Measuring Physiology with the Adafruit Feather Adalogger #Feather #Adafruit #NeoPixels @Instructables @Adafruit

Via Instructables: rabbitcreek writes about using an inexpensive microcontroller and a sensor to monitor breathing.

I needed a microcontroller-sensor that would do this. Published methods of sensing a breath have included a expanding force sensor around your midsection, a temp probe that works on exhaled air being warmer than inhaled stuff, and sip/blow switches available on quadriplegic control units and strange laser sensors that look at patients expanding girth while in MRI machines.

The easy method settled on was an analogue thin-film sensor for detecting relative pressure differences that occur with rising water levels in washing machines. With a little bit of data tinkering the very sensitive unit is able to detect the subtle uptick in pressure that accompanies exhalation in a monitored space.

This project is fairly simple in construction. It involves a Analog read with a microcontroller, a sensor, a lipo battery for power and a neopixel stick and SD card for output. The absolute size of the unit can be reduced further if you want to forgo the card output and downsize the battery.

  1. Adafruit Feather 32u4 Adalogger–great board about $20
  2. Adafruit NeoPixel Strip
  3. Lipo Battery–I used the same size as the Featherboard which had plenty of power
  4. SD Card
  5. Power Button–generic
  6. MP3V5004G Series 0 to 3.92 kPa (0 to 400 mm H2O) 0.6 to 3.0 V Output — Mouser Electronics about $17
  7. 0.125 OD hose for gas engines
  8. 1/8 ID vinyl hose

To make your sensor waterproof you must enclose it some container–I used a small plastic pill bottle.

Picture of Wire It Up

See the construction, software, and results on Instructables.


Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards

Join Adafruit on Mastodon

Adafruit is on Mastodon, join in! adafruit.com/mastodon

Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.

Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.

Join us every Wednesday night at 8pm ET for Ask an Engineer!

Join over 36,000+ makers on Adafruit’s Discord channels and be part of the community! http://adafru.it/discord

CircuitPython – The easiest way to program microcontrollers – CircuitPython.org


Maker Business — “Packaging” chips in the US

Wearables — Enclosures help fight body humidity in costumes

Electronics — Transformers: More than meets the eye!

Python for Microcontrollers — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: Silicon Labs introduces CircuitPython support, and more! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi

Adafruit IoT Monthly — Guardian Robot, Weather-wise Umbrella Stand, and more!

Microsoft MakeCode — MakeCode Thank You!

EYE on NPI — Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey

New Products – Adafruit Industries – Makers, hackers, artists, designers and engineers! — #NewProds 7/19/23 Feat. Adafruit Matrix Portal S3 CircuitPython Powered Internet Display!

Get the only spam-free daily newsletter about wearables, running a "maker business", electronic tips and more! Subscribe at AdafruitDaily.com !



No Comments

No comments yet.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.