Sustainability Salon: Environmental Sensing
On Wednesday, 25 February, academic experts from the University of Glasow and other institutions were joined by a strong group including a representative of the Highlands & Islands authorities and consultants. The discussion examined not only the challenges of deploying new sensors but also highlighted existing sensor technologies already in use.
Two main themes emerged from our board of pain points:
- How do we get potential solutions to those who need them and clearly demonstrate their credibility?
- How do we connect more sensors and networks together to expand the information we gather?
Before this meeting, I would have used the word data there, but the point was raised that the massive amount of data that can be gathered creates problems in itself. Designing systems that extract and interpret information at the source, rather than storing vast amounts of raw sensor data, is increasingly critical for future sensor networks, I’ve learned.
Microelectromechanical sensors have been at the forefront of Glasgow’s sensor development for deployment in some of the world's harshest environments, from volcanic heat to sub-zero temperatures and chemically hazardous former industrial sites. The discussion highlighted how design challenges have been addressed, illustrating how clearly defined information needs directly shape the sensor solutions that can be delivered.
Scotland’s Climate Change Plan as it stands is looking for a lot of outcomes that can’t be verified yet. That’s one of the reasons it’s important for the University to support our academics and collaborators by leveraging networks within government and regulatory bodies to advance new technologies and clarify requirements. A key theme in the discussions was the need to define the “ask” more precisely, so that solutions can be tailored to what’s possible for the resources available. That’s one of my takeaways – to get in communication with regional authorities to establish a core set of parameters, allowing tailored solutions that meet the needs of those responsible for measuring the success of the Climate Change Plan.
One of the main challenges facing our friends in the Highlands and Islands region is limited connectivity and access to reliable power. These constraints are being examined by the TransiT team, which is mapping Scotland’s transport and infrastructure systems and exploring how existing assets could be adapted to facilitate these new sensor needs.
The golden goose for many rural councils is the development of long-term, in situ, connected sensors capable of detecting biological contaminants in decentralised water sources. This is a complex challenge currently being addressed by our microfluidics and biomedical engineering teams. While this work continues, we can help with the detection of changes in water chemistry that might result from changing flood behaviours. These new sensors are being developed and tested right now. For anyone interested, please do get in touch.
The Sustainability Salons are organised by David Hughes, IAA Knowledge Exchange Associate. Email David if you would like to get involved in future Sustainability Salons.