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README.md 2.77 KiB

John's Lab Notebook

Table of Contents

2022-09-13: Meeting-Notes

Discussed with TA regarding our project proposal and our system and subsystem designs. Some things and suggestions to take note of:

  • Add subcomponents for the cloud server for block diagram.
  • Label necessary voltages at each power line for block diagram.
  • Expand high-level requirement involving power to include 24-hour availability while the board is plugged in.
  • Don't bother making your own Wi-Fi module; just buy one since budget is $150.

2022-09-14: Hardware-Components-research

Since we have a limited $150 budget, all of our purchases will most likely be limited to Amazon, Digikey, and Mouser. Parts we are leaning toward using:

Control Unit and Radio Scanner Suite

  • ESP32-S3-MINI-1
  • This ESP32 is versatile, not super expensive, offers various functionalities, and is used in many IoT projects, both hobbyist and professional.
  • Furthermore, this microcontroller has been proven to be compatible with AWS.
  • Currently, we aren't planning on integrating the 5 GHz frequency into the Radio Scanner Suite due to time constraints. The primary issue is that if we were to also scan 5 GHz, we would need to purchase a separate Wi-Fi module and write the drivers for it, which would take too much time and effort to integrate. So we plan on settling for 2.4 GHz frequency for our Wi-Fi module for now
  • USB-to-UART Bridge: We need to make use of this bridge and attach it to our ESP-32.

Power Supply

  • LiPo battery
  • 18650 batteries are probably the better choice over choosing a LiPo pack when it comes to the price-to-capacity ratio. However, the ease and form factor of LiPo batteries are more suitable for our design since it's easier to tuck and keep hidden away.
  • AP2112 Voltage Regulator (3.3V)
  • The ESP32 series of SoCs all use 3.3 volts as their operating voltage. Since all USB types generally operating at or above 5 volts, we need to drop the voltage down. The AP2112 is a tried and true voltage regulator for 3.3 volts, so we'll use it in our design, too.
  • MCP73831T Battery Charge Controller
  • It's very important to keep the battery from overcharging. This battery charge controller appears to be very popular with other boards that are based on ESP32.