Updates

Concerning the sensors, we connected the ESP32 to four sensors and successfully made measurements using the temperature and humidity sensors. We have begun preparing the attachment of the temperature and humidity sensors to the lid of the hive. The soldering of the wiring has been completed. We created functions to save the time at which data is collected to give the final graphs a parameter for the x-axis. The new temperature and humidity sensor that was bought has been implemented and reliably reads data. Regarding the front end, we developed a skeleton of the website. Next, we added tabs to switch between the humidity, weight, and temperature graphs and later added respective graphs using sample data. We made the website more aesthetic with a uniform color scheme which was implemented to the UI. For the backend, we successfully set up a Wi-Fi network on the Wi-Fi dongle attached to the Raspberry Pi for the ESP32 to connect to and transferred web server files to Raspberry Pi. Other updates are that we installed an update version of node and set up the PostgreSQL database on the Raspberry Pi. Now that the individual elements from the sensors and the backend have been developed, the next step is to combine the progress from each one. We have successfully established communication between the sensors, the ESP32 and the Raspberry Pi.

We were able to run the weight sensors and get readings from them. We found existing code for the temperature and humidity sensors, but it needs to be tested. As it is relevant to our project, we attended a React.js workshop held by Daksh which gave us a brief introduction to the topic. As for the front-end web development, we learned more about React.js through online resources and worked on the design for the website UI. We met with a member of the previous team to set up Postman and troubleshoot issues relating to graphing the data. Regarding backend development, we have been trying to figure out how to connect to the Raspberry Pi. We’ve tried establishing a connection over Wi-Fi, but we have not been successful in our attempts. We initially tried connecting to a hotspot, a personal at home network, and CometNet under Max’s guidance, neither of which worked. We are going to try to connect through USB and if we unsuccessful, we will resort to a micro-HDMI and a display. The backend is learning about API, ExpressJS, NodeJS, React, Prisma, and SSH commands. We were able to set up the web server successfully via local machines and have a general idea of setting it up on a Raspberry Pi due to research over spring break.

We met with our project partner, Dr. Rippel, to discuss the way the beehives work, the purpose of certain functions, and any past challenges for creating a monitoring system. He described the structure of the beehives, which typically consist of at most 2 boxes and 2-3 suppers, which could reach a weight of up to 260 pounds. We would only need to measure the weight of the whole hive (not the individual supers) but we would have to take into account that the hives can become very heavy easily. We also discussed the best places to include the sensors for temperature and humidity, which Dr. Rippel mentioned that he was unsure as to where the best place to place them would be since the internal temperature can vary due to the bees moving around depending on the season. He did however, briefly mention that the center might be a good place to start but that we might need to experiment with it. Another aspect of the project that was discussed is the challenge of finding a good energy source for the components. The apiaries are situated far away from other buildings and thus are not close to electricity. This might indicate that we may need to rely on solar power or a similar form of energy, although the apiaries are in the shade for most of the day, meaning that we may have to find an alternative solution. Another issue that was considered is that the bees tend to put propolis on components that are placed inside, making the implementation of temperature and humidity sensors a challenge. Finally, we confirmed with Dr. Rippel that it is okay to have the website updated every 12 hours (at most); he said that as long he has continuous (~ every 5 minutes) sensor data it is relatively unimportant when the website is updated. However, we still plan to update the website as often as possible, so we will experiment with power sources and the ESP32’s capabilities.

This month we have finalized the prototype design for the lid that will contain the sensors for the beehive. We plan on testing this prototype by integrating it within an existing beehive and monitoring the progress every two weeks. The results of these tests will determine the future shape and design of the prototype. If the bees don’t interfere with the sensors in a way that interferes with their ability to measure the temperature and humidity, then the prototype testing will have been a success. Otherwise, other solutions must be looked at in order to deliver a working product.

This month we have begun the process configuring parts of the system that were unnecessary. We will be conducting tests on parts of the system that will be added. We are going to embed the temperature and humidity sensors within the actual frame of the beehive so that the system will not actually disturb the beehive. The objective of the tests will be to measure the bee’s response and what formation of sensors will work best within the beehive. Apart from testing, we will also continue to document any changes that we are making and the results of the tests that we will be conducting on the system.