ECU center aims to connect community, business with technology

ECU center aims to connect community, business with technology

Soon, Noah Gwynn will no longer have to fish for information as farm manager for Classic Seafood Group. He'll have it right at his fingertips.

Gwynn is working with Dr. Ciprian Popoviciu, assistant professor in East Carolina University's Department of Technology Systems, in a unique partnership that will provide real-time data on the business' catfish ponds in Ayden.

Popoviciu manages the Center for IoT (Internet of Things) Engineering and Innovation (CIEI) in ECU's College of Engineering and Technology. The center develops and manages the Platform for IoT Open Networks (PITON) that allows users to easily deploy and manage sensors in support of research, education, civic projects and business

On the Farm

Classic Seafood Group delivers fresh, farm-raised catfish throughout the East Coast. The fish grow up to 2 1/2 pounds in the company's numerous ponds, which must be checked frequently for proper water oxygen levels and temperature. Lack of oxygen in the water could result in the deaths of fish.

PITON data sensors can provide the water quality information the company needs to operate.

"Having continuously monitoring data loggers will allow us to better see trends in the dissolved oxygen fluctuations from pond to pond," Gwynn said. "This information will be helpful to understand water quality changes and promote fish health. Also, being able to remotely monitor our ponds will reduce labor costs as we currently check them manually. Manually checking the ponds is time and labor intensive, so this was exciting knowing a more efficient way could be done."

He said the farm is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The sensors would eliminate that need and provide data in real time, allowing Gwynn and his staff to react quickly to any issues.

"This data will hopefully also provide peace of mind as management will be able to know the oxygen levels of our ponds at any point in time while also not having to be at the farm," Gwynn said.

He said the data sensors could make a big difference in the business.

"Dr. Popoviciu and his ECU students have taken this idea of remote monitoring oxygen levels and made it a viable option for our farm," Gwynn said. "They are tailoring a product specifically for our farm and our needs. We are still in the experimental phase but look forward to the final product potential."

Meeting the Need

In a small room in ECU's Science and Technology Building, a TV screen displays locations where data sensors are deployed as part of PITON. Surrounded by computer network servers, Popoviciu explains that the sensors can collect all sorts of data about almost anything - from sea turtle nesting to traffic congestion.

They can tell a farmer if his crops have had enough rain. They can measure water levels to determine flood potential. They can be used to measure shoreline erosion. Air quality data could help those with breathing issues know if it's unsafe to be outside for long periods of time.

At Lake Mattamuskeet - North Carolina's largest natural freshwater lake - the sensors can help monitor water flow through canals into Pamlico Sound and keep track of water quality, both of which are vital to the migrating birds and other animals that make up the area's habitat.

With the sensors providing data in real time, immediate responses to help mitigate problems - or even prevent them - is possible.

"You can see what's happening and react to it," Popoviciu said. "Additionally, what you can do now is create all kinds of processes that intelligently lead to action based on the data you're collecting. … It facilitates workflow automation."

Popoviciu recognizes that technology can be a barrier for some, but that's where ECU comes in.

"Our mission is to make things easy," he said. "They do not need to know how to configure sensors or networks. We're trying to make everything easy to deploy and easy to manage."

He said PITON perfectly embodies ECU's mission to help transform the region.

"ECU is an anchor institution for this community, for eastern North Carolina," Popoviciu said. "If we provide the technology, we eliminate that perception that technology is complicated or expensive. If we eliminate that barrier and we bring in the expertise that ECU has in water management, air quality, farming or whatever, that can really create amazing opportunities."

Student Involvement

At ECU's Eakin Student Recreation Center, Popoviciu came in for a game of racquetball, only to discover problems with the court he had reserved. Colby Sawyer, a software engineering student, just happened to be working the desk that day.

"He took care of us right away, was very friendly. Everything was great," Popoviciu said.

Upon learning of Sawyer's major, Popoviciu knew he could use him for PITON.

"He sent me his resume, and I hired him," Popoviciu said.

Sawyer has been involved in PITON since its inception, working as a research assistant on concept and software development, database management, deployment of sensors and project implementation.

"I truly enjoyed every phase of the project, from concept brainstorming to early prototypes and now to production-fortifying components," Sawyer said. "Working on this project has provided me the opportunity to push my software development skills to the next level as well as apply systems engineering, hardware design and IoT concepts to real-world problems. Working on PITON has opened my eyes to the potential of IoT and excites me to continue a research career."

Some of Sawyer's latest work involves development of an artificial intelligence chatbot named CRAG. Instead of a user having to view data and interpret it, simply ask CRAG.

"You can ask 'what is the air quality in Greenville' and it will take a little bit of time, but basically it comes back, gives you some numbers and then it tells you in plain language that it's a great day and you can go out and work out, or it's smoggy and maybe it's better to stay inside," Popoviciu said.

Sawyer was the first of three students to work on the project.

"Because of his contributions to PITON and CIEI, I view Colby as my research partner and a testament to what talent and hard work can lead to" Popoviciu said.

Sawyer graduated in May with a master's in software engineering and is working full time as a software engineer. Still, he remains involved in PITON, not only because he helped start it, but also because he sees the impact it can have.

"I believe the project is important to provide eastern North Carolina with a technological advantage that can extract value from the typically mundane process of data collection, data organization and sensor deployments," Sawyer said. "I can see how PITON can benefit many groups by solving everyday problems, streamlining the community's day, and providing deeper insight into their own backyard environment. This project has a unique advantage where it can assist communities and provide researchers with granular data to improve the accuracy of their investigations, leading to an overall healthier and more informed eastern North Carolina."

The College of Engineering and Technology as well as the Department of Technology Systems support CIEI and PITON. Popoviciu is particularly excited by CIEI's partnership with Cisco - a networking hardware, software and telecommunications company - in helping communities understand what he described as the "art of the possible."

"This is an opportunity to make an impact with respect to research, community welfare, community engagement and job creation," Popoviciu said. "… There are so many different uses. We're bringing people together around this technology."

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