Open ProfTK-IoT opened 2 years ago
ClarissaDeWi
commented
2 years ago Hello @ProfTK-IoT 👋 Thanks so much for submitting this thoughtful proposal. Our team is looking into your project and will circle back by the end of next week with next steps.
syuan100
commented
2 years ago | Quick rubric criteria | |
|---|---|
| ✅ | Is this application unique and not a use case that has been funded in the past? |
| ✅ | Is this application scalable and can it support significant growth? |
| ✅ | Does this application demonstrate a compelling user experience that could lead to adoption? |
| ✅ | Are there portions of this application that can be open sourced as a public good?* |
| ✅ | Does this application provide an opportunity to educate people about the Helium network?* |
| ✅ | Is there a unique and compelling story that can be told with this application?* |
Initial Reivew: Accept Grant passes the quick rubric! A follow up call or discussion should take place to fill out the detailed evaluation rubric.
Thank you for your submission. After careful review, there does seem to be a lot of promise for this use case, and provides a template for other organizations to adopt on any trail. I'll discuss with @ClarissaDeWi about moving forward.
ProfTK-IoT
commented
2 years ago @ClarissaDeWi @syuan100 Thanks for reviewing our grant proposal. We are very excited to work on the project with the support from the Helium Foundation. I am going to submit the form today with the contact details and rest of the information on the project. We can set up a meeting to go over any specifics. Please let me know if there's anything in the meantime.
ClarissaDeWi
commented
2 years ago @ProfTK-IoT can you go ahead and submit a full proposal via Google Form so we can gather your contact info? After we get this info, we'll set up a call and chat about next steps. Thanks so much! https://forms.gle/AMTyLu8A6h4RrUQY8
ProfTK-IoT
commented
2 years ago @Clarissa I have already submitted one last week. Let me know if you don't see it on your end, I'll submit another. It should be under my name Thanuka Udumulla and email @.***
On Mon, May 2, 2022, 5:09 PM Clarissa @.***> wrote:
@ProfTK-IoT https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__github.com_ProfTK-2DIoT&d=DwMCaQ&c=slrrB7dE8n7gBJbeO0g-IQ&r=fwJL4fCkr6QjdZaitLJ9NQ&m=gY5_vR2Sf5FO_1u3aMAzW5BGP7jPUirN9AsSoFiE-3C9OopWQsSfW8c6F94d7N_e&s=BTYGuW1sbtq9qfIV5Pi-pou4KAmj45dFBHfkvoM3XMk&e= can you go ahead and submit a full proposal via Google Form so we can gather your contact info? After we get this info, we'll set up a call and chat about next steps. Thanks so much! https://forms.gle/AMTyLu8A6h4RrUQY8 https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__forms.gle_AMTyLu8A6h4RrUQY8&d=DwMCaQ&c=slrrB7dE8n7gBJbeO0g-IQ&r=fwJL4fCkr6QjdZaitLJ9NQ&m=gY5_vR2Sf5FO_1u3aMAzW5BGP7jPUirN9AsSoFiE-3C9OopWQsSfW8c6F94d7N_e&s=od8KNWQPjxACTJalX_cQBsrYojTnZP6cpxnU8hjUsDY&e=
— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__github.com_dewi-2Dalliance_grants_issues_56-23issuecomment-2D1115370960&d=DwMCaQ&c=slrrB7dE8n7gBJbeO0g-IQ&r=fwJL4fCkr6QjdZaitLJ9NQ&m=gY5_vR2Sf5FO_1u3aMAzW5BGP7jPUirN9AsSoFiE-3C9OopWQsSfW8c6F94d7N_e&s=VI0BWQ3tOeLjHdoJxsslR_oPp10aEZBkQ2hg26ZiKqs&e=, or unsubscribe https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__github.com_notifications_unsubscribe-2Dauth_AX2HSXTAP7TNFMQ5TFR6UMTVIBABVANCNFSM5UKKSFAQ&d=DwMCaQ&c=slrrB7dE8n7gBJbeO0g-IQ&r=fwJL4fCkr6QjdZaitLJ9NQ&m=gY5_vR2Sf5FO_1u3aMAzW5BGP7jPUirN9AsSoFiE-3C9OopWQsSfW8c6F94d7N_e&s=9Z6xv8HpFjUL9LiaXA4tKogAHZYk9ccEBiIE1qKbzok&e= . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: @.***>
ClarissaDeWi
commented
2 years ago Got it! Thanks so much, @ProfTK-IoT! We plan to reach out about next steps by the end of next week.
