Detection and monitoring of manholes using the internet of things (IOT)

Abstract

The World is heading over to urbanization and smart cities are emerging very fast all over the world. In the building of smart cities many parameters are considered such as water, transportation, electricity, communication, underground system, etc. Most of the cables for the electrical and telecom companies are buried under the ground. The waste water is disposed off through underground drainage sewer systems. Water pipelines like for NWSC here in Uganda are placed below the ground. This underground system needs to be monitored in order to maintain the dignity of the smart cities. Municipal Councils are the official authorities to ensure that manholes are maintained functioning properly, and this can either be done manually or automatically. Manual maintenance of the manholes is always difficult in real-time execution, that‟s why automated monitoring systems are needed. The main idea behind this project has been focused on building an automated manhole detection and monitoring system through the use of the Internet of Things (IoT). We have been able to build an IoT based manhole detection and monitoring system which consists of four sensors and an interface from where technical personnel can be able to monitor a network of manholes. The system will also enable the technical personnel to receive timely alerts in case of any changes in the manhole statuses and the implementation of this IoT based system will indeed enhance the betterment of the smart cities.