An experiment to solve the wireless communication problem of microcontrollers regardless of platform, hardware and software dependencies. Low energy bluetooth technology was used to demonstrate signal transmission possibilities.
When I got my first microcontroller computer, I was so amazed, curious and wanted to build a lot of things right away. Not a wonder for a curious mind right?
My first microcontroller board was Arduino UNO. A general purpose microcontroller with few I/Os and the blinking LED was the first fun sketch (Arduino programs are called sketch) to run. I didn’t know much about taking input, digital and analog input/output or PWM pins and everything. All I cared about was plug the board into the computer >> Get the blink sketch loaded and >> Run it successfully. Obviously I’m talking about the blink sketch at this stage.
Later on, I have learned how to create creative sketch for arduino, troubleshoot’em and other useful and mouthful tech stuffs. I started building cool projects with Arduino, using different sensors, like the Ultrasonic Sonal Sensor, LDR, LED, DTH-11 temp. and Humid. sensors.
When I started working on advance projects that requires advance data communication techniques, specially Wireless comminication system, I was very hopeful that there would be some easy solution to integrate. And eventually after reading articles on the internet, going through blog posts I found a suitable solution for my project. And it was a HC-05 Bluetooth Communication module*. I was down with it, because I thought it’d be a good option for my project since I can send and receive data, control my robot with Android phone directly. But I didn’t thought of the upcomming hassles that were comming up next.
It was COVID-19 time and virus was spreading through the community, shops were closing, price hike for the electronics were getting sky-rocket and somehow I managed to purchase a HC-05 Bluetooth Communication module* from an electronics shop with absolute no warrenty. I was super excited, got back home and jumped to rewire the project. It took me few hours to figure it out how everything works together and how to set it up for my own project. It was already night but, my exitement for this new tech. was for no limit.
After few unsuccessful attempts of testing with power source, changing jumper cables computer connection I realized that the HC-05 Bluetooth Communication module* was not waking up, hence, damaged and as I’ve mentioned earlier, it came with absolute no warrenty. I was doomed and went to sleep thinking for a reliable solution.
I was learning electronics, communication and other tools along the way and I had to work with other microcontroller units in the market like RaspBerry-Pi was a charming one back then I remember.
[1]One day I noticed that not every microcontroller has same wireless communication module to connect with in common. So it is reliable to work with.
Then I set up my mind in search of such a solution for this problem that I can use myself for my project’s wireless communication solution.
I started digging to know how wireless data communication actually works, their pros and cons and whatever I can consume at that time. Then I got my findings as such:-
While thinking for alternative, I had to keep few things in mind. Such as:
Then I started dig deeper and selected Bluetooth as the base standard wireless communication technology, since it is the most popupar and available wireless communication technology in the market and it’s simple and easy to use and has many features to benefit from. It also satisfies most of the requriements of my list. So a big green ‘YES’ ✅.
Then I set up my experimental methodology, designed test cases and discussed with one of my favorite researchers Mr. Imran Chowdhury. More about him later. I remember he gladly encouraged me to continue the experiment since it has a promising solution. I was lucky that it was my first attempt to present my idea to someone who actually understood the importance of the experiment.
Then, I continued my experiment, continued regular followup with my supervisor Mr. Imran Chowdhury. And after successfull experiment, when it started showing promising results, he told me to document the experiment in a structured way. I got what he was saying because I was reading a lot of research publications by that time and with no further delay, I started writing the paper. Mr. Imran Chowdhury was so helpful to guide me Ma-Sha-Allah! He was so patient and careful to guide me through the process that I didn’t have to pay much focus on the formatting and other small things that would take years for me to be perfect by myself.
After preparing the script it was time for submission and review. I remember, the script was submitted to a Springer Conference at Thailand and got rejected. After reading the reason and comments of the reviewers, I knew what needed to be done. I had to rewrite the script’s content.
Actually the problem was not with the content. The problem was that, the content did not resemble my experiment’s nobelity, so, it was hard for the reviewers to get the idea what I am actually trying to express. After rewriting the content, we submitted the paper to other international conferences and we were surprized that this time the paper was accepted multiple times at multiple conferences. The we discussed the status and aimed for the Springer Nature Series. You can find the paper Here or you can request a fully copy Here.
Mr. Imran Chowdhury:
It was a beautify summer time during the class, Mr. Imran asked one common question to the class, and that was “What or which incedent made you think that you want study engineering? Tell me the motivation and story behind it.”
My whole student life on one side, I was on the other side for few moments thinking, “Man! what the fsih!”.