Abstract:
4 times Open & Non-conventional technologies for
Sensing the Environment (4ONSE) is an ongoing joint research
project between University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka and
University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern
Switzerland. This project was initiated in a time where the
necessity of a low-cost, non-conventional, and precise hydrometeorological
monitoring system has been of great demand
due to the increased number of weather-related environmental
hazards and disasters in Sri Lanka. This work comprises an
integrated approach to setting-up an experimental nonconventional
Environment Monitoring System (EMS) based
on open hardware, open software, open standards and open
data which could measure the rainfall, wind speed, wind
direction, relative humidity, air temperature, barometric
pressure, soil moisture, light intensity, and the water level.
With comparison to other available weather stations, this
research argues the cost effectiveness of the 4ONSE system, in
terms of its technology, hardware and software. Such a fully
accessible, royalty-free and low cost system could provide
developing countries with accessible technology for the so
called ‘Internet of Things’ economy. Even though the use of
technologically sound and low system is necessary to
monitor the environmental data, less is known about use,
validity, accuracy and cost effectiveness of such systems.
This research explores the accuracy of 4ONSE’s
measurements against those of a reference station and further
explores and proves its effectiveness and suitability in terms of
environmental monitoring in the context of developing
countries.