Project:
Breakneck Ridge Initiative—Open Source and Free to Use Hiker Tracker Platform
Elevator Pitch:
Breakneck Ridge trail in New York is a very popular destination that experiences frequent tragedies due to lost hikers. IoT Off-Grid in partnership with New York New Jersey Trail Conference proposes a hiker tracker solution with an open source and free-to-use platform to mitigate the dangers, ease rescue efforts and reduce stress on the local community.
Total fiat/HNT ask:
$100,000
Project Website:
https://github.com/iotoffgrid/Breakneck-Ridge-Initiative
Team:
IoT Off-Grid LLC
A LoRaWAN component and IoT solutions development company that is based in New Jersey, USA. Specialize in research and development of LoRaWAN network expansion hardware, and turnkey IoT deployment solutions from devices to firmware backend support. IoT Off-Grid LLC includes both hardware and software specialists in-house who will be in charge of the project.
https://www.iotoffgrid.com/
Thanuka Udumulla - Co-Founder / Material Scientist / System Designer (Renewable Energy, IoT and Sensor Based Systems)
Arjun Bastola - Co-Founder / Computer Scientist / Full Stack Developer
Vincent Perri - Logistics Coordinator / Management Specialist
Partnering Organization:
New York New Jersey Trail Conference
A volunteer federation made up of other environmentally focused groups and individuals, and established since 1920. Focused on maintaining and improving hiking trails in the North Eastern area and fostering conservation efforts. NYNJTC will be the partnering organization deploying this project, and would facilitate necessary authorizations and assistance to successfully deploy the project.
https://www.nynjtc.org/
Key Applicants:
Material Scientist(BSc. in Chemistry (Ramapo College), MSc. and PhD Candidate in Material Science(New York University)) with extensive research and development background in renewable energy systems, semiconductor, and sensor technology. Co-founded IoT Off-Grid LLC to provide turnkey solutions for enterprise IoT and the expansion of LoRaWAN networks such as Helium through off-grid means. An engaging member of the Helium Discord community(by the tag Pirate_ProfTK), helping Helium community members with their questions.
Computer Scientist (BSc. Computer Science(Ramapo College), MSc Computer Science(Georgia Tech)) with experience in system architecture, data science, web and mobile development and IoT applications development. Co-founded IoT Off-Grid LLC to provide turnkey solutions for enterprise IoT and the expansion of LoRaWAN networks such as Helium through off-grid means.
BS in Biology (Stony Brook University), MBA Candidate concentration in operations and management(Stony Brook University) with experience in logistics management and procurement. Partner in IoT Off-Grid, overseeing the operational planning for enterprise IoT projects.
Project Details:
Dangers of Breakneck Ridge
As a “landmark” site overlooking the Hudson River, the Breakneck Ridge Trail is very popular amongst hikers in the Metropolitan Area. In fact, in 2018, it was noted by “trails.com” as the most popular day-hike in the United States. The steep hike also happens to be a relatively difficult one, and possesses many areas in which individuals want to explore “off-track.”
Lost and injured hikers on the ridge are unfortunately more common because of the difficulty of the climb and descent. Thus, it can become difficult to reach a hiker when the conditions are poor (rain, nighttime, etc.). It all-too-often happens, in which the local fire department, police, and EMT’s must be called in to help out, causing a significant strain on the small local community, due to the high level of effort required for the rescue operations.
Beyond the Trail staff and emergency personnel, hikers themselves will have access to this type of solution, providing an additional component of engagement from the user side. ### **Implementation** The implementation of this project includes several key steps that ensure the examination of the region of deployment to make sure the solution will have the highest rate of success. Through these steps, initially the coverage of the region that needs to be covered for the hiking project will be mapped, followed by the field-testing of the devices. Successful completion of these steps would pave the way to deploy the full solution in collaboration with the NYNJTC staff/Trail Stewards. ### 1. Mapping the area and establishing coverage LoRaWAN mappers would be provided to the NYNJTC staff to carry with them on their excursions into the Hudson Highlands State Park. The staff members do not have to do any special activity other than carrying the device. The mapper can very accurately measure the areas of coverages within the park, providing valuable data on the scope of coverage based on the existing infrastructure(Helium hotspots in nearby areas).
