A Device Collects Crowdsourced Rain Data for More Accurate Weather Reports
Alyson Wyers — May 6, 2014 — Eco
An umbrella sensor developed by a Dutch scientist sends rain data to the clouds. Delft's University of Technology's Dr. Rolf Hut conceived the idea to improve the accuracy and speed of weather information.
A piezo sensor tracks atmospheric changes like air pressure and converts it to energy. This is placed on the umbrella so it can tell when it's raining. From there the rain data is collected and sent via bluetooth technology to a smartphone app, which can then be analyzed using a computer.
This will not only allow people on the ground to make more accurate and detailed weather prediction, it also shows an interesting development in the crowdsourced movement in the form of collaborative meteorology.
A piezo sensor tracks atmospheric changes like air pressure and converts it to energy. This is placed on the umbrella so it can tell when it's raining. From there the rain data is collected and sent via bluetooth technology to a smartphone app, which can then be analyzed using a computer.
This will not only allow people on the ground to make more accurate and detailed weather prediction, it also shows an interesting development in the crowdsourced movement in the form of collaborative meteorology.
Trend Themes
1. Crowdsourced Meteorology - Developing technologies for crowdsourcing data to improve weather prediction accuracy and speed presents opportunities for new business models and innovation in the meteorology industry.
2. Smart Sensor Networks - The use of piezo sensors and Bluetooth technology creates opportunities for the integration of smart sensors into various industries, leading to improved data collection and analysis capabilities.
3. Connected Devices - The use of smartphones and Bluetooth to collect and analyze data from smart umbrellas presents opportunities for innovation in the consumer electronics industry as the trend towards connected devices continues to grow.
Industry Implications
1. Meteorology - The crowdsourcing of data to improve the accuracy and speed of weather predictions presents opportunities for innovation in the meteorology industry.
2. Consumer Electronics - The use of connected devices such as smart umbrellas creates opportunities for innovation in the consumer electronics industry, particularly in the development of IoT devices and applications.
3. Data Science - The collection and analysis of crowdsourced data from smart sensor networks, such as those found in smart umbrellas, presents opportunities for innovation in the data science industry.
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