News

Using sensor technology for mountains

19.02.2020

The University of Turin, in collaboration with the company “Lo Scatol8 per la Sostenibilità”, is advancing technology in the Monte Rosa mountain massif between Italy and Switzerland. Researchers are testing electronic sensor technology and communication radios on the environment and community in the Col d’Olen mountain pass.

The project, called “The Internet of Things for Natural Risk Management” (Inte.Ri.M), considers the health of both mountain environments and local communities. It aims to minimize natural risks in mountains and develop communication tools for elderly residents of these isolated areas.

Inte.Ri.M researchers are from the University of Turin and are affiliated with the university’s Research Center on Natural Risks in Mountain and Hilly Environments. Researchers participating in the project include economists, mathematicians, engineers and experts in management systems. The research is conducted with the support of the Piedmont Region.

The evaluation and management of natural disaster risks is conducted in a systemic and integrated way. The interdisciplinary project combines technical and economic components to assess the financial costs of disaster prevention using sensor networks and ways to minimize these costs.

The core of the sensor network is the Scatol8® platform, which is based on an open-source hardware and software; the sensors and data being open-source allows not only for cost saving, but also for transparent knowledge sharing. The sensors include snow sensors, extensometers, water level sensors, smoke detectors and accelerometers. Considering the mountainous environment, other important research topics include power consumption optimization, data transmission and electronic resistance to natural elements.

The other aspect of the project is related to human health and the local community’s quality of life. The Inte.Ri.M researchers have been conducting tests on volunteers to measure their body functions at both the base and the peak of the mountain. Their goal is to develop a simple tool to monitor older residents’ vital signs and remotely transmit this data to a doctor. Residing in a remote mountain area poses challenges to older people; it is important for these mountain residents to be able to communicate with doctors and family to easily exchange information about their health.

Read more

Learn more about the Scatol8® technology

News and photo from the University of Turin Research Center on Natural Risks in Mountain and Hilly Environments