senseBox:edu featuring a light sensor

Help us bring the citizen science senseBoxes to Australia and New Zealand

senseBox:edu and senseBox:home are innovative open sensing devices equipped with sensors that collect and share data relating to: temperature; humidity; barometric pressure; UV and ambient light; volume; distance; inclination; and orientation.

senseBox:edu

These devices were developed in the context of citizen science research at the Institute of Geoinformatics at the University of Münster, Germany in 2016. This research aimed to establish a large and close-meshed sensor network with the help of public participation, in order to facilitate access to environmental data for both scientists and the public.

senseBox:home

Which senseBox meets your needs?

senseBox:edu

senseBox:edu is an electronic kit designed for use in educational institutions, by school students and young researchers, where the focus is on experimenting and programming using sensors. With senseBox:edu, students can learn the basics of computer science and be involved in the solving of real problems across all STEM learning areas, while assembling and programming their senseBox:edu kit. Sensors are able to collect and forward environmental data to the Internet via The Things Network relating to: temperature; humidity; barometric pressure; UV and ambient light; volume; distance; inclination; and orientation. 

senseBox:home

senseBox:home is an environmental measurement station that is equipped with various sensors and connected to the Internet via The Things Network. It is able to collect and forward environmental data relating to: temperature; humidity; barometric pressure; UV and ambient light; and fine particulate matter.

senseBox:edu and senseBox:home detail

Why do we want to do this and the problem we are solving

Our project mission is to have customised LoRaWAN versions of senseBox:edu and senseBox:home developed for Australian and New Zealand so that they can be used by schools, VET providers, libraries, research institutions, government agencies, enterprises and community organisations to enrich teaching and learning experiences across STEM areas and facilitate citizen science and other environmental and social research initiatives.

classroom sized ten sensebod:edu kits in a carry case

The project will also enable data collected through the Australian network of senseBoxes to be uploaded to the openSenseMap platform for access and analysis by individuals and groups on a global basis. Such access will contribute to the transparency and democratisation of environmental data and is one of the most powerful elements of this Internet of Things (IoT) technology. This map has become an invaluable resource to educators allowing the comparison of results from local senseBoxes to others around the world.

open senseBoxMap

In its current LoRaWAN form, senseBox:edu and senseBox:home cannot be used in Australia and New Zealand because they use the European radio frequency band of 868 MHz which cannot be legally used in Australia. To meet the requirements of the Australian/NZ Radiofrequency Spectrum Plan, the two senseBoxes this project will fund, will need to be developed so that they operate on a radio frequency of 915MHz. We have an agreement with the senseBox development team to do this work.

open senseBoxMap enables you to compare your data to senseBoxes around the world 

Since its development, the senseBox project together with its open data platform openSenseMap (enabling free access to all data collected by all senseBoxes across the world), has grown to be one of the most successful and award-winning open-source initiatives in the research field of citizen sciences. This project will enable Australia and New Zealand to participate in this global initiative. 

custom senseBox being handed over to the German Office of the Federal Chancellor

Data collected through the Australian network of senseBoxes will be uploaded to the openSenseMap platform for access and analysis by individuals and groups globally. The transparency and democratisation of environmental data is one of the most powerful elements of this Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Educators and students can use the openSenseMap to compare results from local senseBoxes to results from senseBoxes around the world.

senseBox:edu kits 

Our story and involvement with The Things Network

This project is an initiative of Opensensing. Launched early in 2019 to offer Internet of Things (IoT) related products and support services, Opensensing is underpinned by over 20 years of experience working at the cutting edge of information, communication, engineering and learning technologies. During this time, we have worked successfully in partnership with a diverse range of public, private and community sector organisations seeking customised technology solutions that address business, social, educational and environmental issues.

senseBox:home in the wild

Opensensing is heavily involved in The Things Network. This Network facilitates the movement of open source data across urban and regional environments through an open, distributed network of Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) connected gateways. These gateways are located on rooftops, antenna poles and towers and have the capacity to forward real-time data collected from remote open sensing devices located in office buildings, parks, schools, universities, forests, wetlands, vineyards and farms, for analysis and use by individuals, enterprises and communities.

open senseBoxMap detailing all senseBox participation in Netherlands, Belgium and Germany

These devices have the potential to collect an enormous amount of environmental data including: the health of wetlands and waterways; air quality; soil moisture; microbiome; pH levels and need for fertilisers; visitations to public spaces e.g. libraries and parks; participation in outdoor festivals and events; movement, temperature and humidity of wildlife nesting boxes; and changes in levels of biodiversity in urban and natural habitats.

How will we do it?

We are an experienced team of software engineers, technical support, user interface designers, educational instructional designers and administrative support.

We will deliver our project by collaborating with the highly experienced senseBox team based in Germany to develop and supply Australian/NZ LoRaWAN versions of senseBox:edu and senseBox:home within two months of the funding target being realised so that Australian educators to use this device from the beginning of the 2020 school year.

Australian Opensensing Team

Devices will then be available for distribution to eligible project supporters and for purchasing by other individuals and groups from late January 2020. Read more about the senseBox team on their website.

German senseBox Team

Areas of risk

The project is low risk because the technology has already been tried and tested. Currently, there are 5,540 senseBoxes that have been deployed across the world and nearly 4 billion environmental measurements have been collected, sent and made publicly available via opensensemap.org. 

Extending senseBox within Australia/NZ

The project has four goals should  you wish to help Opensensing develop and release value added products and services to support Australian/NZ versions of senseBox:home and senseBox:edu.

senseBoxMap of Australia and New Zealand without the LoRaWAN functionality

1 - Australian senseBox user community forum 
When AUD$2500 is raised by the extending senseBox reward

Development of an Australian senseBox User Community Forum

2 - senseBox australian teaching resources

When AUD$5000 is raised by the extending senseBox reward

Development of additional teaching and learning resources to assist teachers to use senseBox data across the curriculum, in particular in STEM subjects. Resources would be mapped to the Australian curriculum and publicly available online.

3 - senseBox mobile phone application
To be advised

Development of an Australian senseBox User Community Forum

4 - senseBox professional learning seminars

To be advised

Series of professional learning seminars for educators to teach them how to assemble and program the senseBox:edu kits and use data as part of teaching and learning programs.

What comes next?

After this campaign to bring LoRaWAN senseBox to Australia and New Zealand reaches a successful conclusion, additional senseBoxes and senseBox sensors will be available from the Opensensing website. These sensors will include: 

senseBox:edu breakdown will be translated as part of this project

Please feel free to contact Opensensing

If you have any questions about senseBox:edu or senseBox:home please do not hesitate to contact Opensensing via the website at www.opensensing.com

Opensensing team - AUD$3,575

Budget requirements for the Australian Opensensing team include Project management, content, design, translation, shipping and administration.

senseBox team - AUD$18,995
Budget requirements for the German senseBox team include hardware development of the AU915 LoRaWAN bee communications module, manufacturing and transport.