Construction and Programming of DC Sensor Systems

• apply an adapted hybrid V-model for Responsible and Accountable Engineering to structure and execute simple technology development processes.
• analyse the interaction between societal needs and norms, resources, technical possibilities, and responsible use and develop and structure concepts for sensor systems for neonatal thermal protection.
• translate physiological problems related to neonatal thermal protection into mathematical-physical models of heat transfer and analyse which physical factors determine neonatal heat loss.
• explain and classify the architecture of the ATmega2560 microcontroller and explain and use central on-chip subsystems such as registers, IO ports, timers, ADC systems, and serial communication systems in the Arduino Mega 2560.
• write programs in standard C and Arduino C with proficient use of variables, data types, number systems, functions, conditional structures, loop structures, pointers, structures, unions, and bit manipulation of registers and IO ports.
• program the Arduino Mega 2560 to communicate with digital sensors through I2C and implement a sensor network for measurement of temperature, humidity, and light intensity.
• construct programs for data acquisition, time stamping using Real Time Clock (RTC), SD card data logging through the SPI protocol, alarm functions, and numerical and graphical visualization of measurement data on an OLED display.
• establish mathematical models of analogue resistive sensors such as thermistors and light dependent resistors and apply these models for calculation and reconstruction of physical variables, resistances, voltages, and ADC ranges.
• explain and apply Ohm’s and Kirchhoff’s laws, voltage dividers, current dividers, Thevenin and Norton models, as well as nodal and mesh equations, for analysis and dimensioning of passive and active DC circuits including resistors, capacitors and inductors.
• design, dimension, and verify analogue sensor systems based on voltage dividers and operational amplifiers with justified selection of inverting, non-inverting, and summing amplifier circuits as well as offset adjustment circuits.
• apply linear mapping between sensor signals and ADC ranges for dimensioning gain and offset in analogue front-end circuits and simulate and analyse circuit functions in KiCad.
• construct, solder, integrate, troubleshoot, and critically evaluate microcontroller-based sensor systems using breadboards, printed circuit boards, multimeters, oscilloscopes, function generators, and digital tools including generative artificial intelligence.

Conceive
Neonatal thermal protection as a societal and technological problem domain. Need finding, problem understanding, and concept development based on WHO’s descriptions of different strategies for neonatal thermal protection in different societal and resource contexts. Analysis of physiological needs, stakeholders, responsibilities, and contexts of use. Introduction to the hybrid V-model for Responsible and Accountable Engineering.

Design
Translation of physiological problems into mathematical-physical models of heat transfer and neonatal heat loss. Modelling of sensor systems for measurement of temperature, humidity, and light intensity, including analysis of how airflow, wall temperature, and humidity influence heat loss. Resistive sensors, voltage dividers, ADC ranges, and linear mapping between physical variables and electrical signals. Passive DC circuits: Ohm’s and Kirchhoff’s laws, voltage dividers, current dividers, nodal and mesh equations, and Thevenin and Norton models. Operational amplifiers, offset adjustment, simulation, and digital prototypes in KiCad. System architecture and partitioning of responsibilities between sensors, analogue front-end, embedded firmware, data logging, and user display.

Implement
Programming in standard C and Arduino C: data types, number systems, functions, conditional and loop structures, pointers, structures, unions, and bit manipulation. Register programming of the ATmega2560. I2C-based sensor networks for temperature, humidity, and light measurements. Communication with RTC modules and OLED displays through I2C and data logging to SD cards through SPI. Construction of analogue sensor systems using thermistors and light dependent resistors. Soldering and implementation of circuits on printed circuit boards.

Integrate
Gradual integration of sensor systems for monitoring in different solutions for neonatal thermal protection — from wearable temperature monitoring in kangaroo-care to incubator-like monitoring of temperature, humidity, and light conditions. Integration of analogue and digital subsystems, I2C- and SPI-based components, OLED displays, alarms, and data logging. Analysis of subsystem responsibilities and interfaces between hardware, firmware, and user interaction.

Verify
Experimental verification and evaluation of sensor systems in relation to specified requirements and responsibility criteria. Calibration, measurement uncertainty, troubleshooting, and comparison between mathematical models and experimental measurements. Evaluation of the applicability of sensor systems in both low-technology and high-technology solutions for neonatal thermal protection.

01001/01002/02002/10060, 10060 (in same semester). The course uses C for microcontroller programming. Prior experience in C programming is not expected. However, application ready competencies in programming (fx. Python) is essential.

Lectures, exercises, quizzes, lab assignments.

This course is followed by 22462 Construction and Programming of AC Sensor Systems.
Participants must buy and bring their own Arduino Starter kit. It is recommended to buy “Elegoo – Mega 2560 The Most Complete Starter Kit” or equivalent kit several months before semester start. The course uses an Arduino Mega 2560 R3 because its microcontroller provides easy access to register programming.

Minimum: 10, Maximum: 90.

Please be aware that this course has a minimum requirement for the number of participants needed, in order for it to be held. If these requirements are not met, then the course will not be held. Furthermore, there is a limited number of seats available. If there are too many applicants, a pool will be created for the remainder of the qualified applicants, and they will be selected at random. You will be informed 8 days before the start of the course, whether you have been allocated a spot.