Views from the coalface: chemo-sensors, sensor networks and the semantic sensor web

Currently millions of sensors are being deployed in sensor networks across the world. These networks generate vast quantities of heterogeneous data across various levels of spatial and temporal granularity. Sensors range from single-point in situ sensors to remote satellite sensors which can cover the globe. The semantic sensor web in principle should allow for the unification of the web with the real-word. In this position paper, we discuss the major challenges to this unification from the perspective of sensor developers (especially chemo-sensors) and integrating sensors data in real-world deployments. These challenges include: (1) identifying the quality of the data; (2) heterogeneity of data sources and data transport methods; (3) integrating data streams from different sources and modalities (esp. contextual information), and (4) pushing intelligence to the sensor level

Global Environmental Microelectromechanical Systems Sensors: Advanced Weather Observation System

The technological developments in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have resulted in conceptualisation of a next generation observation system called global environmental MEMS sensors (GEMS). GEMS consists of a large number of airborne probes that will remain suspended in the atmosphere for long durations and take in situ measurements of pressure, temperature, humidity, wind direction and velocity as these are carried by air currents. It is envisaged that GEMS network would provide a systematic understanding of the earths atmosphere and would improve weather forecast accuracy, well beyond the current capability. In addition to gathering meteorological data, probes could be used for environmental monitoring of particulate emissions, organic and inorganic pollutants, ozone, carbon dioxide, and chemical, biological, or nuclear contaminants. The GEMS concept requires integration of communication engineering and instrumentation with other evolving technologies. This review describes in detail the new observation system designed for environmental monitoring and its potential application in predicting cyclones and monsoon, and measurement of urban air pollution in India. The possible application of the GEMS system during military operations has also been brought out.Defence Science Journal, 2009, 59(6), pp.659-665, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.59.157

Technical Note: Novel method for water vapor monitoring using wireless communication networks measurements

International audienceWe propose a new technique that overcomes the obstacles of the existing methods for monitoring near-surface water vapor, by estimating humidity from data collected through existing wireless communication networks. Weather conditions and atmospheric phenomena affect the electromagnetic channel, causing attenuations to the radio signals. Thus, wireless communication networks are in effect built-in environmental monitoring facilities. The wireless microwave links, used in these networks, are widely deployed by cellular providers for backhaul communication between base stations, a few tens of meters above ground level. As a result, the proposed method can provide moisture observations at high temporal and spatial resolution. Further, the implementation cost is minimal, since the data used are already collected and saved by the cellular operators. In addition ? many of these links are installed in areas where access is difficult such as orographic terrain and complex topography. As such, our method enables measurements in places that have been hard to measure in the past, or have never been measured before. We present results from real-data measurements taken from two microwave links used in a backhaul cellular network that show excellent correlation to surface station humidity measurements. The measurements were taken daily in two sites, one in northern Israel (28 measurements), the other in central Israel (29 measurements).The correlation of the microwave link measurements to those of the humidity gauges were 0.9 and 0.82 for the north and central sites, respectively. The RMSE were 20.8% and 33.1% for the northern and central site measurements, respectively

Examples of trends in water management systems under influence of modern technologies

Dobivanje pouzdanih i pravovremenih informacija o trenutačnom i o budućem stanju voda omogućava učinkovito upravljanje vodnogospodarskim sustavima. U ovom se radu prikazuju prednosti i izazovi primjene naprednih tehnologija pri prikupljanju, obradi i integraciji podataka unutar nekoliko primjera sustava gospodarenja vodama. Pokazuje se kako napredne tehnologije imaju izraženu učinkovitost u preciznom praćenju različitih fenomena okoliša, u povećanju sigurnosti vodnih resursa i objekata te omogućavaju smanjenje potrošnje vode i energije uz povećanje kvalitete vode.Reliable and timely information about the current and future condition of water enables an efficient management of water management systems. Advantages and challenges of the use of modern technologies in the collection, analysis, and integration of data, are presented in this paper by means of several examples of water management systems. It is shown how advanced technologies demonstrate a pronounced efficiency in accurate monitoring of various environmental phenomena and in increasing safety of water resources and facilities, while also enabling low water and energy consumption, with simultaneous increase in water quality

Wireless in-situ sensor network for agriculture and water monitoring on a river basin scale in Southern Finland: evaluation from a data user's perspective

v2009okpk

Design of a low cost weather station for detecting environmental changes

El objetivo de esta investigación es desarrollar un prototipo de estación meteorológica secundaria para mediciones de temperatura, humedad y presión atmosférica. Para validar la operación, se realizó un análisis de varianza y un diseño experimental r&R. Los sensores TMP36, RHT03 y BMP085 fueron seleccionados para la plataforma Arduino UNO y calibrados con una estación meteorológica y un higrómetro digital certificado por las autoridades. Nuestro sistema utiliza hardware y software abiertos y es una estación meteorológica de bajo costo diseñada para el análisis ambiental.The aim of this research is to develop a secondary weather station prototype for measurements of temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure. To validate the operation, a variance analysis and an experimental design r&R were conducted. The TMP36, RHT03 and BMP085 sensors were selected for Arduino UNO platform and calibrated with a weather station and a digital hygrometer certifies by the authorities. Our system uses open hardware and software and is a low cost weather station designed for environmental analysi