CSO discharge after Irene
Posted By lpercifield ~ 7th September 2011
This is cool video
CSO Exploration
Posted By lpercifield ~ 7th September 2011
After a good deal of waiting I finally “gained access” to the CSO targeted for the prototype sensor! After spending a good deal of time looking around and testing the sensor it became clear that there will be a slight redesign required for this particular CSO. The thickness of the concrete overhead necessitates the phone, which makes the network connection, to be closer to the outside. I hope to make the changes to the prototype and have the sensor deployed in the next couple of weeks.
Thanks to Steve Duncan – undercity.org
Up shit creek with a paddle
Posted By lpercifield ~ 16th June 2011
I had the great fortune to meet Rob Buchanan at the S.W.I.M. CSO notification meeting. Him and I decided that there was no time like the present to take a boat trip down Wallabout channel to investigate the NCB-014 and NCB-013 CSOs. Rob graciously supplied a great little row boat and we set out from the temporary floating boat dock, donations for which are being collected on ioby as well. At close to low tide we were able to inspect both CSOs as well as a good number of unmarked pipes and tunnels that empty into the channel.
Our little boat was too tall to enter the NCB-014 CSO but we successfully rowed into NCB-013 to the north. The tide gate was clearly accessible as were some side tunnels. A wake kicked up by the new East River Ferry cut our visit short as it created breaking waves underground! Crazy…
Sensor Update
Posted By lpercifield ~ 8th June 2011
I’ve been working hard on the latest version of the “SewerSense” sensor. With a new case, and new range finder, a door switch and better power management the new sensor is coming along swimmingly!!
New Sensor Case
Plug for flood gate sensor
New Range Finder
The updates include using a larger Pelican 1200 series case, in the awesome orange color. This will make room for all the batteries that I’ll be using, 12 d cells I think. I modified the case to attach the new ultrasonic rangefinder that I received from Sparkfun. The new sensor has a 25 foot range with 1cm accuracy! Its also IP67 certified, means its tougher than shit… Also I added a plug to attach a door sensor for the flood gate. This should alert me when the flood gates actually open to allow for calibration of the range finder.
Latest SewerSense prototype
Great post on Pachube blog
Posted By lpercifield ~ 6th June 2011
Thanks goes out to Ed Borden for a great post on the Pachube blog about DontFlushMe.
Read it here http://blog.pachube.com/2011/06/internet-of-sewage-and-leif-percifields.html
Donate to DontFlushMe
Posted By lpercifield ~ 3rd June 2011
Help DontFlushMe raise some money. All the donations are tax deductible!!
It costs over $40 a month for just one sensor. Help out where you can.
https://ioby.org/project/dontflushme
Pachube Feed
Posted By lpercifield ~ 3rd June 2011
The test feed from the prototype sensor is available on Pachube. http://www.pachube.com/feeds/24004 The sensor is still being tested so check back periodically for changes!
Dontflushme on the BBC
Posted By lpercifield ~ 3rd June 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13632206
From the article:
One of the best-known firms making software for the internet of things is called Pachube. It works directly with hardware developers to connect physical objects and the internet in the most unusual and innovative ways. Leif Percifield from dontflush.me is one of their clients, working on a project to help reduce polluted water entering New York City waterways.
Thanks to Ed Borden at Pachube for all the support and Katia Moskvitch at the BBC
New sewer maps
Posted By lpercifield ~ 2nd June 2011
Working with GIS expert Liz Barry, a founding member of Public Laboratory, I’ll be posting some super detailed sewer shed maps. These maps should show where the CSO drainage areas. New functionality will eventually identify the CSO based on the location of a map pointer!
Two examples of CSO Networks
Posted By lpercifield ~ 1st June 2011
The idea of realtime CSO monitoring is taking off! Here are a couple of examples of these networks.
South Bend Indiana:
“South Bend’s CSONet is the largest cyberphysical embedded sensor network in the world”
Article here
Philadelphia:
Article here
Here’s to the hopes that we can build one for NYC…