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.

|June 22, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Octopus is an open-source hardware platform for low-cost environmental monitoring. This modular system empowers citizen scientists and educators with accessible tools for data collection and research.

Keywords:

Arduino Environmental sensors Internet of things Low-cost sensors

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Establishing an Octopus Ecosystem for Biomedical and Bioengineering Research

Establishing an Octopus Ecosystem for Biomedical and Bioengineering Research

Published on: September 22, 2021

Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Engineering
Computer Science

Background:

Environmental monitoring is crucial but often hindered by high costs and proprietary systems.
There is a need for accessible, adaptable tools for citizen science and environmental education.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce Octopus, a fully open-source, low-cost hardware platform for environmental sensing.
To enable makers, educators, and citizen scientists to conduct environmental research.

Main Methods:

Designed a compact, custom PCB and 3D-printed enclosure.
Integrated Arduino-compatible microcontrollers and plug-and-play sensors (particulate matter, GPS, temp, humidity).
Ensured ease of assembly, modularity, and reproducibility with freely available design files.

Main Results:

Octopus devices can be built for under $100 USD.
The platform supports diverse environmental sensing applications.
Complete documentation and firmware libraries are provided.

Conclusions:

Octopus significantly lowers the barrier to entry for environmental sensing.
It offers an extensible and adaptable solution for hands-on research and education.
The platform fosters grassroots environmental monitoring initiatives.