Project Nira: Open Hardware Microplastics Detector

Project Nira is an affordable (₹2500), portable impedance-based sensor designed to detect microplastics (<5mm) in water. It serves as a field-ready alternative to expensive lab spectrometers for schools and community groups.

🛠️ Quick Start

1. Requirements

• Python 3.12+
• uv (recommended) or pip
• OS: Linux, macOS, or Windows

2. Installation

Run the automated setup for your environment:

# Linux/macOS
./setup.sh

# Windows
.\setup.bat

3. Usage

source .venv/bin/activate
python python/nira_dashboard.py

⚙️ Architecture

The system uses electrical impedance spectroscopy to identify suspended microplastics.

1. Hardware: ESP32-S3 + ADS131M08 (24-bit ADC) + 316L stainless steel electrodes.
2. Firmware: ESP-IDF handling 1ksps data acquisition with BLE/WiFi streaming.
3. Software: Python-based pipeline for signal processing and real-time visualization.

📁 Repository Structure

├── assets/             # Images and branding
├── firmware/           # ESP32-S3 firmware source
├── hardware/           # KiCad schematics and CAD files
├── ml_pipeline/        # Signal analysis and models
├── python/             # Dashboard and user-facing tools
├── setup.sh            # Automated Linux setup
└── setup.bat           # Automated Windows setup

🌊 Why This Matters

Traditional microplastic monitoring is inaccessible due to high equipment costs (₹10L+) and complex sample prep. Project Nira provides a repairable, modular, and open-source tool for localized water quality monitoring.

📄 License

• Software: MIT License
• Hardware: CC BY-SA 4.0 International

---

Built for FOSS Hack 2026 by Tram Dominators.