uRADMonitor A3 User manual

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Summary
The uRADMonitor network
1
uRADMonitor A3
1
Connectivity
1
Sensors
2
Dosimeter vs. Monitor
3
Health impact
3
Product features
5
Connecting and starting your A3
6
The watchdog
6
Upgrading the firmware
7
The alarm
8
Accessing the data
9
uRADMonitor API
10
The mobile application
11
USB Serial connection setup
12
USB configuration commands
13
Frequently asked questions
16
Disclaimer
17
Warranty and support
18
Contact
19
The uRADMonitor network
The uRADMonitor project is a global array of network connected monitoring stations,
focused on continuous Environmental Surveillance. Its purpose is to generate fully
transparent open data, used to assert the quality of our environment and the impact
of various pollutants on human health.
uRADMonitor A3
uRADMonitor A3 is an automated, fixed monitoring station that tracks a total of 8
important air quality parameters. It comes in a compact, rugged aluminum enclosure
with wall mounting support. The data is exported to the uRADMonitor network and
can be accessed in real time using the cloud API interface or directly via the local
network.
Connectivity
There are 4 A3 variants, with the same sensors, but different connectivity options,
one on cable using Ethernet and three wireless solutions including WLAN, GSM
(Cellular) and the new LoRaWAN. The WLAN variant has built in antenna, while the
GSM and the LoRaWAN have a SMA connector for an external antenna.
Picture 1: wired / wireless data connectivity options
Using the 4 available connectivity options and the low power consumption this
device can be deployed for a large variety of field applications. Its versatility is
combined with a convenient cloud based data access with an API interface to
access the measurements directly from the uRADMonitor cloud.
1

Sensors
uRADMonitor model A3 uses the Bosch BME280 sensor to measure air
temperature, barometric pressure and humidity. A MOX VOC sensor measures
volatile organic compounds. A high quality laser scattering sensor is used to detect
the Particulate Matter PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 concentration in air. There are two
electrochemical sensors, one for formaldehyde and another one for ozone and a
non-dispersive infrared sensor for CO2. A built in fan assures an active air flow
stream across the sensing elements. There is also a noise level sensor since
iteration v105.
SENSOR
PARAMETER
MIN
MAX
RESOLUTION
ACCURACY
INTERVAL1
LIFE2
Bosch
BME280
Temperature
-40 °C
+85 °C
0.5 °C
± 1°C
-40..+100°C
5 yrs
Pressure
300 hPa
1100 hPa
1 Pa
± 0.25%
-40..+100°C
Humidity
0% RH
100% RH
1% RH
± 3%
-40..+100°C
ZH03A
PM1
0 µg/m³
1000 µg/m³
1 µg/m3
±15%
-40..+100°C
5 yrs
PM2.5
0 µg/m³
1000 µg/m³
1 µg/m3
±15%
-40..+100°C
PM10
0 µg/m³
1000 µg/m³
1 µg/m3
±15%
-40..+100°C
ZE08-CH2O
Formaldehyde
0 ppm
5 ppm
10 ppb
± 5%
0..+50°C
2 yrs
ZE25-O3
Ozone
0 ppm
10 ppm
10 ppb
± %
-10..+55°C
2 yrs
MH-Z19B
Carbon
Dioxide
400 ppm
5000 ppm
1 ppm
± 5%
0..+50°C
5 yrs
MP503
VOCs
10 ppm5
1000 ppm3
-
± 15%
-40..+100°C
2 yrs
SPU414
MAX4466
Noise level
30 dB
130 dB
1 dB
± 10%
-40..+100°C
2 yrs
1Using the sensor outside the recommended temperature interval can shorten its lifespan
2Estimated for normal usage conditions. Device maintenance is recommended after the
shortest sensor lifespan interval (2 years).
3Estimated for alcohol.
Picture 2: uRADMonitor units on the test bench
Dosimeter vs. Monitor
Automated monitoring provides more options over using handheld units
occasionally. Mapping data trends becomes possible thanks to continuous
surveillance and a permanent data flux. We have a higher detection capability for
small variations and can trigger automated alarms if predefined thresholds are
reached, improving reaction time while lowering costs.
