Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Looking for assistance - Please help

xonicx

Dec 28, 2013
5
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
5
Hello,

I am not familiar with electronics to the point of building them. I came to the forum to find someone who can point me in the right direction. I'm searching for something specific.

Requirements:
-Battery Powered
-Able to transmit/send data via the internet (through wireless home network)
-Data would be gathered in 12 hour periods
-Data gathered is from specific contact points on the board, when contact is made, it sets the value from 0 to 1 for example
-size would need to be no more than 5 inches x 5 inches


Any help, guidance or direction would be appreciated. Thanks.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
Moderator
Jan 21, 2010
25,510
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
25,510
How many inputs?

Are the all just contact closures?

Do you want something pre-made?

Where is the data to be sent to? Do you have a specific requirement?

in 12 hour periods? Do you mean for a period of 12 hours, or do you only want to sample the data once every 12 hours?

5 inches x 5 inches x ??? six feet?

If you're not wanting to build something I suggest you Google for "Data Loggers" and see what you find.
 

xonicx

Dec 28, 2013
5
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
5
How many inputs?

Are the all just contact closures?

Do you want something pre-made?

Where is the data to be sent to? Do you have a specific requirement?

in 12 hour periods? Do you mean for a period of 12 hours, or do you only want to sample the data once every 12 hours?

5 inches x 5 inches x ??? six feet?

If you're not wanting to build something I suggest you Google for "Data Loggers" and see what you find.

Let's go a different direction for a minute (because the contact points are an alternative to a weight measurement idea I was working on), I did some research on data loggers and that's not what I'm really after. I believe if I could get a mini load cell to take a weight measurement (0-700grams) and send that weight to a offsite server (The database will need to record the weight that was sent), that'd be great. One reading every 12 hours. Size, it needs to fit in a box that is 8 inches long, 8 inches wide, 3 inches high (roughly). I came to this forum primarily to find out if this is possible and if it's out there already (any size), also what kind of cost would it be to have it put together custom? I'd want to possibly get a few of them.

Thanks again for the help.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
Moderator
Jan 21, 2010
25,510
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
25,510
OK, so you want to weigh something once every 12 hours and send this weight measurement *somewhere* (unspecified).

What is the mass you want to measure?

What accuracy and precision do you need?

What interface do you have to your unspecified server (internet connection perhaps?) Or do you want to have something like bluetooth and have an external server poll this for data (as in the device you linked to).

Are you prepared to make it yourself? (Or do you want to buy something off the shelf?)

Does your 8x8x3 size include the load cell?
 

xonicx

Dec 28, 2013
5
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
5
I don't have a mass, imagine the mass of a 16 ounce (453.592 grams) soda bottle. Accuracy needs to be 1 ounce (28.3495 grams). Internet connection is good, I need it to have a mac address so it can be attached to the wireless local network. I am not going to build it, I'll have to have someone build it for me. The size isn't important at this point, just threw some numbers out, It can be increased in size, not really important right now. This project is in the research phase. I want to know if I can get something like this built, and if so, what kind of price would it cost to have schematics drawn up and a working model? If you know of a company that can build custom requests like this, let me know. If something like this exists that someone knows of, I'd like to know about it. Appreciate the help.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
Moderator
Jan 21, 2010
25,510
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
25,510
OK, perhaps you need to figure out what you want.

You need something that can connect to a wireless network (how will you get it to d that if there is more than one present?)

You need to be a little more specific about *exactly* where it is to send the data and in what form.

Depending what you want, the first unit could cost many tens of thousands of dollars but fall dramatically if you order tens of thousands (maybe to a couple of hundred each).

You'd also need to define what standards the device needs to satisfy. CE mark perhaps? That alone will cost a bomb.
 

xonicx

Dec 28, 2013
5
Joined
Dec 28, 2013
Messages
5
The link I provided is an exactly what I want, but on a smaller size. The device takes a weight and sends it over wireless. The data will be logged into a database, the weight will need to be recorded, for example the 16 ounce bottle needs to be inserted into the database, the database and software side will take care of the rest. The device just needs to send the data to the server, the server identifies the MAC that the data comes from. If there's multiple devices on the same wireless network, the MAC addresses will be different and should be identified as different. If you look (http://www.withings.com/en/kidscale/features), that is very close to what I'm trying to accomplish. I haven't researched "standards" yet, I'll have to look into that, cost for standards will not be important.
 

(*steve*)

¡sǝpodᴉʇuɐ ǝɥʇ ɹɐǝɥd
Moderator
Jan 21, 2010
25,510
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
25,510
Ok, plan on $40k to $100k to get a prototype. The most expensive bit will probably be the enclosure. However there will be a heap needed to tie your idea of specifications down to something someone can actually work with.

Just as one example, from what you've said so far, a 15 oz bottle could read between 14 and 16. I imagine you really want more precision though.

Defining the interface to some remote web site or database is not trivial either.
 

BobK

Jan 5, 2010
7,682
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Messages
7,682
For an off the shelf solution, a Raspberry Pi + a load cell should do it. The rest is programming.

Bob
 

DougW

Jan 4, 2014
3
Joined
Jan 4, 2014
Messages
3
WiFi wieght scale

The components for a minimal WiFi weight scale would cost between $100 and $150.
Bluetooth would be $30 cheaper than WiFi.
Labour to assemble - about 10 hours.
Labour to program - about 40 - 50 hours.
Definitely not cheaper than the Withings scale you found, and at this price not very sexy looking, but it could be made within your size constraints.
 
Top