KU Leuven’s Internet of Trees maps the health of trees online

Researchers at KU Leuven have developed a module with which they can map the health of trees online. This so-called Internet of Trees is currently being piloted in the cities of Ghent, Sint-Niklaas and Beveren-Waas.

As with other IoT applications, the Internet of Trees comprises a number of smart modules that continuously exchange data via the Internet. By monitoring a number of specific parameters, such as the temperature of the sap flow and the movement of the tree, a picture can be formed of the health of the tree. “The sensor module can provide useful information for the management of the trees in a city or park,” says researcher Stijn Wielandt of Technology Campus Gent, which is part of KU Leuven.

The researchers are aiming not only at cities or park managers, but also at private individuals. “We have deliberately kept the module very simple. Anyone who has even had a taste for technology and programming can get to work with it,” explains fellow researcher Bart Thoen. The monitor consists of a few sensors, a waterproof housing, a rubber band to attach the whole to the tree and a QR code to register the tree online. The device is powered by two AA batteries. Anyone interested in an IoTree module can contact DNDLab, the makers lab of the Technology Campus Ghent. A module costs about forty euros.

The whole system is open source. As a result, according to the developers, the module also has a lot of potential in other areas. “You can also construct and program the sensor module in such a way that you can remotely check whether the water barrel in your garden is full,” explains Wielandt. “Are you waiting for a letter or package? Then program the sensor so that you receive a notification as soon as something falls into your mailbox.”