The core system of the AMuSeD project consists of a modular electronics platform that forms the basis for autonomous data acquisition and transmission. Its goal is to create a flexible infrastructure capable of accommodating and reliably operating a variety of sensors.
The platform includes:
- Main Board: Integrates essential functions for data acquisition, processing, storage, and power management. The board can log measurement data to an SD card and supports GPS tracking. Additionally, onboard temperature sensors and a MEMS-IMU are already integrated to measure sea motion.
- External Sensor Board (optional): Allows connection and control of custom sensors.
- External Communication Board (optional): Supports various satellite communication networks, ranging from established providers to emerging IoT nano-satellites.
Configuration is done via a simple file that defines the measurement parameters. This enables the main controller to autonomously perform tasks such as data acquisition, event management, and data transmission without requiring programming skills.
For the integration of additional sensors, an external sensor board must be used—such as an Arduino or a comparable microcontroller system. This board reads the measurement data from the connected sensors and transmits it to the main board via a standardized protocol. The main board then manages, stores, and forwards the data, schedules upcoming tasks, and activates energy-saving modes. Using easily programmable systems like Arduino simplifies the integration of new sensors without the need for extensive programming knowledge.
The modular design and flexible energy management allow the platform to be used for diverse measurement tasks in coastal and open-ocean waters, efficiently covering the energy requirements of additional sensors.
