Projects | Growing Data Foundation

Agricultural Technologies in South Australia Survey Report

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Agricultural Technologies in South Australia Survey Report documents the state of adoption of digital and precision agriculture technologies among South Australian farmers and agribusinesses.

The survey was conducted by the Growing Data Foundation in collaboration with industry partners, gathering primary data on awareness, uptake and barriers to adoption of technologies including sensors, drones, variable-rate application, remote monitoring and data analytics.

The full report is available for download below. All data is published openly to support policy development, research and industry planning.

Download the Agricultural Technologies in South Australia Survey Report (PDF) »

Australian Landscape Trust

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Australian Landscape Trust partnership connects the Growing Data Foundation with one of South Australia’s leading conservation landholders to apply open data and IoT monitoring to large-scale ecological restoration.

The Australian Landscape Trust manages properties in the Murray-Darling Basin committed to long-term native vegetation restoration. GDF contributes technical expertise in sensor deployment, data infrastructure and open data publishing to support evidence-based land management decisions.

About

The partnership supports the Trust’s monitoring of revegetation success, wildlife recolonisation and water balance across their properties. Data gathered through the collaboration is made publicly available to support broader research and conservation planning.

Collab Fellowship

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Collab Digital Fellowship is a Growing Data Foundation program that pairs skilled digital practitioners with community organisations to build local capacity in open data, IoT and digital tools.

Fellows work embedded within partner organisations for a defined period, delivering a specific digital project while sharing skills and knowledge with staff and volunteers. The program aims to reduce the digital divide between well-resourced organisations and smaller community groups.

The project

Each fellowship is scoped around a concrete deliverable — a sensor network, a data dashboard, a community app — that the host organisation can maintain and build on after the fellowship ends. Fellows are drawn from GDF’s network of technical volunteers and industry partners.

About

The fellowship model is inspired by similar programs internationally that embed technologists within civil society organisations. The Growing Data Foundation coordinates the program and provides fellowship support, mentoring and open-source toolkits.

Economic Impact of Digital Infrastructure

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Economic Impact of Digital Infrastructure project examines the economic value created by community-owned open digital infrastructure — specifically LoRaWAN networks and open data platforms — for regional and metropolitan communities in South Australia.

The Growing Data Foundation contributed data and case studies from The Things Network Adelaide and associated citizen science projects to demonstrate how shared open infrastructure reduces costs for community organisations, researchers and small businesses.

The full report is available for download below.

Download the Economic Impact of Digital Infrastructure Report (PDF) »

FIrewater

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Firewater project is a Growing Data Foundation initiative developed during the 2020 GovHack competition by the GDF Water Warriors team. The project provides tools and data visualisations to help firefighters identify water sources — dams, reservoirs, tanks and watercourses — so they can make better decisions about water supply during bushfire events.

Using open government datasets on water infrastructure and fire-prone areas, the team built a prototype application that maps available water sources against current and predicted fire zones. The goal is to help incident controllers locate the nearest accessible water supply quickly and safely during fast-moving bushfire events.

The project

The Water Warriors team competed across the 46-hour GovHack 2020 weekend, combining open data from state government agencies, Bureau of Meteorology feeds, and crowd-sourced water-point registers. The resulting prototype was awarded recognition at both state and national level.

The tech

The project uses open government spatial datasets, LoRaWAN sensor data from The Things Network Adelaide, and a web-based mapping interface. All source data and code are published under open licences.

About

FIrewater grew out of the Growing Data Foundation’s ongoing work in open data and community resilience. The Foundation continues to explore how sensor networks and open data can support emergency management across South Australia.

First Names Here

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Names and language are not just words – they are closely linked to our identity and culture. Aboriginal communities are sharng their languages through story, song and eduction. Tae a walk and learn the first names for places and, possibly later, for plants and things.

About

Names and language are not just words – they are closely linked to our identity and culture. Around Australia Aboriginal communities and groups are reviving and sharing their languages through story, song and through community and formal eduction. As you walk around this app allows you to see the first names for places and, possibly later, for plants and things.

You will be able to see what Aboriginal communities predominant in a particular area – fixed borders are a very western concept and we want to reflect this by avoiding drawing firm regional borders but instead showing you where there is a predominance from a particular community and where there is a shared presence from a number of communities.

As well a general interest – this app could be used as a learning tool for schools to provoke discussion and learning linked to the Australian Curriculum Across Curriculum Prioritys, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures

Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN)

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

GODAN — the Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition initiative — is an international partnership that advocates for open access to agricultural and nutritionally relevant data.

The Growing Data Foundation holds affiliate membership of GODAN, connecting South Australian open data and AgTech work to a global network of governments, NGOs, research institutions and private sector organisations committed to making agricultural data freely available.

