International Journal of Modern Research in Engineering & Management (IJMREM)

||Volume|| 2||Issue|| 2 ||Pages|| 12-21 || February 2019 || ISSN: 2581-4540

 IoT based Environmental Monitoring and Control System

1,
Ghulam Rubab Mirza, 2,Mukhtiar Ahmed Mahar, 3,Abdul Sattar Larik
4,
Abdul Razzaque Jawad, 5,Ghulam Fiza Mirza
1,2,3,
Department of Electrical Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology
Jamshoro, Pakistan
4,
School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, National University of Science and Technology
Islamabad, Pakistan
5,
Department of Telecommunication Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering & Technology
Jamshoro Pakistan

---------------------------------------------------ABSTRACT------------------------------------------------------
IoT plays a major role in collecting the information from the sensing unit enclosing our environment due to
alterations in the climate which led to the significance of environmental monitoring. This Paper presents a
development of real time environmental monitoring and control system by utilizing Node MCU, DHT11 sensor,
ACS712 current sensor, Thing Speak (Open IoT analytics service) and Blynk application. The main task of
monitoring parameters (Humidity, temperature and power consumption) with real time sensors is done by Thing
Speak continuously which has API (Application programming Interface) for gathering sensed data and enabling
users to observe the monitored data in graphs for an interval of every 15 seconds.
This project is also designed to control home devices sitting at any place in the world by utilizing power
efficiently through Blynk application which is used to read data from sensors located in home environment using
smart phone and to turn on/off heating and cooling appliances automatically with respect to room temperature
values.

KEYWORDS: Automatic Control, Blynk (android application), Environmental Monitoring, Remote Control,
Thing Speak (IoT cloud service).
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Date of Submission: Date, 11 February 2019 Date of Accepted: 15. February 2019
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I. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays in-home automation, the design challenges are increasingly noticeable. Monitoring, programming by
the user and controlling home devices have yet to be popular. This can be admissible to the demand of
establishing a fully extensible and independent home automation which could carry technologies and appliances
of distinct protocols and functionalities [1]. Environmental monitoring is an application as a part of smart
campus that explains any activities to monitor the status of an environment in a surrounding area and used in the
evaluation of any risk affecting environment and humans [2]. IoT refers to fastly emerging network of connected
objects that are able to exchange and gather data using embedded sensors and it plays a key role in
environmental monitoring system merging with cloud computing offers an advanced technique for better
management of data coming from different sensors and makes use of internet to control/monitor home appliances
connected to the internet [3].

There are yet threats in developing wireless sensor networks and its implementations facing problems of limited
power resource (battery) which sensors use for their operation so the network lifespan is greatly affected by
battery and hardware limitations caused by sensors (e.g. cache, processing capabilities and limited
communication). However, the bandwidth of wireless link is also limited in WSN and needs to be handled
particularly [4]. Wireless sensor network management prototype is composed of gateway node, router, end
device and monitoring management center.

Destination user device is accountable for gathering data of wireless sensor network and transmitting that data to
parent node and then is given to gateway node directly or by router. Gateway node extricates data after obtaining
data from wireless sensor network and designing them into Ethernet format and is sent to the server [5].

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II. LITERATURE REVIEW

Supriya M. Wasnik and Prof. Sunil Gupta 2017, introduced a system which monitors air quality parameters in
real time efficiently and data on the internet using several sensors, raspberry Pi (creating gateway), IoT module
and microcontroller [6]. Kumar Mandula et.al 2015, proposed the idea of home automatic system through IoT
using android mobile phone and Arduino board could be programmed to obtain sensor data or keyboard input
and control several home devices connected to output peripherals. The connection between cellphone and
Arduino is developed using Bluetooth which is wireless communication technology of small range and could be
used in an indoor environment for communication [7]. R. J. Carbajales et.al 2015, implemented a system
assisting citizens to run environmental monitoring with devices of range having option for providing measured
data among a community and is composed of Smart Citizen Kit (SCK) for transmitting and measuring the sensor
data and the Raspberry Pi SBC for processing and managing with ThingSpeak platform [8]. Zhi-xiao Tu et.al,
2017 showed a set of results of computer rooms’ management after going through the important inventions of
IoT by using sensors to collect data of environment with Raspberry Pi to turn on the alarm users, air conditioner
[9]. Wang et.al, 2013 developed a series of control modules such as radio frequency control modules and switch
modules in the WSAN to control all sort of home devices. Client computers, application servers, smart phones or
tablets can connect with the central controller of smart system through a Wi-Fi router and it has an appliance as
lower control layer (WSAN), withdrawn from or added into control system very conveniently. The smart control
system adopts the tasks of control and management of appliance, its monitor, power statistics, home safety and
examination [10]. Alper Gurek et.al 2013, implemented a home automation system which permits people to
control the appliances by a mobile application or website. Services of Google and cloud platforms are deployed
to carry texting between the components [11].