Health impact
Picture 3: uRADMonitor fights pollution to improve our health
The purpose of the model A3 detector and of the entire uRADMonitor network is to
monitor chemical and physical factors that can have a negative impact on our health
or on the environment. Using its advanced sensors, the model A3 monitors against
the following potentially hazardous parameters:
2
3

VOC or volatile organic compounds are a class of substances that evaporate at
room temperature. Being different substances may be responsible for a broad
category of disorders, including respiratory problems, allergic or weakening
immunity in children. Some VOC ‘s are responsible for the formation of smog,
irritation of eyes, nose and throat, headaches and concentration problems. In
extreme circumstances, more severe complications can occur, such as damage to
liver, kidney and central nervous system or cancer [1]
Particulate matter PM2.5 refers to small particles with a diameter of up to 2.5
microns. These particles can penetrate deep into the lungs , causing allergies,
respiratory and cardiovascular diseases [2]
Formaldehyde is a toxic colorless gas with a pungent smell, that results from the
burning of carbon based materials. It can be found in forest fires, in automobile
exhaust and cigarette smoke. It is an allergenic and a known carcinogenic
compound that can cause serious health effects, depending on concentration and
exposure. Even in tiny quantities just above 0.1ppm it can irritate the eyes and
nose, and can worsen asthma symptoms [3]
Carbon dioxide is a gas heavier than air. In small quantities of up to 5000ppm
(0.5% ) can cause headaches, lethargy, slowing of intellectual ability, irritability,
sleep disturbance. In larger quantities can cause dizziness, loss of sight, hearing
or knowledge. The fresh air contains between 360ppm and 410 ppm of CO2 [4]
Ozone can cause the muscles in the airways to constrict, trapping air in the alveoli.
This leads to wheezing and shortness of breath. Long-term exposure to ozone is
linked to aggravation of asthma, and can cause asthma development. Long-term
exposures to higher concentrations of ozone may also be linked to permanent lung
damage, such as abnormal lung development in children. [5]
Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) is the most common and often discussed
health effect, but research has shown that exposure to constant or high levels of
noise can cause countless adverse health affects. [6]
[1] Volatile Organic Compounds’ Impact on Indoor Air Quality, US Environmental
Protection Agency
[2] Health and Environmental Effects of Particulate Matter (PM), US Environmental
Protection Agency
[3] ToxFAQs™ for Formaldehyde, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
[4] Health Risk Evaluation for Carbon Dioxide, US Bureau of land management
[5] Health Effects of Ozone Pollution, US Environmental Protection Agency
[6] Noise Pollution, US Environmental Protection Agency
Product features
Picture 4: uRADMonitor A3 motherboard front and bottom view
Parameter
uRADMonitor
A3.LAN
uRADMonitor
A3.Wifi
uRADMonitor
A3.GSM
uRADMonitor
A3.LoRaWAN
Internet
connectio
n
Ethernet RJ45
10/100/1000
Base-T Networks
Wifi 2.4GHz
Cellular GPRS
over GSM
GPRS multi-slot
class 10/12
Compliant with
multiple international
LoRaWAN bands
Wireless
frequencie
s
n/a
2400-2483.5MHz
850MHz/900MHz/
1800MHz/1900MH
z
IN865, EU868,
US915, AU915,
IL915, KR920,
AS923
Modem
Chip
Microchip
enc28j60
Espressif
ESP8266
SIMCom SIM800L
Microchip RN2482 /
RN2903
Antenna
connector
n/a
SMA male
SMA female
SMA female
Protection
IP30
IP30
IP30
IP30
Supply
Voltage
6 - 28 V
6 - 28 V
6 - 28 V
6 - 28 V
Sizes
110x65x25 mm
(excl.sup)
110x65x25 mm
(excl. sup)
110x65x25 mm
(excl. sup)
110x65x25 mm
(excl. sup)
Weight
175g
170g
170g
170g
Mounting
mounting support
provided
mounting support
provided
mounting support
provided
mounting support
provided
Ratings
Temperature: -20°C to +65°C Humidity: 0RH to 95RH
Certifications
CE / ROHS 2017
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5

Connecting and starting your A3
If you have a radio variant, connect the antenna first. If it is the wired variant,
connect it to the Internet Router using the Ethernet cable. Next, connect the
uRADMonitor to the power source using a DC adapter with voltage between 6V
and 28V or with a 5V USB Adapter via the USB connector. Both options are ok.
•The Ethernet variant
Make sure the device is connected to the Internet router using the Ethernet cable.
Use a longer cable if needed. The Internet router must have DHCP enabled. When
powered, the uRADMonitor gets an IP automatically, via DHCP, and will show up
on the map automatically.
