As part of the R_Lab Mobility real-world laboratory in Regensburg, the “Environmental Sensor Boxes” project is testing an innovative approach to collecting and analyzing environmental data. Energy-autonomous sensor boxes equipped with photovoltaics and radio connections measure environmentally relevant variables such as temperature, humidity, VOC content, NOx index, and particle concentrations. This data is transmitted to a data backend via a LORAWAN radio connection and serves as the basis for the development of the Mobility Data Hub by Stadtwerk.Regensburg. The Mobility Data Hub will then allow the data to be used for future projects and innovations. At the same time, on-site testing is intended to increase acceptance for such a sensor project in public spaces.
The sensor boxes were installed at three locations in Regensburg: at TechBase, D.-Martin-Luther-Straße, and Weißenburgstraße. They continuously provide data that is visualized and evaluated via dashboards. In the future, this information will enable intelligent control of traffic flows and the derivation of recommendations for action for sustainable urban development.
The project is being technically implemented by AVL Software and Functions GmbH, while the Cluster Mobility & Logistics is responsible for project coordination, stakeholder management, and communication. The project will run from May 1, 2024, to December 31, 2026.
With the “Environmental Sensor Boxes” project, Regensburg is demonstrating how modern technology and data-supported analyses can be used to create a sustainable and safe mobility infrastructure. The next step is to transfer the project to another city and further develop the sensor so that noise can also be measured in the future.