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Cambridge's Streetlamp-Powered Wireless Network

Posted by Zonk on from the streetlamps-for-science dept.

Serpentegena writes "A joint research project by scientists at Harvard University and BBn Technologies may have spawned a new breed of Metronet. The wireless network, code-named CitySense, which will consist of 100 streetlamp-mounted nodes by 2011, will draw power off the Cambridge, Mass. public grid and be used at first for weather and pollution monitoring. The intention is to also allow 'academic researchers worldwide [...] to submit their own research programs to run on the network.' Sounds remarkably similar to the beginning of the ARPANET, except the network hosts will be running Linux."

14 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. Whoa! by alienmole · · Score: 4, Funny

    100 nodes by 2011? That's like, 25 whole nodes every year between now and then! How are they going to manage such a massive feat of engineering?

    1. Re:Whoa! by nxtr · · Score: 2, Funny

      >>How are they going to manage such a massive feat of engineering?
      Let's just say some engineers will have light bulbs going off in their heads.

    2. Re:Whoa! by Plutonite · · Score: 2, Funny

      Was gonna crack the ole Beowulf cluster joke, then realized it would take them till the year 2460 or something to build it. I honestly don't understand how such small number can be of analytical utility. It would be great if someone could volunteer to RTFA and inform us.

    3. Re:Whoa! by coleblak · · Score: 2, Funny

      Whoa, whoa, whoa. You want us to read an article? I thought slashdot was all about spouting off opinions without reading anything?

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  2. This will be a total failure by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I hear these network nodes will have flashing LEDs which will drive the local police forces apeshit.

    Expect many lawsuits and unjust imprisonment.

  3. Sounds like my invention... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I just mount solar panels underneath the street lamps and then use the generated power to run the lamps! Ingenious!

  4. Even better! by jddj · · Score: 2, Funny

    They're using a unique new design for the access points

  5. Re:Been done before... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    How is this any different than any other municipal wireless project?

    This one has the potential to shut the entire city down when someone calls the bomb squad.

    I bet Oakland County can't say that they call the bomb squad over any device with blinking green LEDs!

  6. But by MichaelSmith · · Score: 4, Funny

    The extra power from sunlight which you have ignored will feed back through the system and accelerate out of control. Every street light will become a white hot whirlpool of circulating energy until the city of Cambridge is burnt to a crisp.

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    http://michaelsmith.id.au
  7. Read that as "steam"... by daeg · · Score: 3, Funny

    I read the headline as "Cambridge's Steam-Powered Wireless Network". It was far more interesting with a wrong title. Maybe they should change the focus of their research.

  8. Re:It's a scalable implementation. by moderatorrater · · Score: 3, Funny

    I once saw a video of a severely schizophrenic man. Your post reminds me a lot of him.

  9. Metronet? by Dachannien · · Score: 4, Funny

    Metronet, huh? Is that like an Internet for really well-groomed straight guys?

  10. Re:It's a scalable implementation. by WhatAmIDoingHere · · Score: 3, Funny

    God, I really hope this is some character you're playing. Your writings sound a lot like the Time Cube guy. Random insanity and gibberish.

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    Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
  11. Name dropping by Rethcir · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hey make sure don't forget to mention linux