•The WIFI variant
Use a smartphone or a computer with WLAN capabilities to connect to the local
hotspot spawned by your A3 unit. The SSID is uRADMonitor-XX, where XX are the
last two digits of the Device ID number. The key is the Device ID, in uppercase, as
printed on the enclosure. Open 192.168.4.1 in your browser, and click the "WIFI"
link to setup the Internet connection. Enter the SSID and key of your Internet
Access Point. If the connection fails, you will see the status message, and three
consecutive beeps will indicated the problem. You can configure it via USB too.
•The LORAWAN variant
Your device must be pre-provisioned with the LoraWAN credentials or configured
via USB.
•The GSM variant
A data SIM card must be inserted in your A3 unit before it can connect over
Internet. You can change the APN settings via USB.
Starting with hardware version HW106, the LoRaWAN, Wifi and GSM settings can
be customized via the USB connection. See the USB commands section, page 13.
The watchdog
When used as a monitoring station, it is likely that the unit will run unattended.
There is a watchdog mechanism that automatically reboots the unit in case of any
lockdown. This approach is a proven technique that allowed uRADMonitor units to
operate unattended for long periods of time, while providing valuable automated
measurements.
Upgrading the firmware
Periodically we release new firmware versions. When such a software package
becomes available, you have the option of upgrading your firmware manually. To
write the new firmware you will need the following:
1. usbAsp or compatible AVR programmer configured for 3.3V with a 10to 6pin
adapter. These are available on many online stores, including Ebay or Amazon.
If you still can’t find it, do a search for usbAsp or Avr Programmer. MacOS and
Linux will recognise the device out of the box, for Windows install the driver on
http://www.fischl.de/usbasp/
2. the new firmware compiled for each uRADMonitor unit that needs to be
programmed. Contact us for this file.
3. the toolchain, used to read the firmware .hex file and send it over the
programmer to download it into your unit, in this case avrdude, available on:
http://savannah.nongnu.org/forum/forum.php?forum_id=7719
Picture 5: usbASP Programmer configured for 3.3V
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7

To verify that your usbASP programmer is using the correct voltage, use a
Multimeter to measure the voltage between the VCC and GND leads connecting to
the flat wire cable. It should read at 3.3v. Using higher voltage will damage the
uRADMonitor circuit.
Having the usbAsp AVR Programmer connected to your computer (on Windows
you’ll also need the driver) and the avrdude software installed, you are ready to go.
Connect the programmer to the uRADMonitor PCB. GND must connect to PIN6 on
the PCB. Make sure to match the header pins correctly.
When the connection is successful, you will hear the starting beep. Open a terminal
and type the following command to configure the fuses for 8MHz and write the
firmware:
avrdude -p atmega1284p -c usbasp U lfuse:w:0xdc:m -U hfuse:w:0xd7:m -U
efuse:w:0xFf:m -U lock:w:0xFF:m -U flash:w:uradmonitor-A3-ID.hex:i
If everything is properly configured, you will see a text-mode animation showing a
progress indicator. Wait for the download to finish, it shouldn’t take more than a few
seconds.
The download shows a confirmation message when done. When complete, your unit
will go online with the new firmware.
Alternatively, the firmware can be updated via USB if the bootloader is installed.
Contact us for more help and details at [email protected] or use the info
available on the uRADMonitor Forums, www.uradmonitor.com/forum .
The alarm
There's a built in alarm system and you can configure the threshold values in the
Dashboard, on http://www.uradmonitor.com/dashboard . The device can also be
muted if needed to prevent any beeps or alarms. See the USB configuration.
Picture 6: firmware update
Accessing the data
You can access the data collected by your unit in multiple ways. You can see the
readings online, on the uRADMonitor webpage, via:
http://www.uradmonitor.com/?open=ID
Where ID is your unit's ID (82XXXXXX), please replace accordingly.
Picture 7: data chart example
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9

If you have a Ethernet or a Wifi A3, you can also access the unit directly, by
opening its DHCP assigned LAN IP in your Internet browser:
Picture 8: direct access to A3 data via LAN
The JSON link can be used to read the data via various automated scripts. Here
are a few examples developed by the community:
http://www.uradmonitor.com/weather-vs-radiation-readings/
http://www.uradmonitor.com/howto-upgrade-uradmonitor-graph-local-statistics/
http://www.uradmonitor.com/topic/new-firmware-enables-rrdtool-graphing/
http://www.uradmonitor.com/topic/include-uradmonitor-in-monitoring-software/
http://www.uradmonitor.com/topic/setup-local-graphs-for-your-uradmonitor/
http://www.uradmonitor.com/topic/uradmonitorx/
uRADMonitor API
You can access the data using the uRADMonitor API. A complete description is
available on http://www.uradmonitor.com/dashboard .
