The “green” movement and the advancement of technology don’t always mesh well, but with HP’s newest research project, the two are coming together in a phenomenal way. “Smart dust” was a vision of a 1990′s researcher, Kris Pister. He imagined a dusting the surface of the earth with millions of tiny sensors that would monitor the environment. From weather, architectural soundness, chemicals in the air, the possibilities for use are endless.
HP’s website presents this project, titled CeNSE (Central Nervous System for the Earth), as countless sensors that are “stuck to bridges and buildings to warn of structural strains or weather conditions. They might be scattered along roadsides to monitor traffic, weather and road conditions. Embedded in everyday electronics, CeNSE nodes might track hospital equipment, sniff out pesticides and pathogens in food, or even “recognize” the person using them and adapt.”
To read more about the project, CNN Labs has written a comprehensive article on the progress of CeNSE as well as how it could change the way we see the earth. It’s worth a read!