New mobile connected device can transform data collection say experts
(Colombo, 3 May 2016). A new, inexpensive portable weather station that can automatically measure and transmit rainfall, temperature and wind speed could transform Sri Lanka’s flood warning systems. Officially launched today, the first of the new IWMI-designed devices is already being field tested near Anuradhapura.
Locally assembled using off-the-shelf technology and open source software, the weather stations log data every 5 minutes onto micro SD cards – just like the ones inside many mobile phones. The information can either be accessed directly from the card or be sent out as a SMS text message. Easy reprogramming of the software and possible inclusion of additional sensors make the gauges incredibly flexible for a variety of applications. The devices were originally conceived and assembled by Yann Chemin, a French scientist currently working with IWMI as a consultant.