Digital Cities & Citizens

Connecting the electricity cabinets

Caroline Wendt
October 25, 2019

In early September Kraftringen began installing smart technology in twenty electricity cabinets around Mårtenstorget. The cabinets contain vital parts of the city´s infrastructure. The initiative is part of Future by Lund’s project Smart Public Environments, which aims to make improvements for residents by using smart technology. The installation means that Kraftringen can have better control of some of the city’s important functions.

Sensors have been installed in the cabinets to measure, among other things, temperature and acceleration to test how the new communication network works. The acceleration measurement can detect an open door or whether the cabinet is damaged by, for example, being hit by a vehicle. Being able to detect the temperature is important to quickly get an indication of overheating. In doing so, Kraftringen has better control over the cabinets and it can improve the efficiency of maintenance.  

This project uses Bluetooth Mesh to create a communication network where sensor data can be collected and sent wirelessly. The project is a collaboration of Kraftringen with u-blox, MiThings, ABB, Mobile Heights and Future by Lund.

- Thanks to the collaboration between the municipality and the business community we have succeeded in creating a unique solution that can be the first step to build the city’s new digital infrastructure, says Anders Trana, project manager for SOM-projektet. The new network can provide a basic infrastructure to connect different things, which enables many new solutions in the city.

Read more in Kraftringen’s press release. (in Swedish)

The SOM-project is a part of the strategic innovation program for Internet of Things (IoT Sverige), a national initiative for Sweden funded by Vinnova. The project started on 1 September 2017 and continues until 30 June 2020.

Translation: Ben Dohrmann

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