Multi-sensor fire detection system using an Arduino Uno microcontroller
Date
2017
Authors
Obanda, Zephaniah Shiwalo
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Strathmore University
Abstract
Untimely response, constrained navigation due to poor urban planning and traffic jams, highly flammable construction materials, insufficient capacity by the fire department and lack of access to automated fire detection systems by residents due to purchasing costs are among the factors that affect fire-fighting services in Kenya and across the African continent. The aftermath of a fire outbreak could very acute leading to widespread loss of property and loss of lives. Residential areas contain numerous flammable materials such as clothing, books, wooden cabinets, beddings and plastics while also housing sources of ignition that include cooking gas and electronic devices thus are prone to severe fire accidents. Fire outbreaks have an inception period of about 3 to 5 minutes which is the optimal time to detect it and put it out after which it might get out of control.This implies that timely identification of a potential fire outbreak is crucial to managing it.Currently, most residential establishments as well as business premises are not fitted with fire detection systems owing to lack of awareness, high purchasing costs and inefficiency of the devices given the high false alarm rates which have a cost attached to them such as the unnecessary deployment of fire-fighting personnel. The fire detection devices are highly susceptible to false alarms because reliance on one sensor that reads only one percept from the environment for instance smoke or heat. However, the advancement of the Internet-of-Things has led to the development of ‘smart’ technologies where multiple sensors can be incorporated into objects like fire detectors additionally enabling them to communicate wirelessly with other objects and carry out programmed tasks. This research aimed at proposing a prototype of a fire detection system using a multi-sensor approach. This research applied rapid prototyping methodology for development of the prototype. Data was collected from secondary sources and experimentation.The prototype used an MQ2 gas sensor, a Grove temperature sensor, a Grove light sensor and an Arduino microcontroller, a GSM and GPS shield. In the event of a fire outbreak, the device will be able to send an SMS alert to the home owner as well as the firefighting department with GPS coordinates of the residence. The prototype recorded 83% success rate and 17% false alarm rate based on 6 test cases of which only one failed.
Description
Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) at Strathmore University
Keywords
Internet-of-Things, Fire Disasters, Fire Detection Systems, Thermal Detectors, Heat Detectors, Smoke Detectors