Watch the conditions that matter
Compare temperatures or humidity across rooms, keep a history, and notify the right person when readings stay outside an agreed range.
Custom Sensors & Automation
Custom sensors & automation · Asheville-area businesses
A specific problem.
A custom solution.
A temperature reading in the right room. An alert before a tank runs empty. A way to know whether equipment is actually running. Kituwa IT builds practical sensor and automation solutions around the way your business works.
We use Arduino, ESP32, Raspberry Pi, and other suitable controllers to collect readings, automate tasks, and send useful alerts. For software workflows, n8n can connect supported apps, forms, messages, and business systems. You describe the problem. We work out what it takes.
Measure real conditionsApply useful logicNotify or controlKeep a useful record
Start with the problem
“I wish we had a way to…”
That is enough to start a conversation. Explore examples of projects we can assess and tailor to your business.
Know about water sooner
Watch for a leak near equipment, a tank approaching empty, or unusual flow that deserves attention.
See whether a machine is running
Use current, vibration, or a status signal to estimate run time and flag an unexpected stop. Monitoring does not replace machine protection.
Catch a door left open
Combine a door contact with a timer and operating hours so routine opening does not generate constant alerts.
Make routine checks easier
Combine moisture, temperature, and light readings to guide watering or other environmental decisions.
Connect things that do not normally talk
Bring compatible sensor readings into a local dashboard, a business system, or a simple custom indicator.
A starting point, not the limit
30 ways to sense what is happening.
Sensors are the inputs. The useful part is deciding what their readings should change. These sensor types can be integrated with suitable controllers and interfaces; the exact hardware depends on accuracy, environment, distance, power, and budget.
Temperature & humidity
- Ambient temperatureFind hot and cold spots in offices, workshops, or storage rooms.
- Contact temperature probesTrack temperatures at a pipe, surface, or specific measurement point.
- ThermocouplesMonitor higher-temperature processes using a correctly rated probe and interface.
- Infrared temperatureRead surface temperature without contact where the material and viewing angle allow.
- Relative humidityWatch moisture trends around stored materials, equipment, or growing spaces.
Air & environment
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂)Track occupancy-related CO₂ trends to inform ventilation decisions.
- VOC sensorsTrack changes in VOC readings. These sensors do not identify individual chemicals.
- Particulate matterWatch airborne particle trends, such as PM2.5, in suitable environments.
- Barometric pressureRecord atmospheric-pressure changes alongside other environmental readings.
- Airflow / air velocityCheck airflow trends at a selected duct, vent, or equipment enclosure.
Water & growing spaces
- Leak / water presenceDetect water where it should not be, such as below a sink or near equipment.
- Float switchesDetect a high or low liquid level at a fixed point.
- Continuous liquid levelEstimate how full a tank is with a sensor suited to its contents and shape.
- Liquid flowMeasure flow through compatible pipework and flag unexpected patterns.
- Soil moistureTrack moisture in growing media to help guide watering decisions.
Presence, doors & distance
- PIR motionDetect movement across an area for activity-triggered actions.
- Radar / mmWave presenceDetect presence and small movements within a tested coverage area.
- Magnetic door contactsKnow whether a door, cabinet, gate, or lid is open or closed.
- Optical time-of-flight distanceMeasure short-range distance for object detection or positioning.
- Ultrasonic distanceMeasure distance to a suitable target without touching it.
Equipment, movement & force
- Vibration sensorsLog vibration changes that may justify a closer equipment inspection.
- AccelerometersMeasure acceleration, movement, or changes in orientation.
- Tilt / inclinationDetect when an object moves away from its expected angle.
- Load cellsMeasure weight or force for stock-level estimates and process monitoring.
- Pressure transducersTrack pressure in compatible air or liquid systems using rated hardware.
Light, sound & power
- Ambient lightMeasure brightness to inform lighting or display behavior.
- Ultraviolet lightRecord UV intensity trends with a sensor matched to the required wavelength range.
- Sound levelDetect noise-level changes without needing to store conversations.
- Electrical currentObserve equipment load and run-time patterns through an appropriate isolated interface.
- Voltage / power presenceWatch a supported supply or battery and detect loss of power with suitable backup power.