This would allow us to see possible blind spots that may exist within the park that need to be addressed appropriately in order to make sure the trackers can communicate effectively. The blind spots can be addressed using the IoT Off-Grid Helium Solar Enclosures(also available in wind power). Map(above) highlighting the Breakneck Ridge trail(yellow color path) and number of other trails in the Hudson Highlands State Park.
The map on the top shows the LoRaWAN hotspot coverage in the area though the Helium Network. There are a reasonable number of hotspot infrastructure based on the Helium explorer data. The area of interest is a region of unknown LoRaWAN coverage, and during mapping more publicly available data on the coverage will be established. ### 2. Platform Development—Open Source and Free to Use for Anyone The diagram below highlights the achitecture of the system designed for the hiker traking platform planned to be developed for this project.
IoT Off-Grid team will develop a platform that is able to track the hikers with input from NYNJTC and local emergency responce organizations. This will be an open source platform and will be free to use. The server and Helium data credit costs will be facilitated via funding from IoT Off-Grid, Helium Foundation grants and crowdfunding. **Functions on the Platform:** - Visualization of hikers through the real-time Geolocation data. - Information about the tracker history. - Metrics on hikers such as pace and movement. - Private links for hikers to observe their hike or share their hike with friends and family. - Alerts on hikers that have long periods of inactivity. **Organizational Use:** The partnering organization NYNJTC will have the ability to on-board devices and keep them online indefinitely. Similarly, any non-profit, conservation, or recreation organization reaching out to use the platform on a permanent basis can be integrated to have continued access. **Individual/Private Use:** The trackers that are boarded onto the platform by private individuals will be online for a maximum of 7 days and afterwards it will be kicked out. The same device can be on-boarded again, if wished to use the platform after the 7-day expiration. The 7 days limit is imposed to prevent misuse of the free to use platform by for-profit entities. IoT Off-Grid will develop the platform and update regularly to provide support to evolve the platform overtime based on the user input. The platform will be available as a web application to provide the easiest possible access to the largest segment of users without being restricted by any operating system(OS) incompatibility. This platform source code will be available to use by any entity and deploy themselves under MIT license. ### 3. Trail Staff Orientation and Field Testing Trail staff (Trail Stewards or any NYNJTC staff) will be brought up to speed on the devices used for the system, along with the platform used for monitoring. NYNJTC will have access to see all the trackers online at any moment at Breakneck Ridge. Upon orientation, field-testing will begin where the trail staff will test the trackers along the trail to observe the function. This phase will monitor the limitations of the system and possible issues that may arise during the actual application. The feedback obtained at this phase will be used to improve the system better to provide a more complete solution with minimum issues. **Infrastructural assessment:** As part of the field-testing, there will be an assessment done to make sure the NYNJTC have the proper logistics at the trailhead to facilitate the project. - Need to establish storage for space for devices and equipment - Solar charging infrastructure ### 4. Pilot Testing with Hikers Initial field-testing will be followed by a pilot testing with the hiker at the trail. The Trail Stewards will provide trackers to the hikers at the trailhead, and observe the movement to monitor the real world function of the system. Number of trackers for the pilot: 20 units **Assessment Metrics:** - Trail Stewards report on the system performance - Hiker feedback on the use of the tracker - IoT Off-Grid team assessment on the performance ### 5. Launch of the Program Full Scale Once the system is vetted for the functionality and operation, the full scale launch will be carried out. The Trail Stewards will take point in managing the system at ground level, while the IoT Off-Grid team will manage the technical aspects. Number of trackers for full deployment: 100 ### 6. Monitoring Progress and Expansion/Accessibility Tools Upon full deployment, there will be continuous monitoring by NYNJTC and IoT Off-Grid staff for 4 to 5 months. A dedicated team will be working on the project, comprising IoT Off-Grid staff and Trail Stewards (if need be additional NYNJTC staff). Bi-weekly meetings to monitor the progress and discuss any issues, plus a regular bi-monthly assessment report on the system. The continuous monitoring and analysis would help to add more functions and make the solution versatile. **Expansion/Accessibility Tools:** Knowledge Base/Wiki—Necessary groundwork to expand the usage of the platform