Read-Sensor-Resistances/README.md

# Read Resistances
Read the resistance of a voltage divider using Arduino boards

## Required & Dependencies
### Required
- Python 3 (but below 3.10). And the following packages using `pip`.  
  Alternatively, you can just switch the file source of the Command line Prompt by using 'cd <Project_File_Directory>' and after that, run `pip install -r requirements.txt` in to have all packages installed automatically 
  - matplotlib
  - pyserial
  - wxPython  
- PlatformIO extension, if you use VSCode for embedded programmings
- An Arduino-based microcontroller
- ADS1115 16-bit ADC chip
### Recommended
- Code Runner (for VSCode only)
- wxFormBuilder
- [Arduino IDE](https://makeabilitylab.github.io/physcomp/arduino/arduino-ide.html)

## How to use
To get a general idea of this project as well as hardware setup, please refer to [this video demo](https://youtu.be/vbVPXj8gbmI)
### Direct use
 First open the `.ino` file from `nano_c_mk1` directory using Arduino IDE and download it onto an Arduino board. ~~Or if you are using Arduino Mega 2560 you can 
use the code in `ReadAnalog` folder by open the folder in VSCode and run with PlatformIO, or just run `flash.py` in a terminal~~ 
 ~~(Arduino Mega and Uno boards are no longer supported. Please use [this link](https://docs.espressif.com/projects/arduino-esp32/en/latest/installing.html) to
 use on Arduino IDE or PlatformIO for VSCode)~~ (There's a hardware upgrade so that the firmware has been re-written for the new hardware.
 Therefore the old hardware are no longer in use. You may still find them in `OldFirmware` directory for reference but we are not using them anymore)
For Windows you can just [download the released executable](https://github.com/Seal-Ammonia/Read-Sensor-Resistances/releases/download/beta1_1_1/SeeDatResistance.exe) from the release section to use. Make sure to disable any virus-scanning software when download as Microsoft incorrectly recognized PyInstaller as virus. For non-Windows systems you can just run `python test.py` and start from the UI. Enter the relevant information and start collect and measuring data. If you do not have a board avaliable, leave the dropdown menu in the UI as "no device" and it will run a simulation.
### develop & build
Beside the c-based code for the Arduino board to read raw data from the board, everything has now been done in the python
files. The main program is `test.py`, which calls `UI.py` to prompt for input. It is NOT recommended modifying the `ui.py`
as it is generated from wxFormBuilder from `sealammonia.fbp`, which could be modified if any frontend feature need to change.
the main program will generate `settings.json` which saves all required parameters needed to calculate and graph and save the
sensor's values. It also creates a .csv file under `RecordedData` directory to save all recorded+calculated data.  
`read_arduino.py` read raw data from Arduino board and convert it to the correct resistance, which could be plotted out 
using `serial_plotter.py`. To make your own executable, use `PyInstaller` using this command in your python environment:
`pyinstaller build.spec`.
ATTENTION MAC USER: currently the software cannot correctly functional on mac (especially arm-based ones). You might need to consider to use it on a windows VM or using parallel desktop

## Issues
- Newer hardware will require 3.3V. ~~Currently can only use 5V as input voltage.~~ May need to change the algorithm in `read_arduino.py`. 
- axis window size is not correct
- on PyInstaller, windows misdetected our executable as a virus (seems resolved)
- change the scale on Y-axis so that graph looks smoother
- ~~Errors thrown when >1 reference resistances entered~~

## Todos:
- [ ] Fix Issues
- [ ] Add different shapes to different lines one the graph in addition to differen colors
- [ ] Automatically setup the driver for ESP32
- [ ] programically to stablize the graph (change the y-scale of the graph to make the less dramatic)
- [ ] (not urgent) make it runnable on Mac
- [x] display sensor value in either the UI or on the plot
- [x] Reopen plot window from the UI when closed
- [x] Need to continue writing to file when graphing window is closed
- [x] Make it so the time stamp is the actual time
- [x] No blank line in between lines of csv file (new line may be added when file is closed) 
- [ ] Make it so we have the option to run multiple graphs at the same time, setting window size in UI
- [x] Inputting value of 0 for window size should have an infinite window size
- [x] Accept any inputs (such as resistor values, plot window size, base voltage etc.) as either command line argument or as input at beginning of program
- [x] Write random values to simulate a sensor if no sensor available (this feature might be removed in the future)
- [x] Advanced option menu in the UI to allow user to make more adjustments
- [X] Add resolution option in the UI to allow interchange between arduino (10bit) and esp32 (12 bits) (Not Applicable in new hardware)
- [x] Possibly adding new module to support ESP32
- [ ] Support for non-Windows platforms (and maybe mobile)
- [ ] Make it into one executable
- [ ] Possibly adding new module to support Arduino MEGA and older firmwares (Need testing)
- [ ] (optional for now) make the hardware connection to the interface wireless