A PORTABLE AND INEXPENSIVE DO-IT-YOURSELF TEMPERATURE SENSOR

Abstract

Nowadays it is important to have commercial solutions to be used in teaching and research laboratories for the needs. We can have different equipment according to the necessary parameters of control being related to the influence of parameters internal or external to the laboratory practice. However they can't be straightforward to use, their costs can be considerable.  In this context, the do-it-yourself approach is an interesting alternative. In this paper we report the construction of a temperature sensor made by students. Based on a probe taken from a deactivated equipment, the sensor development and validation encompassed its design and building up, the establishment of a connection to a personal computer via USB, the setup of computer-controlled processes, which included remote control, graphical and numerical displaying and signal acquisition, and finally its testing. Tests were performed in water containers with different temperatures, namely boiling, room and ice. The obtained results are comparable to those from a commercial thermometer. This student experiment project allowed not only to contact different disciplines such as chemistry, electronics, and programming but also to gain competencies that can be used outside the class context. We proved it is possible to build tailor-made electronic devices capable of providing useful measurements to chemical purposes old equipment in an inexpensive and trustworthy way.