Low-Cost Efficient Wireless Intelligent Sensor (LEWIS) Deployment for Community Driven Decision Making

Abstract

There have been several advances in Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) throughout the last two decades. Among these advances is that sensors and data acquisition have become smaller in size while wireless technologies have been making wireless communication and data accessing easier. These advances create cost effective sensing solutions for communities where flooding and wildfires put their members and infrastructure at risk. Therefore, with higher community involvement in understanding and utilizing new sensing technologies, there is more to be gained in preparing for and mitigating the effects of natural hazards. Low-cost easily deployable sensors will make sensor technology more popular and easier for communities to utilize and give them the ability to make decisions during natural hazards. LEWIS, a Low-cost Efficient Wireless Intelligent Sensor platform, is created by the Smart Management of Infrastructure Laboratory (SMILab) at the University of New Mexico (UNM) at Albuquerque for such a purpose: to give communities the ability to create innovative monitoring solutions, including combating climate change. This paper briefly discusses the LEWIS platform, their use for communities to combat natural hazards to make quick decisions to improve public safety, training and education components, and community (from student to industry professional) engagement efforts.