So it all started a few years ago when I got my first Arduino Uno. It was pretty cool, I made a few sensor based loggers and played around with an LED that was controlled by I2C, but the device was only useful so long as it was attached to my computer. This, however, didn’t stop me from purchasing an Arduino Mega and looking into microSD shields, but they were more expensive then they are today and I had other distractions that left the UNO and Mega collecting dust.
Now that those previous distractions are dealt with (I finally got my Tam!), I have returned to playing with microcontrollers and I quickly recalled why it was I was initially put my UNO and Mega away. My original intentions were to create some luxurious habitat for my two leopard geckos. That—as soon as it arrives—will now by taken care of by a biopod, and while the UNO or Mega could have gotten the task accomplished, I wanted the data! I am a scientist, and in some ways, the data was more important than having a fully automated habitat. But again, I would need an SD card something or other and that is when I stumbled upon the photon.
It is tiny, like super tiny. I think I could fit 4 or 5 of them in the same space as and UNO and it comes Wifi equipped with Cloud connectivity. The programming is essentially the same as programming an Arduino and it is great! I now own three, two power a greenhouse and watering setup for my Japanese Maples and the other is for collecting temperature and humidity data in S.O.R.A.H. I want more, as there are additional areas were meaningful data might be collected that will most likely differ from the other areas. At $19.00US a pop on Amazon, they are affordable, offer more versatility and speed than your typical Arduino and I really haven’t anything bad to say about them.
–end transmission