About

GODAN supports the principle that open agricultural data is essential to addressing food security, sustainable farming and rural development challenges. GDF’s involvement in GODAN reflects its commitment to open data principles and its AgTech and environmental monitoring work in South Australia.

Helping the dolphins

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

In the last few years I have taken a keen interest in the Port River Dolphin Sanctuary and it’s 30 resident dolphins. The dolphins are doing an amazing job of surviving and breeding in a busy river port but it has not been without its fair share of tragedy and loss.

The tech

There is scope for TTN and GDF to step in and set up an environmental monitoring and surveillance system that will measure water quality parameters including temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH. If Marine Rangers and the Port community are able to have real time data on when water quality drops or if a pollution event occurs, they will be able to respond quickly to any harmful events.

A way to help

There have been reports of people actively harassing and hurting the dolphins and some of these magnificent animals have been found with wounds on their bodies from bullets, spears and impacts with fast moving objects such as boats and jet ski’s.

There is also evidence of dolphins dying from living in a heavily polluted environment. That being said, the Port River is definitely a lot healthier and less polluted than it has been in the past, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.

I am hoping there is group of similarly concerned people out there who would like to work on this project so we can help protect the Port River Dolphins. We certainly have the technology to get this project happening – we just need a core group of committed people to kick start the project. Who’s in?

Thanks
Sam

Hi-Tech Sector Plan 2030

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Hi-Tech Sector Plan 2030 is a strategic industry development document produced in collaboration with South Australian government and industry stakeholders to chart a pathway for growth of the state’s high-technology sector over the decade to 2030.

The Growing Data Foundation contributed to the development of this plan, drawing on its experience in open data, IoT infrastructure and digital skills development to inform recommendations around community digital capacity, regional connectivity and open data policy.

The full plan is available for download below.

Download the Hi-Tech Sector Plan 2030 (PDF) »

If you want to go far, go together

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

“If you want to go far, go together” is a Growing Data Foundation community mentoring and collaboration initiative inspired by the African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

The program brings together experienced digital practitioners, community organisations and emerging technologists to work on shared open data and IoT projects. The emphasis is on collective capacity building — sharing skills, tools and networks so that communities can sustain and grow their own digital projects over the long term.

The full report is available for download below.

Download the “If You Want to Go Far, Go Together” Report (PDF) »

Makerspace Adelaide

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Makerspace Adelaide is a community fabrication and prototyping space that the Growing Data Foundation has supported as a hub for hands-on IoT, electronics and open hardware projects.

Makerspaces provide access to tools — 3D printers, laser cutters, soldering stations, electronics benches — and, more importantly, a community of makers willing to share skills and collaborate on projects. For GDF, the makerspace connection supports the hardware prototyping side of citizen science and IoT initiatives including SmartHollow and the TTN Adelaide sensor node program.

About

GDF has provided mentorship, project facilitation and open-source toolkits to Makerspace Adelaide participants, helping bridge the gap between community making and real-world environmental and social impact projects.

Mount Burr Wetland Restoration

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Mount Burr Wetland Restoration project applies open environmental data and community monitoring to support the restoration of wetlands in the Mount Burr region of South Australia’s South East.

The project brings together landholders, conservation groups and the Growing Data Foundation to monitor wetland health using low-cost IoT sensors deployed via The Things Network. Data on water levels, salinity and wildlife activity is made openly available to inform restoration decisions.

The project

Sensor nodes installed around the wetland edges transmit real-time readings to an open data platform. Volunteer monitors, land managers and researchers can access the data to track restoration progress and identify issues early.

The tech

The project uses LoRaWAN sensor nodes, The Things Network infrastructure and open-source data dashboards. All collected data is published under a Creative Commons licence.

About

The Growing Data Foundation facilitated the project as part of its commitment to applying open data and community technology to environmental challenges in regional South Australia.

Nest boxes and integrated sensors

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

As a result of urban pressure old trees with hollows that animals rely on for shelter and breeding sites are disappearing at an alarming rate. Providing nesting boxes for wildlife is a start but to truly protect our critters we need to know more.

A way to help

Nesting boxes can provide homes to animals such as owls, parrots, possums and bats, but how do we know if the nesting boxes are being used by these animals? How do we know if they are installed in the best places? Nesting boxes are only the first part of the story. Through the use of technology it is possible to monitor, measure and collect real time data to inform best practice wildlife management.

The team leading this project is the Growing Data Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation that supports open-source projects and the development of sustainable solutions for social good. Members from the GDF working with Adelaide company fauNature have designed and built a nest box which integrates sensors and other technologies to collect data in a non-intrusive manner. This data can then be analysed to improve wildlife management outcomes. People will be able to determine how animals are using the nest boxes in parks, urban environments and even in their own backyards.

