How can we use our communication technology for good?
Technology Solution
Owl deploys a cost-effective, customizable, and easy-to-use IoT device called a Ducklink or “Duck”. A cluster of these ducks generates a resilient communications and sensor mesh network called a ClusterDuck Network (CDN). A CDN can be deployed on ground, on water, in air, and even in space. Once a network is deployed, it can be monitored anywhere 24/7 through the OWL Data Management System (DMS).
To generate a clustered mesh network, Ducks harness the power of 915mhz LoRa radio to communicate with each other. LoRa is short for “Long Range.” As the name implies, it is used for long range wireless communication. Using low power, it communicates with other wireless technologies using the unlicensed ISM radio bands. In an ideal scenario where two nodes are in line-of-sight with no obstacles between them, the range can be very large. Typically DuckLinks can communicate between each other over 500m-1km. The current world record for longest range of successful data transmission is 832 km.¹
Technology Details
This network infrastructure provides low-bandwidth (9.6 kbps), ad-hoc networking that may connect over 2.4Ghz WiFi to consumer electronics (phones, laptops) to provide basic communications capabilities when traditional infrastructure is offline. The DuckLinks involved in these enterprise deployments are powered by 3.7v 1,000 to 20,000 mAh lithium batteries and/or by 12W solar panels. An ESP32 microcontroller runs the DuckLink with WiFi, bluetooth, and power management. DuckLinks mesh through 915 MHz LoRa radio broadcasts. DuckLinks draw 150mA and communicate through 100mW transmissions. DuckLink firmware and the OWL DMS are built in enterprise-grade HTML, CSS, Javascript, Ruby, C++, and C#. The OWL DMS is hosted on IBM Cloud and is accessible anywhere with an internet connection.
In the mesh network, there will be a designated Duck called that will act as the gateway to the internet. Once this device receives a message, it uploads information to the DMS either through WiFi or through satellite (when a local internet is not available). The DMS collects the data and preprocesses it for analysis or prepares to ship the data out through APIs.
These Ducks have the ability to adapt to the task at hand by customizing the sensors. Any sensors can be integrated with a Duck to detect anomalies, weather, gas, heat, physical activities and/or characteristics, motion, and other phenomena to provide logistics of the surrounding environment. Collecting data from these different types of sensors in the environment informs a personnel with quality data that allows them to make key decisions.
Open-Source Firmware
The firmware behind the CDN is the ClusterDuck Protocol (CDP). CDP is an operating system of sorts for the Ducks and instructs them how to create data and handle incoming and outgoing messages. In March 2020, CDP officially became an open-source project under the Linux Foundation. The CDP attracted a community dedicated to Owl’s mission to connect the people, places, and things we care about most. With 1000+ (and counting) members, the CDP is evolving to become more resilient and efficient than ever before.
How the ClusterDuck Protocol is being used for good
The concept of the CDN has been proven multiple times with successful deployments alongside IBM, Verizon, The U.S. Government and Department of Defense, as well as local municipalities throughout the United States to provide disaster resilience. Our next journey will be using this tech to fight climate change by targeting fugitive methane emissions.²
With the help of IBM, Owl deployed resilient networks across Puerto Rico, deploying resilient communications networks in congested urban environments. In 2019, Owl deployed the network in various austere environments in Puerto Rico after the devastating blow from Hurricane Maria in 2017. It took Puerto Rico many months to get their communications back online.
Consequently, Owl collaborated with the government officials, universities, and communities to help fortify island networks to mitigate future interruptions with communication. Currently there are permanent installations of the CDN in University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico in San Juan, tech work space Engine-4 in Bayamon, and PREMA government facilities in Humacao. About thirty ducks are deployed collecting 10,000 data points daily. These data points are being monitored in real-time on the web-based OWL DMS. Owl is looking forward to returning to Puerto Rico in late 2022 for the first time in three years to expand the network and update the firmware of the deployed Ducks.
Owl also partnered with CalPoly in 2021 to deploy another iteration of the Duck called SpaceDuck. A Duck was launched into space using a weather balloon to stress test how far a connection can be made using the ClusterDuck Protocol. Imagine being able to connect to a satellite in a cost-effective way when all traditional communications are down! Read our report for more details.²
[1] https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/article/lorawan-world-record-broken-twice-in-single-experiment-1
[3] https://www.project-owl.com/SpaceDucks_Report_May_2021_Project_OWL.pdf
