From its solid foundation underground to its antenna poised above the rooftops, the new tower at Kearney is the keystone to blanketing the research fields with Wi-Fi. Access points in the field will complete the hardware portion of the tower system. Where possible, the access point hardware taps into existing electrical infrastructure at wells and buildings. Where necessary, five solar powered access points will be installed to augment coverage.
Some of the practical applications of this system include remotely retrieving data from multiple sensors without removing them from their collection points, confirming sensor operation from main campuses and other locations with zero travel time, and monitoring and optimizing Kearney well function.
Looking forward to this expansion of field Wi-Fi, Director Jeff Dahlberg anticipates, “Real-time big data collection on a field scale level.”
With all 330 acres of Kearney gaining Wi-Fi coverage soon, a whole new era of field research data collection may be coming.
