Abstract
Expense and the logistical difficulties with deploying scientific monitoring equipment are the biggest limitations to undertaking large scale monitoring of aquatic environments. The Smart Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Technologies (SEMAT) project is aimed at addressing this problem by creating an open standard for low-cost, near real-time, remote aquatic environmental monitoring systems. This paper presents the latest refinement of the SEMAT system in-line with the evolution of existing technologies, inexpensive sensors and environmental monitoring expectations. We provide a systems analysis and design of the SEMAT remote monitoring units and the back-end data management system. The system’s value is augmented through a unique e-waste recycling and repurposing model which engages/educates the community in the production of the SEMAT units using social enterprise. SEMAT serves as an open standard for the community to innovate around to further the state of play with low-cost environmental monitoring. The latest SEMAT units have been trialled in a peri-urban lake setting and the results demonstrate the system’s capabilities to provide ongoing data in near real-time to validate an environmental model of the study site.
Highlights
With the continued urbanization of natural habitats, the management of precious waterways in and around cities is of paramount importance
We have primarily focused on these parameters as they are fundamental to water quality We have primarily focused on these parameters as they are fundamental to water quality management
In light of the very limited historic monitoring for lake waters, the deployment was successful in describing water quality responses to multiple weather events and to changes in human inputs over the study period
Summary
With the continued urbanization of natural habitats, the management of precious waterways in and around cities is of paramount importance. SEMAT is an initiative to develop low-cost environmental monitoring systems for aquatic environments that can collect data remotely in near real-time. The increasing need to reduce environmental impacts from such technologies and to lessen electronic waste has driven systems development to consider the use of up-cycled and re-purposed components to reduce waste to landfill [11]. This has particular relevance for improving the uptake of such technologies in poorer countries where e-waste solutions and the need for cheap monitoring solutions co-exist. This paper discusses a new community engagement paradigm for the development of low-cost environmental monitoring systems and presents the latest developments for the SEMAT project from a physical and technological perspective.
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