The Growing Data Foundation have just deployed two smart-nests in the Adelaide parklands. The open data collected from the sensors within the nest boxes (aka “smart nests”) is being made freely available for others to use in their own projects. The nest box project links with the Adelaide The Things Network, an open data network convened by the Growing Data Foundation. The advantage of this approach is that it provides the ability for the nest box to be connected in real-time to the internet without network costs, in parkland situations where WiFi availability is problematic and mobile contracts are expensive.

You can find out more about the Smart Nest and the The Things Network at “The Things Network on Tour APAC”, the first Australian conference dedicated to The Things Network and LoraWAN technologies on November 17-18 2019 in Adelaide, South Australia.

This project has been supported by a grant from the Adelaide Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management (NRM) board.

Riverland Schools IoT Project

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Riverland Schools IoT Project connects secondary school students in the Riverland region of South Australia with real-world environmental data through a curriculum-integrated Internet of Things (IoT) program.

Initiated in June 2020 at the invitation of the District Council of Loxton Waikerie, the project supports staff and students across four Riverland high schools in designing and deploying sensor experiments that draw on LoRaWAN infrastructure recently installed across the region.

The project

Students use low-cost sensors and the open Things Network to collect real-time data on topics they choose — water quality, microclimate, agricultural conditions — and then analyse and visualise that data as part of their school curriculum. The emphasis is on open data, open tools and developing local technical capacity in regional South Australia.

The tech

The project uses The Things Network (TTN) LoRaWAN infrastructure, low-cost sensor nodes, and open-source data dashboards. Data collected by students is published openly for community use.

About

The Growing Data Foundation facilitated the project, providing technical mentorship, hardware sourcing and curriculum design support. The project is part of GDF’s broader commitment to bringing IoT and open data skills to regional and rural communities.

The Surveying & Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI)

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Surveying & Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI) partnership connects the Growing Data Foundation with Australia’s peak professional body for surveying, spatial information and remote sensing.

The collaboration focuses on the intersection of open geospatial data, community science and spatial technologies — areas where GDF’s open data infrastructure and SSSI’s professional network create mutual value. Joint activities have included workshops, data-sharing projects and advocacy for open spatial data access.

About

SSSI represents over 4,000 professionals working across surveying, geographic information systems, remote sensing and related disciplines. The Growing Data Foundation’s work in environmental monitoring, citizen science and IoT generates spatial datasets that complement professional practice and open new avenues for community engagement with spatial data.

The Things Network

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The Growing Data Foundation founded The Things Network (TTN) Adelaide in 2016, establishing one of Australia’s first community-run LoRaWAN networks. TTN Adelaide provides free, open long-range wireless connectivity for IoT devices across metropolitan Adelaide and surrounds.

The network

The Things Network uses LoRaWAN technology to allow sensors and devices to communicate over distances of several kilometres without mobile subscriptions or WiFi. Gateways installed by community volunteers and organisations create a shared public network that anyone can use for environmental monitoring, smart city applications, agriculture and community science projects.

The tech

LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) is a low-power wireless protocol ideal for battery- operated sensors in parks, farms, buildings and waterways. TTN Adelaide gateways relay sensor data to a free, open network server, and the collected data is made available through open APIs.

About

In 2019 the Growing Data Foundation was awarded the sole rights to host The Things Network Asia Pacific On Tour Conference in Adelaide, drawing over 150 attendees from across the region. TTN Adelaide continues to grow as a shared community resource underpinning citizen science, education and environmental monitoring projects across South Australia.

The Things Network Adelaide

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

We are advocating for the development of a city-wide Internet of Things data network in Adelaide. A network that can talk to the internet without 3G or WiFi (no and has low battery usage, long range and low bandwidth extends opportunities for makers, inventors and creatives.

Get involved!

Join The Things Network – Adelaide, and join the Adelaide Open Data and IoT Meetup group to connect with like-minded people – and to get news, details of events straight to your app or mailbox.

About

The advantage of this technology for Maker and citizen science projects is that it allows ‘things’ to talk to the internet without 3G or WiFi – meaning that if a box is located in a remote area; data can still be obtained on conditions, effectiveness… or whatever it is you are measuring/monitoring.

Ansterdam has successfully demonstrated the value of this concept by creating the The Things Network using a new a new technology named LoraWAN™ that is perfect for Internet of Things projects.

Adelaide has many citizen science projects, makers, tinkerers and creators who will benefit from such a network.

What Grows Here – Best for Bees

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

What Grows Here — Best for Bees extends the original What Grows Here? flora identification project with a focus on plants that support native bee populations and other pollinators.

