An open source software approach to geospatial sensor network standardization for urban runoff

• Open source software is used to create a modified router for reading Maxim’s 1-Wire™ sensor protocol.
• The modified router is the first solution towards a modular architecture for an urban runoff sensor system.
• The modified router created the bridge between the sensor protocols and the middle-level software.
• A representational state transfer design philosophy is used to develop the software for transferring sensor data.
• Open source software lowers the entry barrier to sensor networking and enables developers for continued innovation.

In this paper, we implement a geospatial sensor network for monitoring a green technology stormwater runoff site. The sensor network uses OpenWRT, an embedded Linux operating system, and other open source software, to create a modified router for reading Maxim’s 1-Wire™ protocol, queuing and transferring standardized sensor data while enabling location and time. The modified router created the bridge between the sensor protocols and the middle-level software to provide reliable data to both the sewer district and the Environmental Protection Agency. Representational State Transfer (REST) is used in the design philosophy of the client and server open source software for transferring the data from the embedded systems to the server level for storage and publication. The use of open source software not only creates a more affordable network but lowers the entry barrier to sensor networking and enables developers for continued innovation and standardization.