Academic Venture Fund Supplemental Grants
Bridging the NYS Rural and Urban Divide through a Public ‘Internet of Things’
AVF project: Rural areas have been plagued by poor cellular connections and a lack of investment by wireless telecommunication companies. This project aims to use affordable Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technology to create a testbed in Tompkins County with 100% coverage and through 30 Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) offices across New York State that will be equipped with LPWAN-based electricity and water metering. This statewide, public “Internet of Things” infrastructure will bridge the digital divide between rural and urban areas, spur new economic activities and be a game-changer for sustainability.
The supplemental grant funds six undergraduate students who will work with the CCE offices to identify where to install LPWAN-based meters, develop inventories, gather feedback and help envision what services a statewide, public “Internet of Things” can provide for counties in New York state.
Topics: Access, Equity and Justice
The Team
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K. Max Zhang, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
College of Engineering
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David Kay, Department of Development Sociology, Community and Regional Development Institute
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
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Stephen Wicker, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
College of Engineering
- Community partner: Kenneth Schlather, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County
- Community partner: 30 Cornell Cooperative Extension associations
- Community partner: LoRa Alliance
In the News
JULY 2018
Max Zhang aims for impact in Ithaca and beyond
– College of Engineering website
JUNE 29, 2018
Sustainable economic strategies spur engaged research interest
– Cornell Chronicle
Academic Venture Fund Supplemental Grants
Supporting undergraduate participation in cutting-edge, community-engaged projects funded by the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future