Animal: Sheep and Cow Could Act as Hotspot for Wi Fi Signal- Study Claims

With the ongoing research it is advisable you don't slaughter your sheep or cow for Christmas because it could be your aid to access Wi Fi at low cost. Lol!

Computer scientist Professor Gordon Blair from Lancaster University was recently awarded £171,495 ($267,090) from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to set up a ‘smart’ project in Conwy, Wales called Internet of Things (IOT). The proposed project is ideas that  sheep with digital collars, sensors on riverbanks, and rainfall could serve as monitors for wi fi Hotspots.

 

IOT is the idea that everyday objects can be connected to the web, and ‘enables object-to-object communication over the internet and real time data monitoring.’ One idea is to fit sheep with digital collars, that could be used to track their movements or could double up as Wi-Fi hotspots. This could be a solution to typically poor web speeds and network coverage in rural regions.

Digital collars  could be used to track the animals' movements, or could double up as Wi-Fi hotspots.

Alternatively, such digital collars could double up as Wi-Fi hotspots.This could be a solution to typically poor broadband speeds and network coverage in the most rural regions of the UK.

At Glastonbury, EE installed Wi-Fi cows to act as similar hotspots.Although these ‘cows’ were, in fact, just masts in the shape of the farmyard animals, the principle could work for livestock in the countryside.



At Glastonbury, EE installed Wi-Fi cows (pictured). Although these ‘cows’ were masts in the shape of animals, the principle could work for livestock

Earlier this year, sheep in Yorkshire were fitted with cameras to give a unique view of the Tour De France as it travelled through the county. Elsewhere, Lancaster University proposes fitting sensors to the riverbanks to monitor river levels and warn of floods. A similar system has already been installed by researchers from MIT and Microsoft to the Aguán River in Honduras.

 

This system uses sensors on the bank, and throughout neighbouring towns to track rising water levels and weather conditions. The sensors use a combination of 900 MHz and 144 MHz radio frequencies for data transmission, which means sensor clusters in the network can be as far apart as 34.2 miles (5km). Some sensor locations are designated as ‘government office nodes' and have an office with a laptop computer where data is collected and stored. An algorithm is then used to predict flood risks before alert notifications are displayed. And if the storm knocks out the local electricity grid, solar-powered backup systems kick in.

 

Working with partners at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, The British Geological Survey and Bangor University, the project in Conwy will run for the next 18 months.

 

‘Applying this booming technology to the countryside presents challenges - for example how to build a network when there are mountains and trees in the way?’, explained the university. But researchers believe the benefits could be huge.

 

Professor Blair added: ‘Cities have been the focus of much of the boom in this type of technology - it has been used to keep traffic flowing on our roads, monitor air pollution and even help us find a parking spot on a busy Saturday afternoon.

 

‘But the countryside faces challenges of its own, from subtle environmental changes to catastrophic events such as flooding.

 

‘The possibilities of bringing the Internet of Things to the countryside are limitless.

 

‘The next step will be to identify exactly what will be of most use in the short term and how we will frame the project.’

Credit: uswitch,comviamailonline