Bulipe Srinivas Rao et.al, 2016 developed a framework for environmental monitoring by interconnecting the
sensors (sound sensor, MQ7 sensor) and Wi-Fi module with Arduino Uno which is integrated with ADC to
convert the values into digital so that the environmental readings can be examined. The threshold values are set
for all these sensors and exceeding the sensor values makes LED to blink. The web server page is made which is
accessed for monitoring by entering the Server IP address. Further, the data is stored on Google Spread Sheet
[12]. K. Atukorala et.al 2019, presented a home automatic system and real time monitoring model entitled Smart
Eye which uses networked hardware equipment, cloud, GPRS networks and cellular networks to turn on or off
home electrical devices, such as bulbs and door locks and also proposes an alarming system with safety cameras
to guard homes [13]. H. wang et.al 2013, proposed a combined robot as an interface in a smart home which is
composed of an android phone connected to robot car of Wifi so that a person can obtain data like room
temperature and controls home devices like lights by his/her smart phone when he/she is not available in the
room and when a person is available, he/she can keep her smart phone on WIFI robot car. When a person is at
home, she can put her phone on a WIFI robot car.

This robot helper can perceive the voice-command of user to take voice control smart home devices, personal
notes and visually follow the user [14]. N. David et.al 2015, developed the architecture which uses a Bluetooth
communication and micro web server as an inter-operable application layer for interfacing between the home
devices and remote user [15]. Andrea Zanella et.al 2014, examined the results accessible for the application of
IoTs of urban. The disputed inventions are near to being arranged and players of industry are already active in
the creation of devices which take advantages of these inventions to allow the interested applications. Choices
for IoT systems is preferably broad while the set of systemized and open protocols and the range of design is
importantly lesser. Besides these enabling inventions have accessed a level of growth which allows for the
practical perception of IoT services and solutions. A valid proof is located in cooperation with Padova the city of
Italy and this has been explained as an important example of application of the IoT prototype to smart cities
[16]. In this paper, the system ensures energy saving of an environment with the implementation of remote and
automatic mode so that when a person is out of a room, he can control the home appliances from anywhere in the
world while monitoring of room parameters becomes possible too using the Blynk application and Thing Speak
whereas other systems use Bluetooth technology to control the appliances to turn on and off which is limited in
terms of range or distance. Many authors use zig bee chip which is highly risky to be used for official private
information that every unauthorized person can access and is short coverage limited making it unsuitable for
outdoor wireless communication whereas Node MCU can be used for indoor and outdoor wireless
communication and is secure way to communicate. Other systems use Arduino that cannot be connected with
internet directly, it requires Wi-Fi shield and has high energy consumption so the proposed system uses Node
MCU (built in Wi-Fi module) resulting in low cost and smaller size.

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III. METHODOLOGY
The below Fig.1 indicates block diagram of control and monitoring system which uses DHT11 sensor, sensing
the temperature and humidity and to be monitored on Blynk application and cloud service Thing Speak and also
to use the monitored temperature values by setting its threshold to turn on or off the appliances with respect to
weather automatically. Current sensor ACS712 is also used in the system to sense current of each load and will
display on Thing Speak server. Node MCU will examine the data with Wi-Fi module (ESP8266) to connect with
the relay circuit which collects the data and the data will be sent to the home appliances, turning them on or off.
Automatic Control is initiated via Blynk application so that a person can turn on/off the home appliances
remotely to save energy in case he forgot to switch off.

Fig.1 Proposed system of Monitoring and Control

Working: The main goal is to control home devices using Blynk, an android application and also through room
temperature values automatically. The proposed system has got high security because one has to make account
and enter username and password on Blynk and Thing Speak. Upgrading of data is done by Thing Speak
continuously which has API (Application programming Interface) for gathering data sensed by real time sensors
and API enabling to read that data. The proposed system measures parameters such as humidity and temperature
with the help of sensors and are monitored by an open source platform called Thing Speak for time of every 15
seconds and Blynk application using cellphone. The tabular data can be extracted in CSV format. Through the
Thing Speak or Blynk application, the user will be awared of the status of his or her room and precautions can be
taken after monitoring the room parameters. In Fig.2 two transformers are used. one is used to supply Node
MCU and sensors and another one is used to supply relay board. 230 volts AC main supply is being connected
with the input of both transformers; it is then changed into 12vac and is rectified and filtered with the help of
diodes and capacitors and converted into pure 12 volts DC and with the help of voltage regulator, it is then
converted into 5 volts DC and is being given to Node MCU and sensors. 5 volts DC coming from Node MCU is
given to the base of transistor to shift the 12 volts DC from emitter to collector and switching of loads is done by
relays as the output of Node MCU is connected with the base of transistor through resistors. Protection diodes
provide path for current when the relay coil is switched off otherwise voltage spikes or arching takes place
across its contacts. As the transistors drive relays; neutral will be given to normally open contact which is
connected with load and it will receive neutral through common contact of relays and phase is directly given to
it. Optocouplers are used to drive transistors according to instructions of relays and also prevent the noise
produced due to switching of relays from into Node MCU. During relays on conditions, the neutral through
common contacts get short-circuited with normally open contact which is connected with load and during off
conditions, the neutral is not given to load.

