This document provides the necessary steps required for the installation and configuration of the Inform@Risk LoRa Nodes. The Inform@Risk LoRaBasis software requires only open-source libraries and dependencies to be installed in order to setup the LoRa nodes. For more information about the hardware on the PCB, please check the corresponding hardware documentation under www.informrisk.alpgeorisk.com. A short overview of the hardware is given in the subsequent section.

The circuit board needed for this software is called 'Inform@Risk PCB'. It consists of about 100 components, including a high quality analog-digital converter (ADS 1220), an accelerometer (ICM20948) and Thermometer as well as a Barometer (BMP388). The microprocessor used is an Arduino MKRWAN 1310, with an SAMD21 processor and Murata CMWX1ZZABZ LoRa chip.

Additionally, a high-quality inclination sensor (Murata SCL3300) can be added to the board and connected using a 6-pin connector. If a subsurface sensor is attached to the board, an additional accelerometer (BMA456) is connected.

• Arduino IDE software
• Various Arduino Libraries to be downloaded in the Arduino IDE:
  • MKRWAN.h
  • Wire.h
  • I2Cdev.h
  • SPI.h (installation not needed)
  • SCL3300.h
  • ICM20948_WE.h
  • BMP388_DEV.h
• Libraries to be downloaded from the Inform@Risk GitHub page:
  • AGR ADS1220 Library: edited by AlpGeorisk (agr_ads1220.h)
  • Seeed Studio Step Counter/Bosch BMA456: edited by AlpGeorisk (arduino_bma456.h)

The SPI.h is a standard library that can be accessed by just including <SPI.h>. The library agr_ads1220.h is an adaptation of the standard 'adafruit ads1220' library. The arduino_ bma456.h is also an adaptation from the Seeed BMA456 Library.The modified source codes can be found in the 'Dependencies' folder.

In order for the nodes to work, the PCB has to be prepared as shown in the LoRa Measurement Nodes section. A power supply, such as a battery or solar powered lid, or a power supply with 3.5-15~V is needed since the nodes can not be powered by USB any more after removing the connection (Step 6 in part 3.1 'Preparation of the PCB and bottom part'). Then, a micro-usb cable is used to connect the Arduino to a computer. Please note that this micro-usb cable needs to be able to transmit data (charging-only cables don't work!). Also, because of the tight space in the enclosure, an angled plug is convenient or even necessary. An example setup is shown in the subsequent figure.

First, install the Arduino IDE from https://www.arduino.cc/en/software. Either the regular Arduino IDE or the newer Arduino IDE 2.0, which has updated editor functionality, can be used. The following screenshots are from the regular IDE, v. 1.8.19 (see following figure).

When the IDE is installed, open the file “LoRaBasis\textunderscore InformRisk\textunderscore VXX”, with XX representing the current version number. You will see a similar screen to the one below.

The tabs correspond to the ‘.h’ files in the folder in which the Arduino file is located. The .h files have different functions, which are explained below. If the Inform@Risk board is used, usually only the Uni_Config.h file needs to be changed by the user.

The tabs' functions are as follows:

When the libraries are installed correctly, the code should compile without problems. There are several issues that could occur, we will add possible problems in a future version of this guide. If you have problems, you can contact us under moritz.gamperl@tum.de.

This file contains the setup for the Inform@Risk PCB. The settings here don't need to be changed by the user. Libraries that are necessary for the Arduino itself and its LoRa communication ('ArduinoLowPower.h', 'MKRWAN.h') and digital communication ('Wire.h') are included. Ports are setup and defined here too. If anything is changed on the PCB itself (e.g. different parts or port settings), the changes need to be applied here. All variables that are needed for the measurement loop and LoRa communication are defined here.

In this file, the basic settings can be changed by the user during installation. The general\textunderscore config.h file is structured as follows:

• Timing setup
• Definitions of sleep mode
• Definitions of Data Packet Designator

The first line of code (# define SP Serial) defines which serial port is used. This is important for debugging, as the Serial monitor of the Arduino via USB shuts down once the processor goes into deepsleep-mode (described in detail in the deepsleep section). Hence, it is possible to change the serial output to the serial ports (RX, TX) on the PCB. This way, subsequent cycles after the first deepsleep command can also be read out from the serial port. If the serial ports on the PCB are used, the command needs to be changed to # define SP Serial1.

In this section of the general_config.h file, the sensor states are defined. This is used to turn on/off the different sensors which are connected on the board or can be attached to it. To turn a sensor on, simply write “= true” after the corresponding variable. This is the main section which needs to be changed when setting up a sensor either in the field or when preparing it beforehand. Please note that for the current PCB version (V 0.2), no IMU is attached on the board, so this is always false. The list of parameters can be seen in the next figure.

These settings can be seen as general toggles for the different sensors. If they are not turned on, all subsequent settings (for the ADC e.g. in the “*ADC_Config.h*” file) are disregarded. If, for example, the SMN is attached, but with settings different from the default (explained in the SMN section), the SMN must be turned on here and the specific settings have to be changed in the *SMN\textunderscore Config.h* file.

These parameters define which power ports should be active during measurements (does not apply to the SMN measurements). While the SET_V12 and SET_SW3V3 ports are the regular ports that can be accessed from the connectors on the PCB, the alternative SW3V3_A and SW3V3_B ports are actually the Analog in ports on the Arduino, which can be set to be used as outputs. They are different from the regular SW3V3 and V12 though, as they can supply less current than the latter.

Under this subsection of the general_config.h file, the parameters define the LoRa connection settings for data transmission. The parameters are listed in the next figure.

In this tab, the general settings are performed. The Uni_Config file is structured as follows:

• Include libraries and necessary files
• Universal Configurations: Variable and Timing definitions, sensor states
• Hardware Configuration
• Include extra configuration files for SCL, SMN and ADC, as well as functions

Of these parts, only the timing definitions and the sensor states need to and should be changed by the user (see picture below).

Each of these parameters is described shortly on the right side as comments.

The first command # define SP Serial defines which serial port is used. This is important for debugging: Because the Serial monitor of the Arduino via USB shuts down once the processor goes into deepsleep-mode (described in detail in the section on deepsleep), it is possible to change the serial output to the serial ports on the PCB (RX, TX). This way, subsequent cycles after the first deepsleep command can also be read out from the serial port. If the serial ports on the PCB are used, the command needs to be changed to SP Serial1.

Loopintv controls the interval of one cycle, including initialization, measurement, data transmission, powerdown, sleeping and powerup. This means that the sleeptime itself is calculated each cycle by subtracting measlength , sensorstarttime and the rest of the calculation time from the total loopintv. extrafreq is not used for now (v 1.0).

The sleeptime is calculated as follows:

sleeptime = loopintv - (measlength + sensorstarttime)

The Sensor State section is used to turn on/off the different sensors which are connected on the board or can be attached to it. To turn a sensor on, simply write “= true” after the corresponding variable. This is the main section which needs to be changed when setting up a sensor either in the field or when preparing it beforehand. Please note that for the current PCB version (V 0.2), no IMU is attached on the board, so this is always false. Desig and settings\textunderscore desig change dynamically in the loop and don’t have to be adapted.

These settings can be seen as general toggles for the different sensors. If they are not turned on, all subsequent settings (for the ADC e.g. in the “ADC\textunderscore Config.h” file) are disregarded. If, for example, the SMN is attached, but with settings different from the default (explained in the SMN section), the SMN must be turned on here and the specific settings have to be changed in the SMN\textunderscore Config.h file.