Air Quality DataLogging for Pico

Experimentation Swiss knife for Raspberry-Pi Pico AND Air Quality recorder/monitor

This Air Quality Datalogging board brings environmental sensor, input user interface, OLED display as well as I/O input facilities, high power output, autonomous project, etc.

It is a complete expansion board to discover the advanced development, environmental & STEM activities with the Raspberry-Pi Pico.

By looking this board features, the first idea that comes to mind is "What! it seems to be a sibling of the Micro:bit!". This board provides lot of goodness for our DIY and electronic projects... all available from MicroPython (Python for MicroControler).

This board is also Smart Air Quality Board providing a complete solution for air monitoring and reporting. The onboard sensors and variety of connection will allow you to log, store and display data. The MicroPython filesystem will allow to store data into files and the OLED screen can be used to draw text and charts to immediately visualise the data. The board also fits connection points for external devices, such as analog sensors, servos motor, motors and heater pads.

The Pico or Pico-W is plugged right onto the female socket intended for the Pico. The Pico can then read inputs from a BME688 air quality and environmental sensor providing reads for temperature, pressure, humidity, air quality index and eCO2 (equivalent CO2). As the MicroPython filesystem stored into Pico's flash memory do also file operations, the sensor data can also be written into a files making Pico working as a Data Logger. The Pico also having an internal RTC, the logged data can comes with timestamp. Please note that internal Pico RTC do not have battery backup, so the date & time must be re-initialised after each power cycle.

The onboard 128x64 OLED display and 3 status ZIP RGB Smart LEDs and the piezo buzzer can be used to provide user feedback. The two user defines buttons act as user input.

Aside environmental monitoring and user input/output capabilities, the board also feature external connections for:

• 2x 1A outputs,
• 1x servo output,
• 1x extension connection for RGB LEDs
• 3x analog input connections (3.3V max, link to Pico ADC)

Various Pin of the Pico are also breakout to 2.54mm solder pads (as well as 3V & GND). So you can still expand the capabilities by using extra I/O or buses.

Autonomous and powering

Power can be supplied either:

• via the 3xAA battery holder
• the "POWER" terminal block.

The power can be turned on/off with the Power Switch and the green LED will lit when the turned on.
The Pico will produces a regulated 3V (required for the BME688 sensor and OLED display).

The "POWER" terminal block can also be used to attach a solar cell.

Important Notice: Please ensure the correct rechargeable batteries are fitted before charging, they should be NiMh. This combination allows to run long term monitoring experiments.

Programming

The board can be programmed with MicroPython (Python for MicroControler).
Kitronik do provides MicroPython library to support the use of the "Smart Air Quality" Board.  Library, examples and documented readme file are available on the this Kitronik GitHub repository.

Library can also be ported to C++, Arduino or any other programming langage supported on Raspberry-Pi Pico.

Technical details

• For Raspberry-Pi Pico
• Bosch BME688 (datasheet)
  • I2C(1) bus GP6, GP7
  • An all-in-one Air Quality sensor.
  • 300hPa - 1100hPa
  • -40°C to 85°C
  • 0%RH to 100%RH
  • Index for Air Quality (IAQ): 0 - 500. 0=Excellent, 500=Extremely Polluted.
  • eCO2: 250 - 40000+ ppm [Estimated]
• OLED display:
  • I2C(1) bus GP6, GP7
  • 128x64 pixels
  • White on black
• 3 status ZIP LEDs on GP20
  Smart RGB LED, also commonly named NeoPixel.
• Piezo buzzer for audio on GP4
• User buttons:  for user input.
• Connectors:
  • Analog sensors: ADC0, ADC1, ADC2 (3.3V max)
  • Servo motor: GP2, Powered with batteries/supply voltage
  • 2x High Power output: GP3 & GP15 (1A max)
• Power:
  
  • Power Terminal: 5V Max.
  • Power Terminal can be used with solar cell and rechargeable NiMh batteries (to keep your experiments running for longer).
  • 2x GND pads
  • 2x 3.3V pads (250 mA max)
• Breakout pads
  • Digital: GP8, 9, 10, 11
  • UART0: GP0, GP1
  • SPI0: GP16, 17, 18, 19
• Size: 74 x 72mm (Height: 28.7mm)

Content

For each order, you will receive a Air Quality Datalogger assembled and tested.

This product requires a Raspberry Pi Pico, Pico Wireless to work. Automous project will also requires 3x AA Alkaline batteries.