The project, funded by the , was primarily aimed at developing a multi-sensor system capable of quantifying both suspended solids and river bottom solid transport. A fundamental operation to enable preventive maintenance interventions, preventing landslides and the consequent damage to structures and infrastructure.
RiBeMos has focused on two main aspects: first, to automate the measurement of suspended solids鈥攁n activity that previously demanded substantial time and resources; second, to enable the measurement of river bedload transport, which had previously been unachievable.
The project was led by the Institute of Systems and Applied Electronics (ISEA) of the Department of Innovative Technologies (DTI) in collaboration with the companies Laboratorium 3D, Kern Elektronik AG, the Azienda Elettrica Ticinese, and the Office of Watercourses of the Department of Territory of Canton Ticino.
Specifically, ISEA engineers, were responsible for the development of the sensors, electronics, algorithmics and data transmission of the system as well as testing on scale models in the laboratories and real ones on the rivers.
"This was a very interesting and interdisciplinary project: the fruitful collaboration of electronics, computer science, rural, civil and environmental engineers made it possible to unite different issues and working methods for a common goal," said Eng. Samuel Poretti, ISEA's RF Electronics, Telecommunications, High Frequency and Imaging Systems Area Manager and project leader.
"Particular efforts were applied to the practical experimentation and validation part. The use of real scale models was instrumental in being able to develop the entire monitoring system due to the possibility of replicating events that occur in nature at unpredictable times."
The innovative system developed has brought important results on several fronts, giving room for new projects and collaborations in the area.