ATU will officially launch An Binse Cliste (The Smart Bench,) an innovative digital visitor engagement project delivered by Data2sustain, ATU’s School of Creative Industries and WiSAR Lab at ATU, which explores how embedded technologies and environmental data can enhance interaction with natural environments. Over the coming weeks three benches will be installed at sites in Donegal and Connemara, adding to the number of Irish sites contributing to “Star4All” a collective awareness platform for promoting dark skies in Europe. The launch took place last week at Glenveagh National Park, where one of the benches has already been installed, allowing visitors to experience the project within its intended natural setting. The Smart Bench innovative design frames each stunning landscape in a way that is practical and sensitive to the natural heritage of its surroundings. The intention is to enhance the experience of visitors and to showcase our natural environment to a national and international audience interested in engaging with nature. The project brought together expertise from ATU’s School of Creative Industries and the WiSAR Lab at ATU, combining design, embedded systems and digital technologies to develop an environmental data platform through integrated sensor technologies. The Smart bench design captures night sky darkness level, bird song and air quality. This information is made available through an accompanying mobile app, enabling visitors to view the data and provide feedback. A dashboard provides on-line users with access to the environmental information including bird activity, bird song recordings, night sky darkness and air quality insights with the opportunity to explore the wider project context.
