DIY Raspberry Pi Pico Environmental Monitor

04 August 2025 - 2 mins read time
Tags: raspberry pi pico environmental monitor sensors micropython air quality diy

Pico Environmental Monitor

Creating an environmental monitor with your Raspberry Pi Pico is a rewarding project that combines sensor integration, data logging, and visualization. This project can measure temperature, humidity, pressure, and air quality — and display or log the data for later analysis.

🧰 Components Needed

Raspberry Pi Pico — The main microcontroller
Environmental Sensors (choose based on your needs):
- BME280 or BME688 — Temperature, humidity, and pressure
- MQ135 — Air quality (CO2, NH3, alcohol, benzene, smoke)
- DHT22 — Temperature and humidity
Breadboard and Jumper Wires — For connecting components
Power Supply — USB cable to power the Pico
MicroSD Card Module (optional) — For logging data
Display (optional) — OLED or LCD to show real-time readings

🛠 Step-by-Step Build

1. Set Up the Pico

Install MicroPython on your Pico (official guide).
Connect the Pico to your computer and open the Thonny IDE.

2. Connect the Sensors

Wire the sensors to the Pico using a breadboard and jumper wires.
Example: The BME280 sensor uses I2C communication — connect it to Pico’s I2C pins.

3. Install Required Libraries

In Thonny, install MicroPython libraries for your chosen sensors.
For the BME280, use the bme280 MicroPython library.

4. Write the Code

Example MicroPython code for the BME280:

import machine
import bme280
import time

i2c = machine.I2C(0, scl=machine.Pin(17), sda=machine.Pin(16))
sensor = bme280.BME280(i2c=i2c)

while True:
    temperature, pressure, humidity = sensor.read_compensated_data()
    print("Temperature:", temperature / 100, "C")
    print("Pressure:", pressure / 25600, "hPa")
    print("Humidity:", humidity / 1024, "%")
    time.sleep(2)

5. Log or Display Data

Logging — Write readings to a file on a microSD card.
Display — Show real-time data on an OLED or LCD.

6. Power the Setup

Use a USB power bank or wall adapter for portable use.

💡 Additional Tips

Calibration — Calibrate sensors for accurate readings.
Enclosure — Protect electronics with a custom case.
Cloud Integration — Send data to a cloud service for remote monitoring.