New (2019) Queensland company LiXiA is using IOT and sensor technology to bring real-time water level information to communities susceptible to the ravages of flooding.
Predicting widespread general flooding is one thing, but flash flooding due to localised rainfall is much more difficult to determine in advance. LiXiA has a flood monitoring system that operates full time and monitors changes to water flow. It also measures water height every minute using LiDAR. The system has been able to predict localised flooding up to an hour before conventional systems.
The warning system is based on wireless technologies and can use LoRa, NB-IoT and 4G or 5G. Information from sensors is sent to AI machine learning algorithms via the cloud to provide deeper insights and better predictions. Automated alerts provide interested parties with advanced warning that allows more time for action and preparation.
This LiXiA flood warning system is a perfect example of the benefits of harnessing IoT connected sensors with cloud technology and AI to save lives in situations that challenged previous technologies. It’s obviously not a replacement for BOM methodologies and equipment but it most certainly is a very useful, specifically focused adjunct to systems already in place.