Some sensors need signal conditioning, isolation, calibration, or a specialist enclosure. Environmental readings provide operational information; they do not by themselves certify air safety, water quality, or regulatory compliance.
Turn readings into something useful
The sensor is only the beginning.
A single sensor may solve the problem. Or several devices can work together across a building. We choose the simplest approach that meets the agreed requirements.
- Alerts that reflect your workflow. Combine thresholds, delays, schedules, and reset conditions to reduce nuisance notifications.
- Local dashboards and history. See current readings, trends, and selected events through a Raspberry Pi or another suitable local system.
- Purpose-built controls. Use approved interfaces to operate indicators, low-voltage devices, or compatible equipment, with manual override and defined failure behavior.
- Connections to existing systems. Where supported, use a local network, MQTT, an API, n8n, or another appropriate interface to share readings, trigger workflows, and pass events to the right system.
- Clear ownership. Define administrator access, configuration records, source-code delivery and licensing, data export, and future support in the project scope.
Arduino + Raspberry Pi + the right interfaces
Small devices. A practical division of work.
You do not need to choose a board before you contact us.
Microcontrollers handle the local task
Arduino-compatible boards, ESP32 devices, and Raspberry Pi Pico boards can read sensors and run dedicated control logic. We select a controller around the actual job.
A Raspberry Pi can bring it together
A Raspberry Pi computer can host a dashboard, store readings, coordinate devices, and connect to other software. Some projects need both; simpler projects may need only one small controller.
Built for its environment
Wired or wireless communication, power supplies, mounting, enclosures, cable runs, and access for maintenance are part of the design—not details left until installation day.
From idea to working installation
Prove the idea.
Then build around it.
Custom work is quoted after assessment. Hardware, development, installation, testing, and any ongoing services are identified before you commit to the build.
Tell us what needs to change-
Describe the outcome
We discuss what happens today, what you want to measure or change, where it happens, and what a useful result would look like.
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Check feasibility and scope
We assess compatibility, accuracy, connectivity, maintenance, failure behavior, and budget. Any paid assessment or prototype is agreed before it begins.
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Prototype and test
Test the measurement and logic in representative conditions before committing to a wider rollout.
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Install, explain, and maintain
Complete the agreed installation and acceptance checks, document the setup, train the relevant people, and define any future calibration, maintenance, or support.
Useful answers before you ask
Designed around the job.
Can sensors work with equipment we already own?
Often, yes. We assess the equipment, available connections, and the outcome you want, then recommend suitable sensors, alerts, or automation. Compatibility, installation requirements, and any specialist work are confirmed before the project is quoted.
Do I need Wi-Fi or a cloud subscription?
Not always. Local sensing and control can often run without a cloud service, and wired connections may suit some sites better. Remote dashboards and off-site notifications need a working communication path. Messaging, cellular data, hosting, or maintenance may have recurring costs, which we identify in the quote.
What happens if power, the network, or a sensor fails?
We define and test the required behavior: for example, detecting stale readings, showing a fault, keeping a manual control available, or putting an output into a specified state. No one failure state suits every job. Remote alerts cannot be promised when their power or communication path is unavailable.
Can this replace a safety alarm or industrial safety system?
These projects focus on convenience, operational monitoring, and appropriate automation. Life-safety alarms, medical systems, emergency stops, and safety-critical machine controls require purpose-built, appropriately certified solutions and qualified specialists. We establish those boundaries before proposing a design.
What will a custom project cost?
Cost depends on the number of measurement points, sensor quality, enclosure and wiring needs, software logic, integration, installation, and testing. We start with your budget and the value of solving the problem, then propose a defined assessment or build. There is no obligation to buy a server package first.
What if the sensor I need is not on this list?
Tell us what you need to detect, measure, or control. This list is a starting point. We will assess suitable hardware and interfaces, and tell you when an existing commercial product or a specialist would be a better fit.
Technology background: Arduino Sensor Kit, Raspberry Pi microcontrollers, and Sensirion environmental sensing. These are independent technology resources, not endorsements of Kituwa IT.
Tell us the unusual problem
“Could you make something that…?”
That is exactly the conversation this page is here to start. Describe the job in plain language and we will discuss a sensible next step.