Environmental Sensing with the JeeLabs Platform

Arduino Technology
A collection of JeeLabs Sensors

A collection of JeeLabs sensor plugs

JeeLab’s Jean-Claude Wippler has been “rethinking the Arduino interface” since 2008, when he first attached an ISM band radio to a Modern Device Real Bare Bones Board. Three and a half years later he has built quite a library of sensors and breakout “plugs” for the JeeLabs Platform. The heart of the platform is the JeeNode (see below), which adds an inexpensive radio to an RBBB-style development board.

JeeNode

All of the pins of the Atmega328 are reorganized into four ports that have the same pinout: IRQ, Analog In, Regulated Power, GND, Digital In, Power In.

Schematic of the JeeNode ports

Sensor plugs can be small and all have the same interface; most communicate with the microcontroller using I2C (a common on-board option in a lot of sensor ICs). A set of Arduino libraries provides a consistent interface to the sensor plugs and the wireless module.

Jean Claude’s blog is worth setting aside some time to dig into. The latest posts are about analyzing supercap discharge rates, but some of the previous 1000 odd posts include an Oscilloscope buyer’s guide, the design process behind the various products, and lots of analysis of power usage of Atmega-based microcontroller projects.

JeeLabs will be represented at the 2012 Bay Area Maker Faire by his Stateside collaborator Modern Device.

4 thoughts on “Environmental Sensing with the JeeLabs Platform

  1. Bruno Pedro says:

    Reblogged this on ABMIP.

  2. Tim Hoffman says:

    I have a bunch of JeeNodes, I can’t recommend them highly enough. Having a device with integrated RF comms sets it apart from a lot of other devices especially if you want remote sensing and control. The forum members on Jeelabs are especially helpful especially for newbs like me.

Comments are closed.

Discuss this article with the rest of the community on our Discord server!
Tagged
Shawn Wallace

Shawn Wallace is a MAKE contributor, artist, programmer, and editor living in Providence, R.I. He designs open hardware kits at Modern Device and organized the Fab Academy at the Providence Fab Lab. He makes iPhone synthesizers with the Fluxama collective and is a member of the SMT Computing Society.

View more articles by Shawn Wallace

ADVERTISEMENT

Maker Faire Bay Area 2023 - Mare Island, CA

Escape to an island of imagination + innovation as Maker Faire Bay Area returns for its 15th iteration!

Buy Tickets today! SAVE 15% and lock-in your preferred date(s).

FEEDBACK