Using tree power to prevent forest fires?

ZDNet.com
September 23rd, 2008
Posted by Roland Piquepaille @ 10:22 am

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) think it’s possible to use the energy generated by trees to power a network of wireless sensors to prevent spreading forest fires. These sensors are equipped with off-the-shelf batteries that can be slowly recharged using electricity generated by the trees themselves. ‘The system produces enough electricity to allow the temperature and humidity sensors to wirelessly transmit signals four times a day, or immediately if there’s a fire.’ Even if this would be a good application of wireless networking, the researchers also claim it opens the possibility of ‘using trees as silent sentinels along the nation’s borders to detect potential threats such as smuggled radioactive materials.’ I suspect there is some exaggeration here, but read more…

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