09-01-2017
A new publicly accessible Internet of Things (IoT) network has been implemented in the city of Townsville, North Queensland. Consisting of several gateways with coverage of approximately 1000 km2, the network is a partnership between the Townsville City Council and IoT integrator Campbell Scientific Australia Pty Ltd.
The new network uses the open standard LoRaWAN protocol and Campbell Scientific’s new Altoview IoT platform (http://www.altoview.com/) to bring low power, long range, wide-area IoT access to the city for the benefit of its citizens. The new IoT network is already helping the community to engage with science, as local school children in collaboration with scientists from James Cook University use the network to monitor environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity and water quality around the city on a dense scale at very low cost.
The IoT enables smart devices, applications and connected systems to communicate with each other without the need for human intervention. Steve Bailey, Managing Director of Campbell Scientific Australia, said that “the IoT will have a tremendous impact on our lives. Wide-scale sensing devices can provide a wealth of information that will lead to tremendous improvements to health, agriculture, commerce, utilities and industry, to name just a few.”
Dr David Hammond, Sales and Business Development Manager at Campbell Scientific Australia, said that “many industries are on the cusp of a technological revolution as a result of emerging Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technologies. In the coming years many traditionally labour intensive tasks, which can be time consuming and prone to user errors, will become fully automated. Over time this will have a positive impact on the operational efficiency of organisations, leading to increased revenue, improved quality, and enhanced customer satisfaction.”
City-wide trials of the first in a new range of low cost Altoview IoT sensors are due to start in February 2017 and will last for several months, with a range of businesses and organisations around Townsville being involved in the trials. In addition, a new Queensland Government Knowledge Transfer Partnership between Campbell Scientific Australia and James Cook University will begin in January 2017, aimed at developing an IoT sensor for flood warning applications. Dr David Hammond said “the range of Altoview products we will be bringing to market not only provide an opportunity for Campbell Scientific to further develop our existing markets, they will also open up new markets where we aim to provide real product innovation.”
For additional information, contact:
David Hammond
Sales & Business Development Manager, Campbell Scientific Australia
Tel: +61 (0)7 4401 7700
Email: david@campbellsci.com.au