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Sensor Webs Unwire Ecology

Posted by timothy on from the can-you-hear-me-roar-now? dept.

jonbrewer writes "Pioneered by CENS, Sensor Networks are rapidly becoming a mainstream environmental monitoring tool. The NY Times has an article today with a quick tech overview and info on RiverNet, EarthScope, NEON, and Neptune. The Times reports 'scientists want to deploy millions of these kinds of devices over large tracts for long periods, opening new windows on nature.'"

4 of 79 comments (clear)

  1. Article text, in case of slashdotting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    A Web of Sensors, Taking Earth's Pulse
    By WILLIAM J. BROAD
    Published: May 10, 2005
    Scientists are turning 30 acres of California forest into a futuristic vision of environmental study.
    For free access to this article and more, you must be a registered member of NYTimes.com

  2. The US military has been interested since Vietnam. by Captain+Sensible · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Sensor Webs and Smart Dust and related tecnologies will prove valuable in ecological studies and environmental monitoring, but that's not the drive behind them.

    In Vietnam the US military attempted to install networks of sensors - seismographs, detectors for urine and sweat, detectors for nitrogen compunds (explosives), movement detectors, proximity detectors - along known NLF supply lines and for perimeter defence. They were put in place by Special Forces teams and transmitted their data to overflying aircraft for targetting. Often they were woeful failures or could be spoofed by the NLF.

    Here is the new generation, just ready for "assymetric warfare".

  3. Challenges facing researchers by Guanine · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Having participtated in small scale ecology studies, I would guess that these senors will raise many more questions (which would be a good definition of the "new windows") than answers. Population ecology and the evolutionary biology that ties into it is a field with many more 'big' questions than most people realize.

    In most of the primary literature I cover, for every possible cause of a behavior (such as migratory routes) that is eliminated, another 2 consistently appear (seriously). I think we will see some very interesting questions, rather than any definite answers (at least in the short term). I would definitely like to see this used with the arctic tern.

  4. Peeping Sam. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "The Times reports 'scientists want to deploy millions of these kinds of devices over large tracts for long periods, opening new windows on nature.'""

    Well there goes any forays into the woods with your girlfriend.