Feasibility / Brainstorm for idea of Mobile outdoor Mysensors Network

[breimann]

Re: Total Noob to mysensors Looking at feasibility of a project

I came across this topic which is a bit old... it's touching on the idea I've had for a Mysensors Single mobile network.

The idea is this:
Basically I'd like to create a network that I can move around in say the outdoors when camping, or out in the bush (yes, Im in australia) with the kids, where you can set in place several outdoor nodes (battery operated of course) maybe some with motion sensors and alarms in them, then maybe a pair of laser trip wires etc. Then you have a controller/gateway in one that is mobile either using an old smartphone that jumps on a small point to point wifi network, or uses bluetooth to talk back to the main controller, or maybe just a controller / gateway in one with a touchscreen??

Then you can monitor the various sensors - eg. if a motion detector goes off, you know which one, and you can reset or tell it to sound it's alarm or reset the alarm all from the control node/controller.

Obviously these would be all within 50-100 metres.

You might have a lux sensor to know if it's dark or light, then you could turn on some light nodes if someone trips your "perimeter" etc.

This could have some great application for group games for kids, (or kids at heart) or some more serious implications with detecting animal / foxes / etc entering a zone or area you're camping in etc.

Am I making myself clear? Does this make sense what I would like to do?

Do you think it would be feasible with mysensors (i think so) and if so, what would be the most simplest solution to develop it?

Ie could you just use a bunch of nodes talking back to a node that has the touchscreen without a gateway and controller???

I've created my own network at home, using a RPi running Domoticz, an arduino gateway with an NRF24, and various nodes.

I just wanted to see about setting such a network up that is fully mobile, maybe not internet connected, but maybe in future might be with a GSM card or similar??

Just a thought, and wanting to seek more experienced Mysensor members input on the matter, or if someone else has had the idea already and started implementation??

[mfalkvidd]

@breimann I really like your idea.

I think the easiest way would be to use an usb battery pack and a Raspberry Pi. That way you can power the rPi for several hours, and you would have the full power of whatever controller you decide to install on the rPi.

An alternative could be a gsm gateway (thanks to @Thucar https://www.openhardware.io/view/567/MySensors-GSM-Gateway

[Thucar]

As you will be wanting to receive the information and perform actions in the vicinity of the GW, I would go with a RPi + NodeRed + NRF24. Then switch the Raspi into Access Point mode and you'll be able to hook your phone up to it to receive notifications and control settings.
For a GSM connection, either add a USB modem or a GSM module to the IO pins, then connect to a MQTT broker on a VPS

That way you will only need to supply power to the Raspi and you're done.

[breimann]

@thucar thankyou for your thoughts on this idea... I'll need to do some further research on many of your suggestions. Thanks again.