Good morning, I am looking through documentation and hardware to start Arduino with a project and I have some doubts when choosing hardware, since it is my first experience and I do not know exactly if Arduino meets the requirements for my project.
The project is based on an outdoor chronometer with displays (I think that in the end they will be matrix) on a tripod and that contains the Arduino, but there are some conditioning factors and hence my doubts:
A) The chrono is activated when an animal passes through an access, here my first doubt, the sensor will be located in a metallic structure of 1m. wide, which is on the outside (sunlight), therefore I have already ruled out IR and ultrasonic sensors. Do I use a laser barrier?
B) Other sensor, like the previous one, must stop the chrono, but both sensors have to communicate wirelessly with Arduino.
I discard the wifi, I will not have wifi in the place of installation and also discard the bluetooth and I think it is appropriate to use RF, do you see it right ?. Between the chrono and the sensors I have a maximum distance of 100 meters.
C) My arduino has to present chronometer data in real time on a PC or tablet, located about 50 / 100m. of the Arduino, for this communication I think that the most adequate thing is to use Bluetooth and a bluetooth to USB adapter. Do you see it right ?.
D) The most important.
With the characteristics of Arduino, is it possible to perform all these operations (check sensors, sending time to the PC ...) simultaneously without affecting the time count ?.
A chronometer is an accurate clock. I don't understand why it would be triggered by an animal. Perhaps you just want a display that shows the number of animals that have passed through your detector?
If not, then please tell us more about your project.
You say " tripod and that contains the Arduino" and later you say "both sensors have to communicate wirelessly withhy not just connect the sensors to the Arduino with wires?
If the sensors are far from the Arduino then tell us how far away they are.
If you need to send data from a sensor by wireless then that sensor must connect directly to its own Arduino which is connected to, and controls the wireless device.
Bluetooth is not designed to work at 100m. 10m is more likely the limit. With clear line of sight you should be able to get 100m range from a pair of nRF24L01+ modules - especially if one of them is a high-power version with external antenna. Alternatively you could consider HC12 modules as they work at a lower frequency.
If the purpose of the "chronometers" is to measure an elapsed time between two sensors then you may find that the latency in a wireless system reduces the precision available. You need to specify the amount of timing error that is acceptable.
A chronometer is an accurate clock. I don't understand why it would be triggered by an animal. Perhaps you just want a display that shows the number of animals that have passed through your detector?
I need to know the time of animal takes to enter on one side and exit on the other
You say " tripod and that contains the Arduino" and later you say "both sensors have to communicate wirelessly withhy not just connect the sensors to the Arduino with wires?
to be able to make a portable and quick deploy system
If the sensors are far from the Arduino then tell us how far away they are.
100 meters is the maximum but they will always be closer (around 25/30 meters)
If you need to send data from a sensor by wireless then that sensor must connect directly to its own Arduino which is connected to, and controls the wireless device.
Bluetooth is not designed to work at 100m. 10m is more likely the limit. With clear line of sight you should be able to get 100m range from a pair of nRF24L01+ modules - especially if one of them is a high-power version with external antenna. Alternatively you could consider HC12 modules as they work at a lower frequency.
Ok, I´ll think about this option...
If the purpose of the "chronometers" is to measure an elapsed time between two sensors then you may find that the latency in a wireless system reduces the precision available. You need to specify the amount of timing error that is acceptable.
Still not clear. You want to measure how long it takes the animal to move between two points (i.e. from reaching one gate to reaching another)? Or how long it takes to pass a single gate?
Ultrasound will work fine outdoors. If your target animal is very furry it may not reflect ultrasound, though that's also detectable as normally you get a reflection from the ground, then simply no reflection.
IR can also work outdoors as it's normally modulated, but direct sunlight may be an issue. Lasers are usually IR so may have the same problem. Shielding your sensor from direct sunlight is probably enough to make it work.
Wireless communication: as you're working with animals, I'm thinking forest or otherwise no direct line of sight.That's very bad for wireless communications. Bluetooth is out, period. NRF24 (2.4 GHz, same frequency as as WiFi) probably as well. 100m is definitely not going to work in such an environment.
HC12 modules may do the job, no personal experience. I really should get myself some of those just to play with. RFM69 modules quite certainly. If nothing else works, go for LoRa. If even that doesn't work, you really have to get rid of the big mound that's in the way
That is a large range of error and wireless communication should easily meet that requirement. When you said "chronometer" I was concerned that you needed to measure time +/- 1 millisecond or better.
That is a large range of error and wireless communication should easily meet that requirement. When you said "chronometer" I was concerned that you needed to measure time +/- 1 millisecond or better.
Still not clear. You want to measure how long it takes the animal to move between two points (i.e. from reaching one gate to reaching another)? Or how long it takes to pass a single gate?
how long it takes the animal to move between two points
Ultrasound will work fine outdoors. If your target animal is very furry it may not reflect ultrasound, though that's also detectable as normally you get a reflection from the ground, then simply no reflection.
I´ll have to work with sensors in horizontally, from left to right (or right to left).
Wireless communication: as you're working with animals, I'm thinking forest or otherwise no direct line of sight.That's very bad for wireless communications. Bluetooth is out, period. NRF24 (2.4 GHz, same frequency as as WiFi) probably as well. 100m is definitely not going to work in such an environment.
It´s a free obstacle place, no threes, no mountains, only the structures for sensors.
HC12 modules may do the job, no personal experience. I really should get myself some of those just to play with. RFM69 modules quite certainly. If nothing else works, go for LoRa. If even that doesn't work, you really have to get rid of the big mound that's in the way
