Mobile Urban Pollution: Prototype Two

Summary | Modifications | Software | Critique

Summary

This is a 2nd prototype With a form factor and software that is suitable for trials.

Modifications

The following key modifications have been made:

Software

Downloads

The software and source code can be downloaded (project members only):
  1. PollutionReader_v1.zip (12/2003 - requires jeeps)
  2. PollutionReader_v1.1.zip (5/3/2003 - includes jeeps) Better diagnostics for invalid readings
  3. PollutionReader_v1.2.zip (11/3/2003 - includes jeeps) Minor fix to stop logging GPS sentences
  4. PollutionReader_v1.3.zip (12/3/2003 - includes jeeps) Minor fix to graph actual CO (reading - base) not the reading itself
  5. (8/4/2003) Parsable log file names. Audio feedback.
  6. (11/9/2007) Log GPS coords in main log file
If you don't have it, then you can also download a customised version of Jeeps, that supports WinCE (PocketPC2002) jeeps-0.1.3.zip.

Pollution Reader PocketPC 2002 Manual

Installing WinCE Version on a New Device

  1. The device needs the correct date and a roughly correct time set.
  2. Connect the device to your Windows desktop. There is no need to make a partneship. Browse the device (e.g. from "My Computer/Mobile Device". Create a directory under the top directory on the device called "pollutionreader" (at the same level as "My Documents").
  3. Copy the following files to "pollutionreader": 
      config.txt
  config_com.txt
  config_file.txt
  pollution.txt
  pre_iraq_short.txt
  sounds/*.wav
  4. Copy pollutionreader.exe (it may be under wince/armbg) to "pollutionreader". You can if you wish just put the executable on the start menu or make a shortcut to it from the start menu.

Installing WinCE Version on Emulator

If you have the PocketPC 2002 emulator installed, you can build PollutionReader to the "Win32 (WCE x86) Debug" or "Win32 (WCE x86) Release" target. If you the platform to "Pocket PC 2002 Emulation", then the default target for debugging will start the emulator and download pollutionreader.exe to the start menu.

You need to run the emulator version in test mode. Getting the log files onto the device is more complicated.

  1. On the Pocket PC 2002 Emulator, go to "Start" Menu, then settings. Select the "System" tab and the "About" button. Select the "Device ID" tab, and set the text box "Device name" to something random. Click OK to set the new name. Click X to dismiss settings panel.
  2. On the desktop, share a directory. E.G. share the directory "C:/tmp/share" as "share".
  3. On the Pocket PC 2002 Emulator, pop up the file browser under "Start" menu, then "Programs" menu item, then "File Explorer" icon. Go to "My Device" menu and create "pollutionreader" (it should be at the same level as "My Documents".
  4. Still in the file browser, browse to "\\\", e.g. for my machine "\\shawn\share". You may have to type in a Windows network username, password and domain name. Note the "\" key doesn't seem to work on some keyboards - you may have to enter it from the tap-in keyboard on the emulator. Copy the the files config.txt, config_com.txt, config_file.txt, pollution.txt, pre_iraq_short.txt and sounds\* (pen down and hold after selecting the files names), and paste them under the new pollutionreader directory.

Config

pollutionreader.exe reads the file \\pollutionreader\config.txt to get options for whether or not to read test files, and which COM ports to use. You can mix test files and devices if you only have one COM port. You might have to switch the COM ports if you install a serial card into a pocket pc, or want to change the cabling and switch the devices over. The config.txt is, by default a copy of config_com.txt. If config.txt does not exist, then pollutionreader.exe defaults to reading test files. You should copy config_com.txt or config_file.txt to config.txt as required. NOTE that you can't edit the config.txt file in PocketPC Word - it doesn't parse properly afterwards.

Here is the contents of config.txt which explains the actual options. 

-f \pollutionreader\pre_iraq_short.txt -g
\pollutionreader\pollution.txt
# Note only the first line of the config file is read, this simulates
# command line arguments.
#
# Some sample settings
#
# Default configuration of UCL prototype1&2 on a PDA reading com
ports:
-c COM2: -d COM1:
# -c specifies the COM port for the GPS device (NOTE the :)
# -d specifies the COM port for the pollution device

# Test version
-f \\pollutionreader\pre_iraq_short.txt -g
\\pollutionreader\pollution.txt
# -f specifies the sample GPS NMEA log
# -g specifies the sample pollution log

# You can not specify both -c and -f 
# You can not specify both -d and -g

# The defaults (no arguments, no config.txt are equivalent to the test
# version above.  If the program can't read your file or device, it
# defaults to trying to read the values as if set by test version. If
# that fails it disables reading. It will warn you through pop-ups
# that this is happening.

Main Screens

IMPORTANT NOTE as of 8/11/2003, do not click the (X) in the top-right corner to exit the program. This buttons hibernates the process and does not kill it. This is a problem because the log file may not be terminated. Use the Main/Exit command on the menu.

The following figure shows the default screen which used for diagnostics. All the user needs to do is power everything on, and check that it read "Reading GPS OK" and "Reading pollution OK", both of these text sections turn yellow if the reading is being received but isn't valid, and turn red if nothing is being read from the device. The software attemps to reset the devices if they are unresponsive. The software also provides audio feedback for five conditions: GPS sentence received and GPS fixed (high clap), GPS sentence received and no GPS fix (low clap), CO high (high bell), CO medium (medium bell), CO low (low bell). These sounds alternate once a second.



The main menu allows you to switch to other visualisations and importantly, turn off the screen to save power. The four visualisation modes are Verbose (current screen), Pollution, Satellites and Map.

The pollution screen shows recent pollution levels. You can change the time period using the Time menu (not shown expanded). NOTE that the graphs may appear to jump around since the software does not calculate averages, but just samples points from earlier time periods. The maximum pollution value is 20ppm, you should expect the reading to peak and drop rapidly after turning the ICOM on. It should settle after 20 seconds.

The map screens shows recent OSGB coordinates. You can change the time scale as with the pollution screen. You can also move the map using View menu (E,S,W,N, zoom in, zoom out, re-center). Again the graphs will appear to jump because they only sample a few representative points from the log history.

The satellite screen shows the current positions of satellites. Green are strong enough to use.

Log File Format

Log files now have the PDA start time. An additional column has been dded, which is the PDA's time as well as the GPS time.

Pollution Reader Win32 Manual

The Win32 version is very simple. It supports command line argument as are simulated in the PocketPC version. The only visuals in the program are satellite positions, and it also reports the raw values of the GPS and pollution device.

Source

In released versions (currently v1, 8/11/2003), the projects have been rearranged. PocketGL has been dropped on WinCE. The WinCE project is now much more advanced in its device handling and rendering, though the Win32/OpenGL version is still useful for testing devices.

There are two main workspaces

In PollutionReader.sln there are two projects:

In PollutionReader.vcw there are a similar two projects:

Notes

Compared to prototype one, all timing issues have been resolved. The log file now contains both GPS time and PDA time for further analysis.

Uploading

Currently log files are uploaded by hand.

Critique

This device is robust enough for trials. We are finishing the fabrication of five devices.