Windows IoT Community

Project Overview

This project demonstrates how to build a smart temperature sensor using a Raspberry Pi running Windows IoT Core. The sensor collects temperature data and can optionally send it to a cloud service for analysis and visualization. This guide will walk you through the hardware setup, software configuration, and basic code implementation.

This project is ideal for learning about sensor integration, device communication, and the capabilities of Windows IoT Core in embedded systems.

Getting Started

Follow these steps to set up your smart temperature sensor:

1. Prepare your Raspberry Pi: Flash Windows IoT Core onto your MicroSD card and boot your Raspberry Pi. Ensure it's connected to your network.
2. Connect the Sensor: Wire the temperature sensor to the Raspberry Pi's GPIO pins according to the sensor's datasheet. A common setup for a DHT22 involves VCC, GND, and Data pins connected to appropriate GPIO and ground pins.
3. Create a New Project: In Visual Studio, create a new "Blank App (Universal Windows)" project and select the "Windows IoT" template.
4. Add Device Libraries: Install necessary NuGet packages, such as `System.Device.Gpio` and `Iot.Device.Sensors`. For DHT22, you might need `Iot.Device.Gpio.Drivers.Dht`.
5. Write the Code: Implement the logic to read data from the sensor and display it.

Code Example (C#)

Here's a basic C# snippet to read temperature from a DHT22 sensor:

using System;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using Windows.Devices.Gpio;
using Iot.Device.Sensors; // Requires Iot.Device.Gpio.Drivers.Dht NuGet package

public sealed partial class MainPage : Page
{
    private GpioPin _dhtPin;
    private Dht22 _dhtDevice;
    private Timer _readTimer;

    public MainPage()
    {
        this.InitializeComponent();
        InitializeDevice().Wait();
    }

    private async Task InitializeDevice()
    {
        var gpioController = await GpioController.RequestAsync();
        // Assuming DHT22 data pin is connected to GPIO 4
        _dhtPin = gpioController.OpenPin(4);

        _dhtDevice = new Dht22(_dhtPin, TemperatureUnits.Celsius);

        _readTimer = new Timer(ReadSensorData, null, TimeSpan.Zero, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
    }

    private void ReadSensorData(object state)
    {
        try
        {
            var result = _dhtDevice.Read();
            if (result.IsValid)
            {
                // Update UI or send data
                var temperature = result.Temperature.Value;
                var humidity = result.Humidity.Value;
                // Dispatcher.RunAsync(CoreDispatcherPriority.Normal, () =>
                // {
                //     TemperatureTextBlock.Text = $"Temp: {temperature:N1}°C";
                //     HumidityTextBlock.Text = $"Humidity: {humidity:N1}%";
                // });
                System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine($"Temperature: {temperature:N1}°C, Humidity: {humidity:N1}%");
            }
        }
        catch (Exception ex)
        {
            System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine($"Error reading sensor: {ex.Message}");
        }
    }

    // Ensure to release GPIO pin on app exit
    public void Dispose()
    {
        _readTimer?.Dispose();
        _dhtPin?.Dispose();
    }
}
                

Further Enhancements

• Cloud Integration: Send data to Azure IoT Hub, AWS IoT, or other cloud platforms for advanced analytics, dashboards (e.g., Power BI, Grafana), and alerting.
• Web Interface: Host a simple web server on the Raspberry Pi to display readings locally.
• Notifications: Implement email or push notifications when temperature exceeds certain thresholds.
• Machine Learning: Use historical data to predict temperature trends or detect anomalies.
• Other Sensors: Integrate other sensors like light, motion, or air quality sensors for a comprehensive environmental monitoring solution.

Community Resources

Need help or want to share your project? Visit the Windows IoT Forum or check out other Community Projects.