Project Overview

In 2013, I received a Raspberry Pi for Christmas. Then, I did not really know what to do with the mini computer. So I moved the HTML files from a school project to the Raspberry Pi and tried to set it up so that one could access the HTML files over the Internet. And ... Success! But unfortunately, the browser displayed a few sentences, but it worked!
I just needed a new idea for the content.

Parallel to that, I started experimenting with the pinhead of the Raspberry Pi by making little circuits. I tried to use various LEDs, ICs and sensors with various success. At first, I used a DHT22 to measure the temperature. Adding the barometer BMP180 and further weather measurement tools, I was already able to measure basic weather data: Temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind speed, wind direction and precipitation.

I decided to combine both sensors and website and build a weather station that displays its data online in form of a website. Therefore, I use two Raspberry Pis now. One measures the weather on my balcony (''WeatherPi''), the other one runs as a web server ("WebPi").

But why is the weather station an IoT project? Here is why:
- Internet: Both Raspberry Pis are connected to the Internet.
- Data collection: WeatherPi measures data from the environment
- Data exchange: WeatherPi sends the measurements to the database
of WebPi and to ThingSpeak(TM). From there, the measurements can be
retrieved with a mobile device using a 3rd-party application.
- Security: The web server uses the TLS protocol, has a firewall
and further security measures (e.g. sending messages via email if
errors occur, secure headers)
- Connectivity: WeatherPi stores the measurements in WebPi's database
by accessing it over the local network connection.