Get devices list
http://data.uradmonitor.com/api/v1/devices
Get device sensors list
http://data.uradmonitor.com/api/v1/devices/[ID]
Get device data
http://data.uradmonitor.com/api/v1/devices/[ID]/[sensor]/[interval]
Method: GET
Authentification: All calls must be authenticated with user-id and user-key sent in
the headers section of the GET call as key-value pairs of the following format: X-
User-id:[numeric id], X-User-hash:[hash]
Response: JSON formatted answer, containing error message in case of failure or
the requested data.
The mobile application
At the time of writing this article, there is a mobile application for Android OS, that
can be used to access environmental data worldwide. Go on Google play and
search for uRADMonitor to download your copy.
Picture 9: the mobile application
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11

USB Serial connection setup
Use a standard USB data cable to connect your computer to the uRADMonitor unit
using its USB port:
Figure 10. The USB port is marked with a white label and is located below the round power jack
On your computer open the serial terminal software and set it to 9600bps. Select
the appropriate serial port then open the connection. The device will display a
greeting and will enter powersave mode, where the sensors, the communication
module and the data transmission are all stopped.
Figure 11. Serial connection is established
Now the device is ready to take commands over the serial link.
USB Configuration commands
The current firmware implements commands for configuration, debugging and data
access. Each command must be issued between double quotation marks and any
following parameters are separated by a comma. No spacing should be added
between the elements in double quotation marks and the comma. This format was
derived from machine to machine communication (server to device) and it is
therefore rigid and inflexible in regards to any typos. However simple commands
with no parameters can be send without the double quotation marks. First
command you should start with is "help" (or simply just help):
•help , returns a brief list of the supported commands
Figure 12. Device response to the help command, showing the list of supported commands
The list of supported commands:
setid
Format: "setid","id"
Call example: "setid","14000045"
Description: changes the devide ID to the new
specified ID. This command is restricted and cannot
be used in normal operation.
sendint
Format: "sendint","interval"
Call example: "sendint","300"
Description: sets the data reporting frequency, in
seconds. By default, Ethernet, Wifi and GSM units
report the measurements every minute, while
LoRaWAN units send every 5minutes.
encrypt
Format: "encrypt","1|0"
Call example: "encrypt","1"
Description: toggles the payload encryption on (1)
or off (0). If the device talks to the uRADMonitor
data server the payload must be encrypted (default
option). Instead if you want to access the payloads
via a proprietary LoRaWAN Network Server, you
need to disable encryption.
morse
Format: "morse","message"
Call example: "morse","alert"
Description: uses the internal speaker to transmit
the message as audible morse encoded.
!
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reset
Format: "reset"
Call example: "reset"
Description: will reboot the uRADMonitor device
setmute
Format: "setmute","1|0"
Call example: "setmute","1"
Description: toggles the speaker on (0) or off (1).
Default value is 0, so the speaker is active by
default.
powersave
Format: "powersave","1|0"
Call example: "powersave","1"
Description: toggles the powersave mode on (1) or
off (0). Default is off. If enabled, the device
will send measurements data then go to sleep
immediately, for the "sendint" interval, to conserve
power. A LoRaWAN INDUSTRIAL device comes
about 500mW in normal mode and an average of
10mW with sleep mode enabled. This feature is
useful when running on limited power.
key1
Format: "key1","value"
Call example: "key2","WLAN-SSID"
Description: this is a multipurpose parameter
depending on uRADMonitor device type:
•WIFI: it holds the SSID of the Wifi
network the device should connect to.
•LoRaWAN with ABP join: it holds the
DEVADDR.
•GSM: it holds the GPRS APN .
This command allows you to configure the key1
value. Maximum key length is 64 characters.
key2
Format: "key2","value"
Call example: "key2","WLAN-KEY"
Description: this is a multipurpose parameter
depending on uRADMonitor device type:
•WIFI: it holds the key of the Wifi network
the device should connect to.
•LoRaWAN with ABP join: it holds the
NWKSKEY.
•LoRaWAN with OTAA join: it holds the
APPEUI.
•GSM: it holds the GPRS user (if any).
This command allows you to configure the key2
value. Maximum key length is 64 characters.
key3
Format: "key3","value"
Call example: "key3","APPSKEY"
Description: this is a multipurpose parameter
depending on uRADMonitor device type:
•LoRaWAN with ABP join: it holds the
APPSKEY.
