Sensor: ttn-smart-sensor-moko

TTN Smart Sensor (Moko)

Overview: The TTN Smart Sensor (Moko) hinges on the progressive Internet of Things (IoT) technology to enable the tracking and monitoring of precise metrics like temperature, humidity, and location, amongst others. It leverages the powerful protocol of Low Power, Wide Area (LPWA) networking technology known as LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network), thus providing the means for widespread communication with low power consumption.

Working Principles:

The TTN Smart Sensor (Moko) employs the principles of IoT and LoRaWAN for its functionality. It collects data based on the parameters set (like temperature, humidity or pressure), processes it using an in-built microcontroller, and then employs LPWAN interface, specifically the LoRa technology, to transmit the data to a central network server.

The sensor takes advantage of LoRaWAN's adaptive data rate feature, adjusting the data rate depending on the distance and signal-noise ratio, ensuring power optimization and efficient data transmission.

Installation Guide:

1. Properly unbox the TTN Smart Sensor (Moko).
2. Configure the LoRaWAN parameters on the device, including the DevEUI, AppEUI, and AppKey. This can be typically done on a dedicated software platform provided by manufacturer through a computer.
3. Place the sensor in the desired location following instructions provided for the specific sensor type. Ensure that the location is within the coverage of LoRaWAN.
4. Connect the sensor to the target network through a LoRaWAN gateway.
5. Data collected by the sensor will subsequently be transmitted to your central network server.

LoRaWAN Details:

The TTN Smart Sensor (Moko) operates on LoRaWAN, a media access control (MAC) protocol for wide area networks designed to enable low power devices to operate in remote areas. LoRaWAN offers a significant range, potentially covering a radius of up to several kilometers in rural locations. This protocol utilizes different frequency bands based on the region, including EU868, AS923, US915, and AU915.

Power Consumption:

The smart sensor boasts of excellent energy efficiency due to its usage of the LoRaWAN technology, helping to enhance the lifespan of the battery. However, the actual battery life can be determined based on the frequency of data transmission and the payload size of data.

Use Cases:

The TTN Smart Sensor (Moko) is versatile and can be used in several scenarios including:

• Monitoring environmental parameters in agriculture - temperature, humidity, soil moisture, etc.
• Asset tracking in logistics and supply chain management.
• Building and home automation - monitoring temperature, humidity and light intensity.
• Smart city applications - monitoring public utilities, parking, waste management, etc.

Limitations:

Despite its multiple advantages, the TTN Smart Sensor (Moko) has some limitations including the following:

• Although coverage can reach up to several kilometers, this is environment-dependent and may be reduced in dense urban locations.
• It requires a LoRaWAN network server for data transmission.
• The size of the data payload that can be sent at once is limited due to LoRaWAN's low data rate.
• Despite being energy efficient, constant transmission of data may drain the battery faster than anticipated.

In conclusion, the TTN Smart Sensor (Moko) is a robust solution for data collection and transmission in remote areas, enabled by the power of LoRaWAN technology. It is versatile and can be used in a variety of application areas depending on the specific requirements.