[committee] Fwd: Building a little team of interest - Internet of things base station application

[Christopher Forbes]

I don't really know what the practical usage of this stuff is but it might
be a good idea? I'm assuming the cost would be at least in part covered by
the university.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Marc Tennant <marc.tennant at gmail.com>
Date: 20 August 2017 at 08:44
Subject: Building a little team of interest - Internet of things base
station application
To: president at ucc.asn.au


Dear Computer club,
​I am a professor at UWA and want to share maybe something you guys might
like to be part off.

I have a little idea that I was hoping you might like to be part
off (support an application to UWA to support).  I have been an avid reader
and fan of the Internet of Things principle (mainly around keeping elderly
safe in their houses for longer!).  There is this system called LoRa, in
short, is like wifi but very low volume of data flow (ie for Machines to
send
​signals
 to other machines) but the neat thing is that one "base-station" covers
about 5km!!!  Its not hard to cover an entire city (Amsterdam did it with
just 10 base stations!
​ https://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/08/19/the-things-network
-wants-to-make-every-city-smart-starting-with-amsterdam/#.tnw_1m58zgpj ​
).  Perth is just starting to have some base station - check out
https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/community/perth/ and I was thinking we
work collaboratively with this community group - they seem well organised.
I have chatted with them.

The base stations cost less than $1500 so not bank-breaking.  They look
like a small box attached to an external wall - see one at
https://www.multitech.com/brands/multiconnect-conduit-ip67  and then joined
to the internet (blue cable).  Nothing more.

My reasoning to write is that I was thinking we might get a little group of
like minded people together and go to UWA community partnering (
http://www.web.uwa.edu.au/engage/community-partnership-program#about) and
ask if they would support the installation of one.  As the area around UWA
has no cover (see map below).  And for me it was obvious the best young
minds of innovation live, work and learn around UWA!!  Its an obvious
community infrastructire addition to be cutting edge.

Once you have the cover you can then build/deploy any sorts of little
sensor thingo's (they are very cheap $30) and build your own sensors that
can connect securely (all the protocols
​/frequencies etc​
are internationally agreed) that can send messages that you can then have
app's websites etc monitor.  One great example I have seen is flooding
monitoring!  It works inside and outside so you can even have things like
fridge monitors!  It really allows you to connect anything you like to the
internet.  Oh and the reverse is doable too - you can send messages to
things (turn lights on and off).

I do hope the idea might have some resonance to you being part of the team
to ask UWA.  Its a great opportunity for adding to the fabric of Perth,
involving students and staff in a developing area of technology.  Oh and as
always have a bit of fun.

Happy to chat more (but please tech questions I will pass onto the guru's),
WIth Kind Wishes
Marc


Winthrop Professor *Marc Tennant*
BDSc MSc(prelim) PhD (WAust) FCHSM FRACDS (GDP) Hon FICD FADI FOHE
Director (and Founder), International Research Collaborative - Oral Health
and Equity
The University of Western Australia 35 Stirling Hwy Nedlands Western
Australia 6009
Office location (using https://map.what3words.com): owls.battle.pipes
E:marc.tennant at uwa.edu.au
E: (private):marc at tensoft.net
PGP Public Key: http://tinyurl.com/ms885wd
M: +61 (0)409 202 496




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