BACKGROUND
Utility poles are a widespread infrastructure that covers the entire national territory and are used when burying cables is too costly or not feasible due to topographical reasons.
The poles deteriorate over time, leading to service disruptions and safety risks. FiberCop, which manages Italy’s leading digital network infrastructure, is focused on expanding and optimizing its ultra-broadband network, already covering over 95% of active lines and connecting 40% of homes via FTTH. The current challenge is to develop innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions to monitor, reinforce, or replace the poles supporting the fiber network. Students are invited to propose smart technologies and efficient management models to improve the network’s resilience and minimize environmental impact.
CHALLENGE
The goal of the challenge is to:
- Develop a low-cost IoT system for monitoring the health status of wooden poles, using low-power wireless sensors;
- Include specific sensors such as humidity sensors, accelerometers, and acoustic sensors to detect rot, instability, and internal degradation;
- Transmit the collected data via low-energy technologies to a cloud platform;
- Analyze the data using algorithms to identify variations and critical anomaly signals, improving the timeliness of maintenance interventions;
- Ensure energy autonomy;
- Improve pole safety to prevent service disruptions and reduce structural risks.
Download the pdf to discover if your degree programme recognizes you curricular or extra curricular credits for this challenge.
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