Utilization of programmable microcontrollers to assess the reliability of alarm systems

A microcontroller could be said to be a miniature computer whose components are integrated into a single case or package, they are often called single-chip microcomputers. These programmable microcontrollers are now part of almost all intelligent devices ranging from toys to medical devices to automotive control systems.Thanks to their simplicity and affordability, they have also found their place in the field of inventors, robot makers or early programmers. Thanks to their simplicity and possibilities they are also widely used among hobby enthusiasts using a raspberry or Arduino.In addition to the commercial and hobbies, programmable microcontrollers can also be used in scientific research. Thanks to their functionality, we have created several testing devices at the Faculty of Security Engineering, the University of Žilina, which can be used to assess the reliability of alarm systems or parts thereof. Among the most important are devices for testing alarm transmission systems, magnetic contacts, and passive infrared detectors. Thanks to these testing devices we have significantly automated the testing process, which is the basis for assessing the reliability of individual alarm systems. In the paper, we will point out the actual connection of testing devices based on programmable microcontrollers and testing possibilities to evaluate the reliability of alarm systems using experimental tests.