SlashGear Japan
As we all know, forest fires cause a lot of damage. So wouldn’t it be great if the trees could tell us when they caught on fire? It makes for the ultimate in first response. Well, that is precisely what Voltree Power intends to do.
In fact, by attaching sensors to trees, information can be sent wirelessly to base stations about their status. Interestingly enough, these sensors will not be solar powered. Instead, they will use a bioenergy converter to tap into the trees for power. By harvesting the trees’ metabolic energy, these sensors will be easy to install and they don’t cause very much damage.
They are also weather resistant and won’t produce heat or noise. So, if a fire broke out, the sensor on the tree in the burning area would take notice and transmit the data to a base station, which would then signal the need for emergency services.
[via Ubergizmo]
One Response to “Voltree Power makes trees sensitive”
Mark Thomas October 10, 2008
The far more interesting thing is the “bioenergy” part. How exactly do they plan to “harvest the trees’ metabolic energy”?
Neutral