You might be already familiar with the AVAN Zero handheld sensor-to-PC interface. Some of our customers have been using the AVAN Zero to connect DurUntash sensors to the Raspberry Pi as well.
Now, we have a new product called “ISHTAR Zero” sensor adapter, which is identical to the AVAN Zero in terms of functionality, but it comes with a weatherproof polycarbonate enclosure that can be used in a tabletop configuration or two different wall-mount configurations. The ISHTAR Zero has the same look as our other ISHTAR sensor nodes, however, it only serves as a sensor adapter with USB output.
The hardware of the sensor adapter has also been upgraded so that it can support any future firmware updates for years to come. The power consumption is also decreased significantly compared with its predecessor, the AVAN Zero. This means more sensors can be connected to the same Raspberry Pi without the need to use a powered hub.
The ISHTAR Zero adapter provides an affordable and easy way to evaluate, power, and configure DurUntash sensors. The ISHTAR Zero can be used to log, and visualize sensor data, when combined with our SHUSHAN CVI Software. The ISHTAR Zero adapter is compatible with different Arduino and Raspberry Pi boards and can be directly plugged into computer USB port. In combination with Node-RED, you can use the ISHTAR Zero to monitor sensor data on a webpage.
The ISHTAR Zero automatically detects sensor type, takes sensor readings, carries out signal conditioning (e.g. calibration & temperature-compensation), formats the results in the form of comma-separated data strings, and makes them available at its USB port every 5 seconds. This means the only thing you need to do is to connect your sensor sensor to an ISHTAR Zero unit, and connect the adapter to your PC or a Raspberry Pi board (via USB cable).
It’s highly likely that we might retire the AVAN Zero in the near future. In case you weren’t aware, the AVAN Zero has an open-source DIY version, details of which can be found on our blog.