Remote Central Monitoring System Demonstration Held

"The remote central monitoring system for operating conditions of public facilities" developed jointly by UoA and "Aqua Crew," (*1) a local sewage system operation/maintenance company in Inwashiro Town was demonstrated at an explanatory meeting. At this meeting, empirical studies going on at public facilities in Aizuwakamatsu City were explained on Thursday, December 18, 2014.

Currently, public facilities such as water and sewerage systems in rural or remote areas in the mountains are checked manually about once per week. An inspector visually checks meters and other devices, and contacts the office by phone or other means if an abnormality is detected. However, should an abnormality occur, they cannot take prompt action under this checking system, which might negatively affect residents' living conditions and the natural environment. Moreover, installation of signal lines or placing monitoring staff at all times is infeasible due to cost.

The system at an empirical phase can solve the problems pertaining to the operation of such public facilities. It takes photos of indicator lamps showing the relevant facilities' operational conditions, and analyzes those images. The analyzed data will then be visualized on the website for real-time remote confirmation. The system will enable prompt identification of unusual situations of public facilities including dams and water/sewage systems.

An information session on the technical prototype of this system was held in March this year (*2). After that, the prototype was installed in several facilities in Fukushima. As a result of numerous improvements based on empirical studies, the research has reached a phase of designing a pilot model for commercialization.

Associate Professor Yuichi Yaguchi (*3) in charge of system development explained the empirical studies with a demonstration in reference to cases at Shimoarai Sewage Center in Aizuwakamatsu.

Given that the system will cover around 200 facilities in Fukushima, its marketability will be wide-ranging. Further, this system can analyze collected data related to facilities, leading to detection of facility deterioration, etc. Therefore, the system is expected to become as a new technology which will support Smart City Plan being promoted in Aizuwakamatsu.

*1　Aqua Crew

*2　Official Website News: UoA develops remote central monitoring system with local company

*3　Associate Professor Yuichi Yaguchi