Vodafone technology is being used by the British Geological Survey (BGS), alongside Bournemouth University, Neutral Networks and Dorset Council, to detect landslides along the UK’s world heritage Jurassic Coast.
The 155km stretch of British coastline, which is known for paleontological discoveries and is one of only four natural sites across the UK to hold world heritage status, has seen five cliff movements this year alone, including a major landslide in April which saw more than 4,000 tonnes of rubble slip from the cliff face. Ongoing erosion represents a significant danger to people and buildings as well as threatening the devastation of one of the country’s most outstanding areas of natural beauty.
Vodafone has developed a prototype universal device that can house different types of sensors. The technology is being used initially in two pioneering trials – the coastal cliff monitoring project, and smart farming on local Dorset farms. Sensors developed by Wessex Internet, and installed within the Vodafone device, receive live alerts, data, and insights from around the farm, monitoring real-time agricultural information. This includes the health of the soil, water quality of nearby streams and rivers, and the tracking of cattle and high value machinery.