within the NY/NJ area and across other parts of the country will be established. Creation of a knowledge base/Wiki for any new entity to get information to replicate the project. For small clubs, societies, academic institutions, non-profits, state and federal institutions, who would like to use the platform, IoT Off-Grid will be providing assistance with implementation as part of our pledge to expand IoT usage among sectors that have lower technological usage. ### Environmental Conservation and Tech Program(ECT Program) The key personnel from NYNJTC that will be working on the project are the staff from the Trail Stewards program that are recruited from the local colleges. Thus, partnership with NYNJTC and Ramapo College to set up a pipeline to recruit conservation oriented students to join this program would be valuable. This fosters a new generation of environmental conservatorship , where the latest cutting edge technology is used in synergy to focus on conservation and sustainability. The program will focus on getting students in Environmental studies/science, involved with the Trail Steward program overseen by NYNJTC as part of the ECT Program. The program participants will be provided training and education on the latest technology that can be used for conservatorship. **Subject areas ECT Trail Stewards will be trained on :** - Internet of Thing(IoT) concepts and applications - Training on LoRa protocol and LoRaWAN - Training on Sensors used for measure of physical metrics - Deployment and use of sensors - Development and monitoring of sensor based technologies - Experience working with a Tech and R&D focused company Breakneck Ridge Initiative will be the main project under ECT the participants will be working on. However, further into the project, more novel systems that will be useful for the conservation efforts will be deployed as spin off projects out of the ECT program in collaboration with NYNJTC. **IoT and Conservation Open Access Course:** As part of this program, the materials covered on the workshops carried out to educate the Trail Stewards and NYNJTC staff will be documented and compiled to make an open access course on IoT and Environmental Conservation work. ### **Deliverables at the End of the Project** 1. Free-to-use hiker tracker platform web application fully accessible for anyone. 2. Open source MIT license code repository of the source code used for the platform. 3. Knowledge Base/Wiki with information to replicate the project-Details on the process, devices used and systems deployed. 4. IoT and Conservation Open Access Course—The material covered in the workshops to train the trail stewards participating in the project will be documented and compiled together into a course. This course would be a foundational education on the use of IoT for environmental conservation work. ## Road Map: From Initial start to the deployment of the full scale solution, there is a time span of close to 5 months and beyond that there is a close monitoring/updating of the system for another 4 to 5 months. By the end of 10 months, the system is expected to be significantly tested and updated to provide an easy platform for any user to use without a significant knowledge barrier. The presence of the knowledge base/Wiki and the code repository should make it convenient for entities to replicate this system as it is or with modifications. The updates on the milestone reached and work in progress will be publically available on the Github project repository(https://github.com/iotoffgrid/Breakneck-Ridge-Initiative).- Establish Coverage
- Platform Development
|- Map Hudson Highlands State Park to document the LoRaWAN coverage.
- Establishing coverage via deployment of off-grid LoRaWAN gateways to cover blind spots.
- Development of platform integrated with Helium console and the Azure IoT core to on board LoRaWAN trackers.
- Develop UI for visualizing the trackers.
- Providing an open source code repository with MIT license to replicate the platform by the community.
| 40,880 USD MS2, 2 month |- Trail Staff Orientation and Field-Testing
- Pilot Testing
- Full Deployment
|- Educating Trail Staff, including ECT Trail Stewards and NYNJTC staff, on the IoT and the hiker tracking system.
- ECT Trail Stewards carrying out field-testing of trackers across the park to validate the GPS tracking.
- Deploying the system on a small scale with visiting hikers at Breakneck Ridge with 20 trackers.
- Assessing the deployment at ground level and online at the platform.
- Introducing hikers to track their own hikes via platform.
- Gather user feedback.
- Full deployment with 100 trackers
| 32,080 USD MS3, 4-5 months | Monitoring, Updates and Expansion/ Accessibility Tools |- Monitor tracker usage and trends.
- Make updates based on feedback.
- Facilitate adaptation of the platform by other non-profit and conservation entities.
- Development of a knowledge base/Wiki for the replication of the project.
- Development of free open access courses for IoT and Conservation.
- Enriching the ECT program and the trail stewards to explore new use cases of IoT in the conservation field.
| 35,200 USD