spatas

Spatas refers to a class of portable, modular sensor platforms used for field data collection in environmental science and related disciplines. The term denotes devices that integrate multiple sensors, a programmable core, power management, and data storage, with optional wireless communication. Spatas are designed to be lightweight, rugged, and adaptable to a range of field conditions.

Most spatas units are handheld or backpack-mounted and feature weatherproof enclosures, solar charging or battery power, GPS, and a suite of environmental sensors (air quality, temperature, humidity, soil moisture), a data logger, and interfaces for external modules such as spectrometers, cameras, or lidar. Software often provides offline data logging, calibration routines, and simple data export to CSV or JSON. Open hardware variants allow custom sensor integrations.

Applications include ecological monitoring, agricultural research, pollution assessment, and disaster response for rapid data collection across sites where fixed stations are impractical.

The concept emerged in the early 2010s as a response to the need for portable, interoperable sensing platforms. Since then, several manufacturers and community projects have released spatas models, with ongoing developments in power efficiency, data connectivity, and sensor options. Notable variants include the Spatas Mini, optimized for portability, and the Spatas Pro, which supports higher sensor payloads and longer range wireless links.

The name spatas is often treated as a generic term; some sources describe it as an acronym (Sensor Platform for Advanced Temporal Analysis and Sensing), while others treat it as a coined brand-like name. The true origin is unclear and varies by source.

Related topics include data loggers, environmental sensors, and open hardware.