Smart Citizen Basics Webinar [EN]

• Smart Citizen Basics Webinar [EN]
  • The kit
    • Sensors
    • Operation modes and interface
    • Power
    • Power Supply
  • Onboarding
  • Enclosure and mounting system
  • Data
    • The platform
    • Advanced data analysis
  • Practical questions
    • Physical installation tips
    • Monitor your kits
    • Troubleshooting
  • Interesting links

The kit

The Smart Citizen Kit (SCK) is the core of a modular hardware system which aims to provide tools for environmental monitoring, ranging from citizen science activities to more advanced research. The system is comprised of the following elements:

• Data Board: data-logger with Wi-Fi connectivity and micro SD-card, to which the other components are branched to

• Urban Sensor Board: board contiening a selection of low cost sensors, as well as a connector for an external PM Sensor

The sensor list is shown in the table below:

Measurement	Units	Sensor
Air temperature	degC	Sensirion SHT-31
Relative Humidity	%REL	Sensirion SHT-31
Noise level	dBA	Invensense ICS43432
Ambient Light	Lux	Rohm BH1721FVC
Barometric pressure	kPa	NXP MPL3115A26
Equivalent Carbon Dioxide	ppm	AMS CCS811
Volatile Organic Compounds	ppb	AMS CCS811
Particle Matter PM1 / 2.5 / 10	ug/m3	Plantower PMS5003

The most relevant sensors for outdoor exposure are noise (Noise dBA) and PM1-PM2.5

Sensors

The sensors in the Urban Sensor Board are a selection of low-cost sensors (Rai et al.) that allow monitoring:

• Temperature and relative humidity
• Barometric pressure
• Ambient noise in different scales (dBA, dBC, dBZ)
• Particulate Matter (PM) in different sizes (PM1, PM2.5, PM10)
• Indicative measurements TVOC & eCO2 (CO2 equivalent)

Additionally, a more complete description of the sensors in the Urban Board can be found at: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Components/boards/Urban Board/. All the performance of the sensors can be found in: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Components/sensors/performance/. Some other sensors can be found:

• PM Sensor: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Components/sensors/air/PM Sensors/
• AMS CCS811: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Components/sensors/air/CCS811/
• Noise: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Components/sensors/air/Noise/

Operation modes and interface

The kit has two main operation modes: setup mode, and recording mode. The first configures the second, allowing to select the recording mode for the data (online or SD-card). The onboarding section explains the differences between them.

These modes are reflected in the status of the LED, and are documented in the following page of the documentation: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Smart Citizen Kit/#operation-modes

The user also has the option to change the operation mode by pressing the button:

The interfaces are documented in the following page: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Smart Citizen Kit/#user-interfaces

Power

Some recommendations are listed below:

• The Kit needs to be charged before the first installation
• When the Kit is connected on online mode it will report to the platform, and even an email notification can be set. However, on SD card mode we will need to check the LED. You can see some feedback from the LED to know if it's charging (more information here)

• A full charge can take up to 9 hours, and this charge will last for at least 3-4 weeks. You can check this battery calculator to get a more accurate estimation: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Smart Citizen Kit/#battery-calculator

Saving power

Battery can be saved by reducing the reading and publication intervals of the kit. Make sure to follow this guide: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Guides/getting started/Using the Shell/#set-recording-and-publication-intervals

When to charge it? The LED will start flashing in orange when the SCK has low battery. After connecting the kit to a power source you will see orange blinks during the charging process until and green blinks when the battery is fully charged.

One option for powering the Kit is to leave it on battery and bring a power extention to it every 3 weeks to charge it. For instance, you can do so through a window and just during some hours.

Power Supply

The Smart Citizen Power Supply is a simple power supply to power the SCK and the Smart Citizen Station with 110-230 AC mains power, including a 1.6A input fuse protection and a 5VDC regulated output.

More information on the unit: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Components/boards/Power Supply/ and how to check it's operation: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Guides/deployments/Using the power supply/

Onboarding

The onboarding is a web interface that allows configuring the SCK in the desired mode, and to link the device with an user profile in the platform.

Check this guide to not miss a step: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Guides/getting started/Onboarding Sensors/

It is important to understand that the same physical device can be linked with several devices in the platform, although it can only send data to one of them at a time. The link between them is done through a token, which is assigned during the onboarding procedure. This is then associated with an user profile and it's copied into the physical device through a mobile interface. This interface also serves as a method to tell the device the Wi-Fi credentials (SSID and password).

Enclosure and mounting system

The mounting system provided has the possibility to mount on wall or post. It is a rain-proof enclosure that can be opened by hand:

Data

The platform

The web platform has the following functions:

• Geolocalized browsing and basic data visualization per device
• Kits edition and user profile management
• SD card data upload
• CSV data download

Generally, the data is sent to the platform in real-time, and we use the sd-card as a back-up in case of loss of connectivity. In this case, you will be using the kit in sd-card mode, so the analysis can be done with common spreadsheets. More advance data analysis is provided in the section below.

Advanced data analysis

The Sensors analysis framework is an environment developed in python that allows:

• Manage data from different sources (API or sd card)
• Explore data in an interactive way
• Model and calibrate sensor data
• Model managament and data export

The API developer documentation can be found in: https://developer.smartcitizen.me/

The framework repository can be found in: https://github.com/fablabbcn/smartcitizen-iscape-data

Practical questions

Physical installation tips

• If in online mode, a Wi-Fi WPA/WPA2 Personal network is needed. We are not able to support more complex networks (with captive portals, as in airports, eduroam, etc)
• In order to charge the device periodically (every 3 weeks in this case), it would be desirable to have a power supply nearby
• For a proper sensor stability, the sensor should be installed away from direct sun radiation

Monitor your kits

Troubleshooting

1. The magical reset button

2. 👷 Troubleshooting page https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Troubleshooting/

3. Debugging the sensors https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Guides/getting started/Debugging your sensors/

4. 💬 Forum: https://forum.smartcitizen.me

5. ❓ Support: [e-mail]

Interesting links

• Documentation: http://docs.smartcitizen.me
• Onboarding: http://start.smartcitizen.me
• #Now tracking: https://now.smartcitizen.me/#bgg-project
• Enclosures (3D printing parts): https://github.com/fablabbcn/smartcitizen-enclosures/tree/master/SmartCitizen Outdoor Cases V2.0-2.1
• Using the Shell: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Guides/getting started/Using the Shell/
• Debugging your sensors: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Guides/getting started/Debugging your sensors/

Publications

• General: https://docs.smartcitizen.me/Use Cases/
• Hardware X Publication: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ohx.2019.e00070
• Particle Characterisation: https://www.atmos-meas-tech-discuss.net/amt-2019-422/amt-2019-422.pdf
• iSCAPE Results: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/689954/results