•LoRaWAN with OTAA join: it holds the
APPKEY.
•GSM: it holds the GPRS password (if
any) .
This command allows you to configure the key3
value. Maximum key length is 64 characters.
beep
Format: "beep"
Call example: "beep" or beep
Description: if mute is off, will produce a short beep
on the speaker
alarm
Format: "alarm"
Call example: "alarm"
Description: if mute is off, will activate the sound
alarm for about a minute or until the command is
called the second time.
key4
Format: "key4","value"
Call example: "key4","PINCODE"
Description: this is a multipurpose parameter
depending on uRADMonitor device type. Currently it
is only used by GSM devices, where the value
represents the SIM CARD PIN code (if any).
This command allows you to configure the key4
value. Maximum key length is 64 characters.
server
Format: "server","value"
Call example: "server","data.uradmonitor.com"
Description: on devices with Ethernet, WIFI or
GSM, this command sets the server the payload
should be sent to. This powerful command allows to
redirect payloads to other destinations then the
default uRADMonitor data server. Please do not
change unless you know what you are doing.
Maximum length is 64 characters.
script
Format: "script","value"
Call example: "script"," /api/v1/upload/e7/"
Description: on devices with Ethernet, WIFI or
GSM, this command sets the script the payload
should be sent to. This powerful command allows to
redirect payloads to other destinations then the
default uRADMonitor data server. Please do not
change unless you know what you are doing. Max
length is 64 characters.
rx1delay
Format: "rx1delay","value"
Call example: "rx1delay","4000"
Description: sets the LoRaWAN RX1 window, in
miliseconds. RX2 will be automatically set to RX1 +
1000ms.
lorajoin
Format: "lorajoin","1|2"
Call example: "lorajoin","1"
Description: sets the LoRaWAN JOIN mode, where
1 is OTAA and 2 is ABP.
loradr
Format: "loradr","value|255"
Call example: "loradr","0"
Description: sets the LoRaWAN data rate at device
startup. Use 255 for no change (DR remains on
previous setting). Value interval is from 5 (SF7) to 0
(SF12).
loraadr
Format: "loraadr","value"
Call example: "loradr","0|1|255"
Description: Toggles the LoRaWAN adaptive data
rate at device startup, 1 to enable ADR, 0 to disable
ADR. Use 255 for no change (ADR remains on
previous setting).
loraupctr
Format: "loraupctr","value"
Call example: "loraupctr","1055"
Description: Sets the UP Counter used with
LoRaWAN ABP. the next message sent to the
Gateway will have the counter value+1.
getsettings
Format: "getsettings"
Call example: "getsettings" or getsettings
Description: returns the device configuration in
JSON format
getdata
Format: "getdata"
Call example: "getdata" or getdata
Description: returns the last device data in JSON
format. Please note that while USB is connected,
the device is in powersave mode and all sensors
are disabled.
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15

Frequently asked questions
Here are a few hints on fixing various issues when using your A3 dosimeter.
How to add my A3 to my dashboard account?
If both the unit and your computer as in the same network and share the same
external IP you'll see the unit listed in the dashboard, and you'll have a button to
add it to your account. If it's a LoRaWAN or GSM unit, or if for some reason you
cannot see it in the dashboard, contact us for help.
The unit is not visible online, nor can I access it via LAN
If it is an Ethernet or a Wifi variant, open your router's admin page and make sure
the A3 received a valid IP via DHCP. Try pinging the IP to make sure the
connection is properly setup. It it is a GSM/Cellular A3 unit, make sure you've
inserted a valid data sim, and the APN is correctly set. If it is a LoraWAN unit, you'll
need to double check the NWKSKey, the APPSKey, the DEVEUI and the
DEVADDR settings in the network server you are using.
Can I use it outdoors?
Yes, but only taking precautions not to expose it to rain or sun. The device, like
other electronics, is sensitive to the elements, and reasonable care must be taken
to protect it.
What is the privacy policy if the unit sends data online?
We only retain your email address needed for the system to register your account
online. Other than that we retain no personal information associated with your
unit's data online, and the location on the map can be customized for better
accuracy or better privacy, according to your requirements. You have access to
these coordinates yourself, by using the Dashboard, on
http://www.uradmonitor.com/dashboard
Air quality index worldwide thresholds
You can read more on international pollutants legal limits by visiting
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_quality_index
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