Pollution sensors to provide early warning network

Defence and technology firm QinetiQ - the privatised R&D arm of the Ministry of Defence - has announced plans for a new research project to assess how advances in sensor technologies could revolutionise environmental monitoring.

The Sensor Web for Infrastructure Management (Swima) initiative will evaluate how information can be gathered from a number of sensors placed in the wild, providing organisations with early notification of pollution incidents and potential environmental risks such as flooding.

The project will commence with a trial to remotely monitor water quality in the River Tamar in South West England.

The results of the trial could then be applied to networks of sensors in more inhospitable locations, according to Alec Walker, QinetiQ’s technical manager running the project. "Remote control of sensors, using satellite communications to reach even the most far reaching regions, can ensure detailed measurements are collected for significant events and reduce the need for maintenance visits,” he said.

The two-year, £900,000 project is funded by a QinetiQ-led consortium which also includes the Environment Agency of England and Wales, South West Water, 1Spatial Group Limited, YSI Hydrodata Limited, and the University of Nottingham’s Centre for Geospatial Science.

Further sensors, along with a secure web-based control system, will be deployed over the coming months to help the consortium develop a common user interface for managing and controlling a range of different types of sensor.

As well as water quality, sensors can also be used to measure temperature, humidity and acidity as well as other environmental indicators.

The project could cut the huge number of man-hours spent collecting environmental data by hand, according to John Kupiec of the Environment Agency.

"Monitoring the condition of the environment is a major activity for us and so we look forward to exploring new technology and exploiting it in all areas where it can improve our capability and do this in an efficient manner," he said.