Building An Outdoor Observatory

SensorKit has been used by researchers in Costa Rica to offer a rapidly deployable and modular solution. La Selva researchers were awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to construct a permanent outdoor nature observatory. Researchers chose SensorKit technology to power their infrastructure.                         Rendering above courtesy of Jason Fisher, UC Merced

Significance of La Selva to Biological Studies

1. Nearly 250 scientific papers are published each year from research conducted at the station. There are facilities for about 100 researchers at the station, and hundreds of students from Costa Rica, the United States, and other countries spend part of their studies there on courses run by OTS or their home institutions. The reserve is unusual in that many of the forest trails are paved with concrete, as can be seen in the second image below. Trails farther from the edge of the station are generally mud.
   

2. In This Configuration
   

   
   

   

   Sensors used in this configuration include:
   

   
   

   1. LICOR LI-190 Quantum sensor (PAR, analog interface)
   

   
   

   2. Vaisala HMP45-A Temperature/Humidity Probe (air temperature and humidity, analog interface)
   

   
   

   3. Campbell Scientific TE525 6'' Rain Gage (precipitation, digital interface)
   

   
   

   4. Campbell Scientific 014A Met One Anemometer (wind speed, digital interface)
   

   
   

   5. Vaisala WXT510 Weather station (multi-parameter meteorological station, digital RS-232 interface)
   

   
   

   6. Custom-made 10K Thermistor (soil temperature profile, analog interface)
   

   
   

   To learn more about custom sensors, please visit the Center for Embedded Network Sensing.

    

   
   

Because of he biodiversity in the region and the focus on environmental preservation, research, and education, a partnership between La Selva and the SensorKit team is a natural fit.

Project Goals

The SensorKit team has been involved witn La Selva researchers on two different fronts. The first area pertains to infrastructure and involves building an ecological observatory. The observatory includes fixed sensors, robotic and automated sensors, as well as ability to add sensors to accommodate experiments as needed. The SensorKit team has also participated in the training of scientists and field researchers from the Americas during the Pan-American Advanced Studies Institute (PASI) workshop in June 2008.

Permanent Observatory

Much like how astronomical observatories are employed to study the night sky, the purpose of the natural observatory at La Selva is to study, monitor, and learn about the lush rainforest of the region. The physical infrastructure includes towers and walkways, sensors, and robotic modules. The observatory will be equipped with a complete sensor network system with all supporting power and data infrastructures. In addition, a modular design allows for the ease in addition of new sensors, or nodes. Researchers can either bring their own nodes or borrow nodes at the observatory to conduct their own experiments if the fixed nodes do not accommodate their experiments, allowing for greater flexibility.

Technology Transfer and Training

To create a sustainable platform with the new infrastructure and help researchers integrate SensorKit into their experiments, the design and software team at the Information Sciences Institute at the University of Southern California (USC ISI) and the Center for Embedded Network Sensing (CENS) travelled to Costa Rica to train over thirty researchers and graduate students as part of the Pan-American Advanced Studies Institute (PASI) workshop. The training provides students and researchers exposure to advanced network sensors and SensorKit technologies in small groups led by a SensorKit engineer. Participants of the workshop learned about various sensor options that they can employ, how they can access their data, and various data analysis tools offered through SensorBase.

Environmental Benefits of SensorKit Adoption

In addition to studying the environment, which will hopefully lead to conservation of the environment, scientists and researchers at La Selva are able to actively preserve the environment as part of their studies.

The permanent observation station, along with robotic and automated sensor technology, allows researchers to monitor, modify, and configure their experiments remotely. This means that they won't need to visit the site as often, which means less dirt is turned as part of reduced site visitations leading to a healthier natural preserve. This is achieved through SensorKit with wireless technologies, long battery life and solar panels to extend the operational time needed before a researcher would need to be on location. Reduced battery use generates less waste and solar panels employ natural energy to power a "green" solution to studying the environment.