Pervasive environmental monitoring by means of self-powered particulate matter LoRaWAN sensor nodes

The aim of this paper is to propose the architecture of a self-powered sensor node, to be deployed on means of transport to pervasively collect measurements of Particulate Matter (PM) concentration in urban areas. The sensor node is based on the use of low cost PM sensors and exploits LoRaWAN connectivity to remotely transfer the collected data. It is also provided with GPS localization features that allow to associate the measured values with the geographical coordinates of the sampling site. The system is also provided with an innovative, small-scale, solar-based powering solution that allows its energy-self sufficiency and then its functioning without the need for a connection to the power grid.