A collaborative effort between the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and Georgia Tech has led to a significant advancement in environmental monitoring. Researchers have secured a grant of $1.25 million from the National Science Foundation to develop innovative, low-cost sensors aimed at enhancing hazard monitoring across Hawaiʻi. This initiative seeks to provide real-time data related to various threats, including wildfires, droughts, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, and water contamination.
The funding will support the creation of sensors that can be printed in minutes and deployed on the same day. These devices will collect actionable data for local communities and organizations throughout the state. Capable of measuring water quality and soil contamination, the sensors will connect to a compact, AI-enabled device that processes and transmits data instantly, allowing users to access and interpret information via a publicly available dashboard.
Community Involvement and Design
A core aspect of this project is the collaboration with local groups who hold kuleana, or responsibility, for the land and its resources. This includes land stewardship organizations, Hawaiian-language immersion schools, and community colleges. Engaging with these stakeholders will ensure that the technology aligns with local priorities and needs. As Tyler Ray, the principal investigator and associate professor at the College of Engineering at UH Mānoa, stated, “We can shorten the path from idea to instrument and build sensors tuned to local priorities without relying on centralized, hard-to-access facilities.”
The project aims to create a design-to-deployment pathway that is robust, affordable, and replicable on the islands. The sensors will work alongside a durable edge device capable of harvesting and storing energy, running machine learning models, and functioning even in areas with limited network connectivity. An open library of circuits and firmware will allow partners to customize sensors to measure various environmental indicators, such as pH levels, turbidity, and heavy metals.
Strengthening Local Relationships
This initiative builds upon existing relationships across Oʻahu, Maui, and Kauaʻi, where residents, educators, and resource stewards will guide the development process. The research team plans to hold design workshops and peer exchanges to foster collaboration among partner sites. A final gathering will synthesize findings and share open designs, ensuring that data governance adheres to established frameworks that support local control and confidentiality.
Co-principal investigator Aurora Kagawa-Viviani, an assistant professor in the Water Resources Research Center and Department of Geography and Environment at UH Mānoa, emphasized the importance of equitable relationships. “Our approach follows advances in community-centered co-design where we will design the sensing agenda together with community partners,” Kagawa-Viviani said. “Building strong and equitable relationships ensures the technology and the data it produces have lasting value long after the prototype.”
The grant will also facilitate hands-on training for students from K–12 through community colleges and research universities, connecting them with partner sites. The project’s open-source hardware, software, and design documents will be made available for adaptation in island, rural, and urban settings facing similar environmental challenges.
As the project progresses, the researchers are committed to ensuring that their work supports the stewardship of Hawaiʻi’s unique ecosystems, ultimately contributing to the resilience of local communities.
