Wireless network for low-energy wireless sensors introduced at the University of Latvia

The project “Development of the first wireless network at the University of Latvia, specialized for low energy consumption, wide coverage sensors” administered by the UL Foundation will allow researchers to use the latest technologies in solving both traditional and new problems. The technology is particularly suitable for monitoring and early warning systems. The LoRaWAN network operated under open source “The Things Network” infrastructure is available free of charge to any user. The successful implementation of the project has opened up the possibility of using the network for research purposes to develop and use a wide range of sensors in various fields of science, including physics, geography, biology, environmental science, geology, and others.

The project is headed by Jānis Bikše, a researcher at the University of Latvia Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences (FGES), and project team members are Jurijs Ješkins, a researcher at the FGES and Reinholds Zviedris, an assistant professor at the University of Latvia Faculty of Computing. In his presentation, J. Bikše revealed that the aim of the project is to provide an opportunity for the UL researchers, students, staff, and the general public to benefit from the many advantages of the wireless network LoRaWAN. One of them is extensive coverage. Data transmission is available within a radius of up to 20 km, including the buildings with thick walls and basements. It is important that the network has a low power consumption – a battery-powered device can transmit data for months or even years. Also, the data transmitted in the LoRaWAN network is encrypted both during the transmission of the radio signal and on the server, which means that the data transmission is secure.

“The origins of the project can be traced back more than a year, when I came across a technology called LoRaWAN when exploring the topics of science and electronics. Searching for information on the Internet, I found out that there are some more interested people in Riga, one of whom – Reinholds Zviedris – was from the University of Latvia,” J. Bikše recalled the beginning of the project. “We communicated, talked and realized that we have common interests. We, natural scientists, want to measure everything, obtain data, but we do not always have a sufficient technical knowledge to implement all these aspirations with a sufficient quality. Researchers at the Faculty of Computing, on the other hand, strive to create something interesting.” In fact, the project has developed as an interdisciplinary collaboration between the representatives of the Faculty of Computing and the Faculty of Geography and Earth Sciences. “It just so happened that at that time there was an invitation to submit applications for the donation competition announced by the LU Foundation. We wrote the application and, fortunately, gained support. We are greatly pleased about that,” added J. Bikše.

LoRaWAN is a wireless network protocol that uses LoRa communication technology. Network communication has low power consumption, but at the same time can provide a long signal transmission distance. The protocol specification is developed and maintained by the LoRa Alliance, while the company “Semtech” is responsible for technological and equipment development. In developing the protocol, a particular attention is paid to data security, which is a topical issue in contemporary society. The number of the The Things Network users, on the other hand, is growing rapidly, with more than 7 500 base stations registered worldwide.

The presentation also covered the successful use of the LoRaWAN network in other parts of the world, such as agriculture in the United States, where the goal was to reduce water consumption in vineyards, which was accomplished. The LoRaWAN network has also been used for wildlife tracking, radiation pollution measurements, river monitoring, as it is more suitable than other available solutions, and provides longer operation of equipment when running on batteries.

Within the framework of the project, it is planned to establish eight base stations in Riga and outside the city. They will be open to use by the UL students, researchers and other interested parties for research purposes.

In case of questions, everyone interested is invited to contact the project manager Jānis Bikše, writing to janis.bikse@lu.lv. Begin to use the new features now!

About the University of Latvia Foundation

Since 2004, the UL Foundation provides an opportunity to patrons and cooperation partners to support both the University of Latvia and other leading higher education institutions of our country, thereby investing in the future of Latvia. The priorities of the UL Foundation are to support the most outstanding, dedicated students and researchers, to advance creation of a modern study environment, as well as to promote construction and refurbishment of university’s buildings.