IoT Gas Pipe Leakage Detector Insect Robot

This guide will help you create an IoT-based Gas Pipe Leakage Detector using an insect-like robot with Raspberry Pi. The robot will be equipped with gas sensors to detect leaks and send real-time alerts to the cloud for immediate action.

Components Required

• Raspberry Pi (Model 3 or later)
• Gas sensor module (e.g., MQ-2, MQ-7)
• Motor driver and DC motors for robot movement
• Chassis (to build the insect-like robot body)
• Connecting wires and breadboard
• Power supply (for Raspberry Pi and motors)
• Cloud service account (e.g., Google Sheets, Firebase, or AWS IoT)
• Optional: Camera module for visual inspection

Setting Up the Hardware

Follow these steps to set up the hardware:

1. Assemble the Insect Robot

   Build the robot chassis to resemble an insect. Attach the DC motors to the chassis and connect them to the motor driver for movement control.

2. Connect the Gas Sensor

   Attach the gas sensor module to the Raspberry Pi using the GPIO pins. Ensure correct wiring for power, ground, and signal connections.

3. Power the System

   Ensure all components, including the Raspberry Pi and motors, are powered correctly using appropriate power supplies.

Programming the Raspberry Pi

Write the code to read data from the gas sensor and control the robot’s movement. Send gas leak data to the cloud for monitoring. Below is a basic example using Python:

                import time
                import requests
                import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
                from gpiozero import Motor

                # Configuration
                GAS_SENSOR_PIN = 17
                MOTOR_LEFT = Motor(forward=4, backward=14)
                MOTOR_RIGHT = Motor(forward=15, backward=18)
                CLOUD_URL = "https://api.example.com/gas_leak"

                # Setup
                GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
                GPIO.setup(GAS_SENSOR_PIN, GPIO.IN)

                def move_forward():
                    MOTOR_LEFT.forward()
                    MOTOR_RIGHT.forward()

                def move_backward():
                    MOTOR_LEFT.backward()
                    MOTOR_RIGHT.backward()

                def stop_movement():
                    MOTOR_LEFT.stop()
                    MOTOR_RIGHT.stop()

                def send_gas_leak_alert():
                    response = requests.post(CLOUD_URL, json={"status": "leak_detected"})
                    print(f"Alert sent to cloud: {response.status_code}")

                try:
                    while True:
                        if GPIO.input(GAS_SENSOR_PIN):
                            print("Gas leak detected!")
                            send_gas_leak_alert()
                            move_backward()
                            time.sleep(5)  # Move backward for 5 seconds
                            stop_movement()
                        else:
                            move_forward()
                        time.sleep(0.1)  # Adjust as necessary for your application

                except KeyboardInterrupt:
                    GPIO.cleanup()
                    stop_movement()
            

This Python code reads data from the gas sensor, controls the robot’s movement, and sends alerts to the cloud if a gas leak is detected.

Setting Up Cloud Integration

To monitor and respond to gas leak alerts, integrate the system with a cloud service. Configure your cloud service to receive data from the Raspberry Pi and set up dashboards or notifications for monitoring the gas leak status.

Testing and Calibration

Test the robot by simulating gas leaks and verifying that the robot responds correctly by moving backward and sending alerts. Adjust sensor sensitivity and code parameters as needed for accurate detection and reliable performance.