Low-Cost IoT Based
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Monitoring System
JABATAN TEKNOLOGI ELEKTRONIK
INSTITUT KEMAHIRAN TINGGI
BELIA NEGARA SEPANG
Introduction
One of the major sources of carbon monoxide is motor vehicle exhaust fumes. The internal
combustion gasoline engine will produce a high concentration of carbon monoxide. The
common causes of carbon monoxide poisoning are staying or sleeping in a vehicle with the
engine running, running a vehicle in closed space, running a vehicle with faulty exhaust and
holes in the car body. Carbon monoxide leaking from the exhaust system can enter the
vehicle through holes or windows or doors.
Inhaling a certain concentration and duration of carbon monoxide can cause serious health
problems and even death due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide affects
humans by replacing oxygen to bond with haemoglobin in the blood to form
carboxyhemoglobin and reduce the oxygen supply to the body. PPM is the unit of the
concentration of carbon monoxide.
The limits of carbon monoxide in Malaysia are recommended by the Department of
Environment (DOE) and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). It is
necessary to monitor the air quality in the vehicle to make sure the level of carbon
monoxide is safe to ensure the health of the driver and passenger in the vehicle.
Internet of Things (IoT) is a technology that allows things to communicate by transferring
data over the network to make decisions. Physical devices can be attached with sensors and
assigned with IP addresses to transfer data and trigger some actions depend on the data
collected. IoT enables the user to monitor or control automobiles electronic or other physical
devices via the Internet.
It has been implemented in various industries, such as the health care centre and
manufacturing industry, to improve their existing systems. There are some motor vehicle-
related carbon monoxide poisoning cases in Malaysia that cause serious health problems
and death.
A young woman found unconscious in a car with the engine running and was in a coma for
three months after suffered carbon monoxide poisoning. Besides, two teenagers found
dead, believed to be from carbon monoxide poisoning, after sleeping in the car with its
engine running and air-conditioning on. There also some cases where drivers had left their
children unattended in cars with engines running and they may suffer from carbon
monoxide poisoning if being trapped in the car for several hours. Most of the vehicles,
especially the car with an older model year and build date does not have a carbon monoxide
detection system. Existing carbon monoxide detector does not have an effective
countermeasure for a dangerous level of carbon monoxide and unable to interact with the
vehicle to turn off the engine to stop the source of carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide is still being released and build up in the vehicle. People unaware of
carbon monoxide leaking into the vehicle through holes and cause carbon monoxide
poisoning if they inhale the gas for a certain amount and duration.
There are three objectives in this project, which are to study and analyze the existing
carbon monoxide detection system for a vehicle. Then, to design and develop an IoT based
prototype to detect carbon monoxide, alert the user and provide effective automated
countermeasure.
The final objective is to test and validate the prototype. The scope of this project is the
detection is only for carbon monoxide gas. The system detects carbon monoxide in a vehicle
cabin using the MQ-7 gas sensor and Arduino Uno as a microcontroller. Users able to
monitor the level of carbon monoxide and receive alert notification. The system aims to be
tested and used by the staff IKTBN Sepang. The significance of this project is the
implementation of IoT technology in this system allows the user to monitor the level of
carbon monoxide in a vehicle cabin remotely. The system can send alert notification to the
user using an GSM Module for a dangerous level of carbon monoxide. The system able to
send text messages to the emergency contact and the user if the level of carbon monoxide
is dangerous and the user does not turn off the vehicle in each time. The system can be
installed in the vehicle to control the ignition system for turning off the engine.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Car Indoor Gas Detection System is a low-cost Arduino based carbon monoxide detection
and alarm system that can be installed in a vehicle easily.The system can measure the level
of carbon monoxide in a vehicle cabin using MQ-7 gas sensors and an Arduino Uno.
Thingspeak platform is connected to the Arduino via internet connection. The system will
activate the buzzer alarm and blink the LED and show the warning message on the LCD
Display to alert the user when there is a leak of carbon monoxide inside the vehicle. If the
user does not respond to the alarm for 10 s, the system will send a warning text message to
emergency contacts.
Figure1: System overview
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
The idea of this project has been made early of 2019 and the complete product include
programming of microcontroller, wiring and installation since Mei 2022.
OBJECTIVES PROJECT
The objectives of this project is to develop an IoT based Vehicle Carbon Monoxide
Monitoring, Alert and Controlling System. The system detects the level of carbon monoxide
in the vehicle using the MQ-7 gas sensor and Arduino. The sensor data collected will be
transferred to ThingSpeak cloud over the GPRS network using the GSM SIM900A module
and Arduino. The system allows the user to monitor the level of carbon monoxide and turn
off the vehicle remotely using the Android app. The user also can receive alert notification
for the dangerous level of carbon monoxide using SMS.
Flowchart of the Arduino
IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
The project was developed by JTE instructors in collaboration with
experts in the field of microcontroller and C programming.
THE BEFORE AND AFTER PROCESS
Before the start of the project, several examples of sensors were used to
detect the content of carbon monoxide gas in vehicles such as MQ135
sensor, MQ5 sensor. The carbon monoxide detector which is has been in
the market can detect the gas but cannot collect the data and save to
the cloud database.
After making the research, the best sensor is MQ7 sensor is suitable for
this project. MQ-7 is a long-life gas sensor that has a high sensitivity to
carbon monoxide as its sensitive components is made of tin dioxide with
stability.
TARGET GROUP
The target group of this product is to vehicle users who drive daily for
example e hailing drivers and old vehicle users.
IMPACT OF INNOVATION ON THE TARGET GROUP
Inovative element
The most important impact is that vehicle users can monitor the level of
carbon monoxide gas in vehicles and provide awareness of the dangers
of carbon monoxide gas to humans.In addition, the use of IoT
technology can be disclosed to users by recording all carbon monoxide
level readings into the IoT platform on a cloud storage and smartphone.
Effectiveness element
The project was able to collect carbon monoxide level data readings into
the Thingspeak IoT platform.
Significant element
The combination of IoT technology and electronic technology in project
develop an effective automation monitoring system.
Related pictures
End product
MQ7 Sensor ( Carbon Monoxide Sensor)
Thingspeak IOT platform
Arduino programming code
Developing process
TOTAL COST
Total cost of this project below than RM250 and reasonable.
