Over the past few days, I "channeled" my inner nerd into building an automated radiation detection system using open-source tools.
The device combines an ESP32 running #ESPHome for sensor data collection, my #HomeAssistant for centralized smart home integration, and #NodeRED for automating hourly Fediverse updates via a bot account
@Radiation_SL (since this Geiger counter is located in northern Germany ( #Schleswig )
Technical Breakdown:
Sensor: Radiation D-v1.1 (CAJOE) - radiation detector
Connectivity: ESP32 transmits via Wi-Fi to Home Assistant
Case: #3dPrinting the case (photo) - base is black and the lid is blue and shows the logo of "Fallout" (pc game/ TV series)
Automation: Node-RED flow formats data into ActivityPub messages
Decentralized Sharing: Posts include μSv/h readings
While this started as a hardware tinkering project, recent global events — nuclear rhetoric in conflict zones, aging power plants, and insufficient transparency in environmental monitoring — made me realize decentralized citizen science could play a crucial role.
Open-source tools eliminate single points of failure, and Fediverse integration ensures censorship-resistant data sharing.
Feel free to follow my bot account I mentioned above, if you are interested.
If I can find some time I will write a blogpost about the build process and link it in the bio / or just toot about it.
