Environmental Sensors

Advances in environmental sensor, communication, and computing technology are transforming our understanding of environmental processes on a global scale. Many wildlife regions, including Fairfield Osborn Preserve ( a 450-acre field station administered by SSU’s Field Stations & Nature Preserves), can significantly benefit from implementing a distributed wireless network to transfer data. In the following projects we intend to combine low-power IP-based data acquisition systems (i.e., environmental sensors), solar technology, and wireless Internet capability to create a state of-the-art intelligent network with advanced features to assist environmental scientist to more effectively utilize cyber-technologies:
1- Utilizing a SMS based messaging platform to transfer data from various environmental sensors;
2- Designing a solar-based wireless network on the preserve;
3- Designing a utility monitoring device to monitor the power consumption on the preserve;
4- Designing an autonomous mobile robot with vision and logging capabilities;
5- Designing PigNet - tracking the pigs on the Preserve (yes, pigs!);
6- What is a smart building? How should it operate - a survey;
7- Using Google Sketch to construct a 3D model of the Preserve.
8- Using RFID technology for tracking and monitoring animals and birds in the Preserve (here are some good resources).
9- Look into Sun SPOT World and see if we can implement a mesh network in the Preserve. There are several interesting tutorials which can be viewed.

Energy Saving Products

The energy efficiency of network equipments and devices is important for economic as well as environmental reasons. Studies estimate the USA’s network infrastructure uses 24 TWh per year, or $24 billion. This includes network switches, access points, end-node NICs and servers. Consecutively, the theme of power reduction in various electronic devices is gaining tremendous momentum. Here are some interesting design ideas in this area:
1- A cell phone charger which shuts itself down when no load is present;
2- A router which goes into sleeping mode (or a Zigbee XCVR);
3- A room display encouraging users to save energy (measure energy usage in real-time) - can be installed in the building corridor;
4- A man-powered charging center on the campus with some displays and learning modules about ways to save energy (students can hookup their electronic devices and change them);

Configureable Remote Laboratory

Effectiveness of distance education systems deals with a number of factors which affect their success or failure. These include the influence of distance learning theory upon instructional design and delivery. In our project our goal is to design and implement an open-form platform in which each educator can design specific learning modules and simply add them to the knowledge-based platform. Each topic includes, theory, simulation, practice with the remote instrumentation, practice test, and quiz questions. Our main focus in this project is to utilize LabVIEW platform. A number of examples are already provided by NI site. Our proposed platforms has a series of unique features:

• Providing theory of operation;
• Allowing the user to perform simulation;
• Building the simulated test setup (automatically or manually- upon request)
• Comparing the simulated results and practical results;
• Answering practice test questions;
• Interacting users with an attendee for guidance and answering questions.

Here are a few examples of some preliminary ideas: Developing a Remote Laboratory and Webcam-based Remote Control.
This project requires developing a series of sub-systems (project proposals):
- Develop a configurable test setup using available measurement tools
- Develop a database to keep track of student activities
- Integrating audio, video, and text
- Allow remote users to use the switches and routers in the network laboratory remotely
- Design a simple approach to provide SMS-based distance learning for communities in which many users have access to cell phone.