Previous posts:
EasyConfigure - Modular/Configurable System Intro
EasyConfigure - Hardware Components
EasyConfigure - BASH scripting
EasyConfigure - MQTT test setup
EasyConfigure - Remote sensor unit preparation
EasyConfigure - Sudden Impact Monitor
ESP8266 and Arduino IDE + FAIL
At first I intended to use NodeMCU firmware and do all my work from Lua scripts but this turned out to be a problem. NodeMCU eats ESP8266 memory very quickly.
Recently Arduino IDE for ESP8266 was introduced (https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino). I decided to give it a go since most of original Arduino classes are supported.
My initial problem was WDT related - device was reseting if setup() takes more than 1s which was always for me. After reporting the problem, ESP object was introduced and WDT was not a problem any more.
I left the accelerometer reading as my last step since accelerometer module last arrived - I didn't get to the point where I'm reading it since my last ESP8266 board died yesterday!
So much time spent on a project and then one moment of not being careful makes it all useless! I connected my board to the battery for a test and forgot to use a voltage regulator (3.3V). This turned out to be fatal for my LAST ESP8266. It works partially but I'm unable to flash it anymore (LEDs blink as if everything is fine but connection with device never succeeds). I order one more board from eBay a while ago just in case something similar happens but it still didn't arrive
Remote sensor device
Remote sensor device is built around ESP8266 - ESP07 breakout board. ESP8266 runs at 80MHz. This is a small board that makes the entire device small even without making a custom PCB (Due to lack of time I used the prototyping PCB with short lines). Custom PCB with SMD components would be a great improvement.
Figure 1. ESP8266-based remote sensor unit
Sudden Impact Monitor Demonstration
Since my original board died suddenly by the voltage impact I had to make some last-minute workaround to be able to demonstrate my client application. So, just for the purpose of making a demonstration video I modified the original sketch just so that it can run on a CC3200 Launchpad and to use the Launchpad's onboard accelerometer. I had a very limited time for this workaround so please take that into account (I did it one hour ago, after I finally gave up on my original board). Anyway, I should receive a spare ESP-07 board any day so I might be able to send it with my original device and let the Leeds Becket guys fix it in that one day period that's available for fixing.
Figure 2. CC3200 Launchpad as a workaround for the demo video
Please excuse me being completely silent, it's late here and my kids are sleeping in the next room with door open.
Here's the demo video:
Thanks for reading and watching,
Dragan