AquaSense is an open-source project focused on developing an affordable and accessible system for monitoring basic water and environmental parameters.
The project is being developed through multiple hardware and software iterations, with each version improving the system based on testing, observations, and practical requirements.
The goal of AquaSense is to explore how low-cost electronics, sensors, mobile devices, and cloud technologies can be combined to create a practical water-monitoring system.
The project focuses on:
- Affordable hardware
- Reproducible design
- Practical environmental monitoring
- Mobile-based data access
- Offline and cloud data handling
- Open-source development
- Iterative hardware and software development
At its core, AquaSense collects measurements from sensors placed in or around a water body and processes the data using a microcontroller.
The architecture has evolved over the different versions of the project.
Water Body
↓
Sensors
↓
Microcontroller
↓
Data Processing
↓
User Interface / Gateway
↓
Cloud Storage
AquaSense is being developed incrementally. Each major version represents a different stage of the system.
The first working AquaSense prototype was built around an Arduino-based system.
- Arduino
- TDS sensor
- DHT22 temperature and humidity sensor
- Ultrasonic sensor
- OLED display
- TDS measurement
- Ambient temperature and humidity measurement
- Distance / water-level-related measurement
- Local display of sensor readings
- Initial cloud-based visualization using ThingSpeak
V1 served as the foundation for the project's later development.
Release: v1.0
V2 focuses more specifically on water monitoring and improves the connectivity and data architecture.
- ESP32
- TDS sensor
- Turbidity sensor
- DS18B20 waterproof temperature sensor
Lake
↓
TDS + Turbidity + DS18B20
↓
ESP32
↓ BLE
Android Device
├── BLE Gateway
├── Local Storage
├── Analytics
└── Graphs / Dashboard
↓ Internet
Supabase
└── Historical Data
The Android device acts as the gateway between the ESP32 sensing node and the cloud.
This approach also allows an existing or refurbished Android device to potentially be reused instead of requiring a dedicated gateway device.
V2 is currently under development / testing.
The sensor configuration changes between project versions.
| Version | Controller | Sensors | Display / Gateway |
|---|---|---|---|
| V1 | Arduino | TDS, DHT22, Ultrasonic | OLED + ThingSpeak |
| V2 | ESP32 | TDS, Turbidity, DS18B20 | Android + Supabase |
AquaSense follows an iterative development process:
Problem
↓
Research
↓
Prototype
↓
Testing
↓
Identify Limitations
↓
Redesign
↓
Improved Version
Rather than treating the first prototype as the final system, each version is used to identify practical limitations and guide the next iteration.
The system is designed around readily available, low-cost components wherever practical.
Hardware, firmware, documentation, and design decisions are being documented so that others can reproduce and extend the project.
The V2 architecture explores the use of existing or refurbished Android devices as gateways, reducing the need for a separate dedicated gateway device.
The project focuses on measurements and features that can realistically be implemented within the project's cost and hardware constraints.
The project is being documented publicly so that the development process and lessons learned can be followed across versions.
AquaSense/
│
├── firmware/
│ ├── V1/
│ └── V2/
│
├── hardware/
│ ├── V1/
│ └── V2/
│
├── documentation/
│ ├── V1/
│ └── V2/
│
├── app/
│
├── README.md
│
└── LICENSE
The exact repository structure may evolve as development continues.
| Version | Status |
|---|---|
| V1.0 | ✅ First working prototype |
| V2.0 | 🔧 Development / testing |
Major project milestones are published as GitHub releases.
- v1.0.0 — AquaSense V1.0: First Working Prototype
- v2.0.0 — AquaSense V2.0: Lake Monitoring Architecture (future release)
AquaSense is being developed as an open-source project.
The repository will progressively include:
- Firmware
- Hardware documentation
- Circuit diagrams
- Bill of Materials (BOM)
- Sensor information
- Android application
- Database structure
- Communication protocols
- Setup instructions
- Calibration information
- Development documentation
AquaSense
A student-led project exploring affordable and accessible approaches to water monitoring through embedded systems, mobile technology, and cloud-based data management.
This project is open source. See the LICENSE file for details.