Remote simple monitor

Community Projects
1

Hi,

I am completely non tech so please bare with me. I have recently completed a project for a local environmental group, which involves remote monitoring of live capture traps for feral pest animals. The system uses a small SMS unit which sends a text message to a supervisor when a trap is sprung. The power requirements are met by a solar panel and small storage battery. Cost is around $450(nz) for the complete unit. The sms unit is quite sophisticated, with two inward circuits and two outward.

It had occurred to me that if I could program an android smart phone there would be considerable potential savings, both in unit cost and in power requirements. I only require a single closing or opening a simple circuit to trigger either a pre worded text, or even just a pre set phone call. An android smartphone would have only a fraction of the power requirements of the existing SMS unit, with big savings in both solar panel and storage.

I came across the DEV-13613 ROHS and from what I can figure out might just do what I need. But I know my limitations and they are no where near what would be required. So was wondering if anyone would be interested in the above as a project which well have a potential commercial application in trap monitoring in New Zealand.

With thanks… Peter

2

There are lots of web sites and forum posts describing similar solar powered DIY SMS messaging projects. Many use GPRS or GSM modules, which are now ~ US$ 30 and less power hungry that a phone. The Arduino IDE is pretty simple and a good place to start, so try a search for something like “arduino solar sms messaging”. I’ll bet you could do the entire project for $50 or less in parts cost.

Avoid Instructables. Most are written by people who don’t know what they are doing, and are misleading or wrong. Expect technical challenges.