In an effort to save lives and reduce material losses caused by avalanches in mountain areas, amplía))) participates in the innovative MEWS project, an initiative that uses IoT and AI technologies to create a precise and reliable early warning system.
In mountainous areas, avalanches have often caused tragedies with both human and material losses. This could have been avoided if there had been a reliable and accurate early warning system that would provide at least a few hours of lead time to local prevention and response services. Current systems, which are very complex and centralized, either analyze very specific parts of some terrains at a local level or have broader views based on satellite systems, which do not offer sufficient precision in measurements. In both cases, the systems do not provide enough anticipation to allow local teams to act to prevent disasters.
The Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) has, among its various research disciplines, the analysis of geological mechanisms that can trigger the destabilization of certain terrains. This involves not only understanding the different geological layers and their own dynamic characteristics but also being able to identify the factors that can destabilize them, accelerate their dynamic properties, and, most importantly, anticipate these events based on reliable parameters. Norway, one of the most developed countries at risk of avalanches in its geography, leads the research in this field.
In this context, the MEWS project was born within the Eurostars program.
WHAT IS MEWS? MEWS PROJECT FOR AVALANCHE PREDICTION
The MEWS project was initiated to prevent human and material losses in natural disasters such as snow avalanches in high mountain areas. The MEWS project aims to make predictions about natural disasters in the mountains – snow avalanches – using modern technologies (IoT, AI) that allow local teams to act before these disasters occur, thereby preventing human and material losses. Additionally, it aims to do so in a way that makes the cost of these technologies feasible for building forecasting systems.
“A distributed, scalable and cost-effective Mass movement Early Warning System”
The MEWS system (an acronym for “Mass movement Early Warning System”) is based on an extensive network of nodes in the mountains that collect real-time information. This information is collected on an IoT platform that, by running Artificial Intelligence models on the collected data, allows for predictions about avalanche risk. The MEWS system, used by local response teams, will enable early detection and action to prevent disasters.
amplía)))’s Participation in MEWS
amplía))) participates in this innovative project by providing its OpenGate platform, which offers an integrated solution for IoT data management and analysis. OpenGate enables the integration of any device or protocol thanks to its Connector Factory and Connector Functions, adapting to any communication technology. This platform collects and processes information in real time, using an AI engine to run predictive models on the collected data.
Thanks to OpenGate, the MEWS project can implement a network of distributed nodes in the mountains, optimizing data collection and processing. OpenGate’s ability to integrate devices and analyze data efficiently is key to the success of the MEWS early warning system, allowing for greater coverage and agility in data processing.
Our goal with this project is to address the weaknesses of traditional systems by using currently available IoT technologies, which allow for a much more distributed approach, thereby providing greater coverage and agility in data processing. Additionally, by using AI technologies that allow pre-trained models to make predictions based on information stored on the IoT platform.
Conclusion
The MEWS project is a promising initiative that aims to save lives and minimize material damage in high mountain areas prone to avalanches. With the collaboration of amplía))) and its OpenGate platform, it is expected to significantly improve the ability to predict and respond to these natural disasters, marking an important advancement in geological risk management.
For more information about the MEWS project and amplía)))’s participation, visit MEWS Project and Amplía Soluciones.
