Tools and Setup – Air Quality Monitoring Station Series, Part 3

Lesson Objective
This lesson aims to give you an overview of the tools, both hardware and software, needed to create the IoT Air Quality Monitor. By the end, you will clearly understand the components and software required for the project, laying the foundation for future lessons.

Software Tools

1. Arduino IDE:
   The Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is the main software tool you will use to write and upload code to the ESP32 microcontroller. It provides a simple platform for programming and troubleshooting your IoT project.

2. Required Libraries:
   Libraries are pre-built code that simplifies interaction with complex hardware. The following libraries are important for our project:

   • WiFi.h: Allows ESP32 to connect to a WiFi network.
   • Adafruit AHTX0 Library: Enables integration with the AHT10 temperature and humidity sensor.
   • TFT_eSPI Library: Provides functions for communicating with the TFT screen, making it easy to visualise data.

These software tools let you write code, upload it to your microcontroller and manage communication between the different components of your IoT station.

Hardware Components

1. ESP32 Microcontroller:
   ESP32 acts as the brain of your IoT project. It collects data from the sensor, displays it on the TFT screen and shares it over WiFi as a web server. ESP32 is ideal for IoT projects because of its built-in WiFi and low power consumption.

2. AHT10 Sensor:
   AHT10 is a highly accurate sensor that measures temperature and humidity. It will collect the environmental data you display and share online.

3. TFT Screen:
   A TFT (Thin Film Transistor) screen will be used to visualise sensor data in real time. This small, clear screen is perfect for displaying important data such as temperature and humidity.

4. Breadboard and Jumper Wires:
   A breadboard lets you make temporary, solder-free connections between components, while jumper wires connect ESP32, the sensor and the screen.

5. Micro USB Cable:
   This cable uploads code from your computer to ESP32 and powers the microcontroller during development.

List of Required Components:

	AHT10 high-precision temperature and humidity sensor
	TTGO T-Display ESP32 16MB with WiFi, Bluetooth and 1.1" colour LCD screen
	Dupont cables, 40 pcs

Setup Overview

• Development Environment: Your software and hardware will work together to build the IoT project. Arduino IDE provides the interface for writing and uploading code to ESP32, while ESP32 controls the sensor and screen.
• Hardware Connections: You will connect the AHT10 sensor and TFT screen to ESP32 using a breadboard and jumper wires. Once connected, ESP32 will read data from the sensor and display it on the screen.

What Comes Next?
After this lesson, you are ready to begin setting up your hardware and development environment in detail. You will first learn to connect your components correctly, then prepare Arduino IDE for programming ESP32.

Key Points

• You now have a basic understanding of the hardware and software required for this project.
• Arduino IDE will be your main development tool, and ESP32 will handle data processing and communication tasks.
• In the next module, we will explore the hardware components and their connections in greater detail. Let’s get ready to build your IoT Air Quality Monitor!