ILSe

What is this about?
In the ILSe (Intelligent Leaf Collector Basket Sensor) project, a sensor is being developed that measures the filling level of leaf collector baskets with leaves and dirt in the street drain/gully and reports this to a web service. This allows the baskets to be emptied and cleaned in a targeted manner in order to optimise water drainage and prevent or reduce flooding, especially during heavy rainfall.

What motivated you to take part in this tender? Where did the idea come from?
The idea came from our project partners and was concretised in joint meetings. The project combines different topics such as hardware/software development, data-driven applications and challenges such as harsh environmental conditions. The FH Aachen's and the project partners' expertise complement each other very well in order to successfully develop and test the sensor. The sensor offers a wide range of possibilities for making mobility safer and protecting infrastructure before and during heavy rainfall events. Furthermore, operational processes for cleaning street drains can be optimised to make them more sustainable and efficient.

What benefits does this project bring to society and/or in terms of sustainability?
The project can benefit society in various ways in terms of sustainability: The ability to clean road drains in a targeted manner can increase the resilience of the infrastructure by reducing or avoiding flooding during heavy rainfall. This reduction or avoidance can also make mobility safer during and after heavy rainfall events. By providing the filling level data, the cleaning companies' operating processes can be optimised in order to carry them out in a more sustainable and resource-saving manner.

Who else is taking part?
Together with our project partners 4traffic SET GmbH and Dekimo Experts Aachen, we can master the challenges of development, develop the sensor and the web applications and test and evaluate 20 sensors as prototypes in a field trial.