Building on the app developed for the 2014 GovHack competition, the Best for Bees initiative adds curated plant data identifying species known to provide habitat, forage and nesting resources for South Australia’s native bees. The project supports home gardeners, land managers and schools in making planting decisions that benefit local pollinator communities.

The project

Users can search for native plants suitable to their location that are also recognised as pollinator-friendly. Plant records are drawn from the State Flora Catalogue and the Atlas of Living Australia, with additional bee-habitat data sourced from research partners.

The tech

The project uses the open What Grows Here? data platform, extended with pollinator trait data. All data is published openly and the application source code is available on GitHub.

About

Native bees are critical pollinators for Australian ecosystems and agriculture. Unlike European honeybees, most Australian native bees are solitary and depend on diverse native plant communities for survival. The Best for Bees project aims to make it easy for anyone to contribute to native pollinator conservation through informed planting choices.

What grows here?

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Whether you are a revegetation project team member, landscaper or gardener the ‘What Grows Here?’ app will help you find plants that best suit your space and needs. Learners can learn about local bird life.

The App

See detailed descriptions of over 1000 Australian Native Plants ranging from trees and shrubs to ground-covers and grasses.

The well-being of all life on our planet is under increasing pressure from climate change.

It has been known for decades that part of the solution lies in repairing our natural environment through tree planting and restoring forest to areas that have been cleared.

The ‘What grows here?’ app will empower you to and be part of the solution and help you plant the right tree, at the right time in the right place.

__ WGH? for Android

__ WGH? for iOS

Open data sets

‘What Grows Here?’ uses the following open datasets:
State Flora Catalogue (data.sa.gov)
Waite Arboretum Spatial Data
Atlas of Living Australia

About

‘What Grows Here?’ won the following Unleashed SA and GovHack prizes:

Premiers Award: Unleashed SA Competition
Building on science, research and environmental data Award: Unleashed SA Competition
The People’s Choice Hack, 1st Prize: National GovHack Competition

Visit the South Australian Unleashed and GovHack websites to find out about the competition and see the amazing projects different teams have created using open data.

‘What Grows Here?’ products were developed as part of the Unleased SA node of GovHack in 2014. As a result of participating in GovHack and winning awards that supported the development of the ‘What Grows Here?’ app and Learning Hub, the Nature Ninjas formed the Growing Data Foundation. The foundation will bring like-minded people together to work on open sustainable projects that support the community.

The Nature Ninjas team for the 2014 competition included: Joerg Boeselt; Leanne Brookes; Samantha Bywaters; Leo Gaggl; John Flackett; Brent Leideritz; David Lindley; Kristen Morgan; Rhys Moult; Katherine Nguyen; James Plummer; Sean Simper; Kenny Tran; Kien Vu; Catriona Ward.

What lives here?

Fri, 01 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Old trees with hollows that animals rely on are disappearing and as a result some species are dying out. Providing nesting boxes is a start but to truly protect threatened species we need to know more. We use technology to monitor, measure and return data to inform future decisions.

Connect with nature

Biophilia is a human condition that refers to our deep connection to nature. Rather than using technology to disconnect, we are using it to satisfy and strengthen connections of human with nature.

The tech

In tandem with this project, we are looking at setting up an Adelaide LowRaWAN™ network (The Things Network). The advantage of this technology for Maker and citizen science projects is that it allows ‘things’ to talk to the internet without 3G or WiFi – no WiFi codes and no mobile subscriptions – meaning that if a box is located in a remote area; data can still be obtained on conditions, effectiveness… or whatever it is you are measuring/monitoring.

About

Biodiversity underpins everything we do. The world is rapidly urbanising. The environments and homes that organisms share with humans are changing.

Councils and non-government organisations install nesting boxes at great cost. Nesting boxes can provide homes to animals like possums and birds. But – how do where the nesting boxes are being used by these animals? How do we know we have we installed the boxes in the best places? Nesting boxes are only the first part of the story.

We will use sensors and technology to monitor and measure if the boxes are being used. This data will also inform how we set up nesting boxes in the future – and where we place them. To ensure that nesting boxes are doing their job, we will use software, databases and hardware technology like: sensors; bluetooth; LowRaWAN™; wireless networks; Raspberry Pi; andWioLink.

People will be able to see if animals are using the nesting boxes in parks, urban environments – and in their own back yards. Data collected from the nestings boxes will be made available openly for others to use in their own prjects, learning – or out of curiosity.

Scientists and citizen science projects will be able to use the data to inform and plan their projects. Schools could use the nesting boxes and resulting data for projects and learning – for example in science, mathematics, geography.