This article describes how to use XBee transducers to create small and lightweight wireless sensors, which send data to a base station for collection and analysis. Data collection is limited to 10-bit accuracy by the XBee hardware. Depending on the type of XBee used, up to six data channels can be transmitted over a range of up to 15 miles. We describe the technical details of the process using the low-power version of the XBee transducer and a three-axis accelerometer chip.

Topics
Analog-to-digital converter, Measuring instruments, Acceleration measurement, Software engineering, Airplanes, Digital filter, Batteries, Educational assessment, Teaching, News and events
1.
Available from Sparkfun.com, http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8664. Note that there are two versions of the XBee hardware: The original (often called “series 1”) and the newer “series 2.5.” The two series are not interchangeable. Series 2.5 has better mesh networking capabilities but will only accept A/D inputs of up to 1.2 V. Series 1 is preferred for this application as it is somewhat easier to set up point-to-point communications and will accept A/D inputs of up to the 3.3 V power supply voltage.
2.
More information about the use of XBee transducers can be found in
Tom
Igoe
 ,
Making Things Talk: Practical Methods for Connecting Physical Objects
(
O’Reilly Media
,
Cambridge, MA
,
2007
), pp.
222
–
259
; and
Google Scholar
 
Tom
 
Igoe
, “
Wireless motion sensing made easy
,”
Make Magazine
 
14
,
125
–
128
(
2008
).
Google Scholar
 
4.
Sparkfun, http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=847, for example. Other ranges of accelerometer breakout boards are available as part numbers SEN-00848 and SEN-00849.
9.
Note that it is possible to have multiple sensors communicate with one base station simultaneously. Just make sure that each XBee on a given network ID has a unique address.
10.
See supplementary material at http://dx.doi.org/10.1119/1.3427415 for the XBee and one-channel python codes.
© 2010 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2010
American Association of Physics Teachers

Supplementary Material

Supplementary Material- zip file
AAPT members receive access to the American Journal of Physics and The Physics Teacher as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.