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Fig.2 Multisim Circuit Diagram

In Fig.3 Switching actions are performed with automatic control through Blynk application that uses the button
widgets to turn on and off the appliance remotely.

Fig.3 Flow chart of automatic control through Blynk application

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IV. RESULTS & DISCUSSIONS

Environmental Monitoring: In Fig. 4. (a) and Fig. 4 (b) DHT11 sensor and Current sensor sense temperature,
humidity and current values of total connected load and sent through Node Mcu to serial monitor and Thing
Speak when temperature decreases and humidity level increases.

(a) (b)
Fig.4 Results of DHT11 sensor shown on Serial monitor and Thing Speak

The below Fig.5 (a), Fig.5 (b) and Fig.5 (c) shows the results of temperature, humidity and current values and
sent through Node MCU to serial monitor and Thing Speak when temperature increases and humidity level
decreases.

(a) (b) (c)

Fig.5 Results of DHT11 sensor shown on serial monitor and Thing Speak

Automatic Control: --In Fig.6 threshold values are set to turn on the heater in winter automatically when
temperature decreases or equal to 27 degree centigrade with respect to room temperature values.

Fig.6 Automatic Control using room temperature

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In Fig.7 Threshold values are set to turn on the fan when temperature increases or equal to 36 degree centigrade
during summer.

Fig.7 Automatic Control using room temperature

Fig.8 shows the total load current is monitored and sensed by ACS712 current sensor on ThingSpeak so that a
user can carefully run the load in order to save units for remote control.

Fig.8 Power consumption Graph or total Load current

Automatic Control through Blynk application: To achieve the home control using smart phone, initially the
Wi-Fi module ESP8266 which is on Node MCU, connected to local network. With touching the specified
location of widgets in the Blynk app and sends ON/OFF commands to Node MCU via Blynk then the relays
connected to Node MCU performs switching operations corresponding to the input so that the loads connected
to relays will be switched ON/OFF automatically.

The below Fig.9 shows the remote controlling of home load which is in off state.

Fig.9 Results shown on Blynk app

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The below Fig.10 shows the remote controlling of home load which is in on state.

Fig.10 Results shown on Blynk application

The below Fig.11 shows the remote controlling of home load while heater and load 2 are on.

Fig.11 Results shown on Blynk application

The below Fig.12 shows the hardware of monitoring and control which is composed of Node MCU, relays,
transformers, rectifier and filter circuits. In this system, home devices are connected to relays and are controlled
automatically by using Blynk application and room temperature values.

Fig.12 Proposed hardware system

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V. CONCLUSION
The hardware is used for monitoring of temperature, humidity and power consumption in real time scenarios and
is visualised on open IoT service (Thing Speak). It also proposes a secure, cheap, auto-configurable, universally
reachable and remote-controlled solution with Blynk (android application) for the end user who can monitor the
environment of the room and control the home appliances using a smart phone and room temperature values. It
helps the user save the power by switching off the home appliances in case he forgot to switch off and assists
physically disabled people. However, this system can be extended for industrial purpose.

REFERENCES
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BIOGRAPHIES

Ghulam Rubab Mirza received her Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 2017 from Mehran
University of Engineering & Technology (MUET), Jamshoro. She is currently pursuing M.E in Power
Engineering from Mehran UET. Her previous published research paper is on Design and Fabrication of
Underground Fault Distance Locator Using Arduino and GSM in a 11 th International Conference on Open
Source Systems and Technologies (ICOSST-2017). Her research interest includes in the field of Automation &
Control and Internet of things (IoT).

Mukhtiar Ahmed Mahar received his B.E. degree in Electrical Engineering in 1999, M.E in Electrical Power
Engineering in 2005 and the PhD in Feb. 2010 from Mehran University of Engineering &. Technology
Jamshoro, Pakistan. In 2001, he joined the Department of Electrical Engineering, Mehran University of
Engineering and Technology Jamshoro, Pakistan. He has been working there as a professor since 2013. His
research interest includes Power Electronic Converters, Electrical Machines and Power Quality.

Abdul Sattar Larik was born in Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan, in 1973. He received the B.E. degree in Electrical
Engineering in 1999, M.E. in Electrical Power Engineering in 2005 and PhD in Power Electronics and Control
Engineering in 2009 from Mehran University of Engineering &. Technology Jamshoro. In 2000, he joined the
Department of Electrical Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro, Pakistan.
He has been working there as a Professor since 2012. Currently his research interest includes Power Electronics
Converters, Sliding Mode Controller and Power Quality.

Abdul Razzaque Jawad is currently pursuing bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from National University
of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad (NUST). His research interests include in the fields of Artificial
Intelligence, Algorithms Design, Internet of Things (IoT) and Programming.

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Ghulam Fiza Mirza received her Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunication Engineering in 2016 from Mehran
University of Engineering & Technology (MUET), Jamshoro. She is currently doing Joint Master from
University of Malaga, Spain and Mehran UET. Her research interests include Wireless Sensor Networks,
Internet of Things and Vehicle to Vehicle Communication.

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