Remote assessment of cultural heritage environments with wireless sensor array networks.
The logistics and cost of environmental monitoring can represent challenges for heritage managers, partly because of the sheer number of environmental parameters to consider. There is a need for a system, capable of monitoring the holistic impact of the environment on cultural materials while remaining relatively easy to use and providing remote access. This paper describes a dosimetric system based on piezoelectric quartz crystal technology. The prototype sensing module consists of an array of piezoelectric quartz crystals (PQC) coated with different metals (Fe, Cu, Ni and Sn) and includes a temperature and relative humidity sensor. The communication module involves an 802.15.4 low-power radio and a GPRS gateway which allows real time visualisation of the measurements online. An energy management protocol ensures that the system consumes very low power between measurements. The paper also describes the results and experiences from two heritage field deployments, at Apsley House in London, UK, and at the Royal Palaces of Abomey in Benin. Evaluation of PQC measurements, temperature, relative humidity and the rate of successful transmission over the communication systems are also reported.
Centre for Sustainable Heritage, University College London, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, UK. h.agbota@ucl.ac.uk.
Henoc
H
Agbota
Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University College London, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, UK. j.mitchell@ucl.ac.uk.
John E
JE
Mitchell
Birkbeck College, University of London, Malet Street, London WC1E 7HX, UK. m.odlyha@bbk.ac.uk.
Marianne
M
Odlyha
Centre for Sustainable Heritage, University College London, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, UK. m.strlic@ucl.ac.uk.
Matija
M
Strlič
D001541:Benin; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003469:Culture; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006798:Housing; D006813:Humidity; D007753:Laboratories; D008131:London; D011791:Quartz; D058998:Remote Sensing Technology / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013696:Temperature; D059015:Wireless Technology
D011791:Quartz