Case Studies

By Greg Mantell Over 100 AWARE Flood Sensors are installed in northern Charlotte to warn residentsof flash floods during heavy rain events. In July 2018, Kashawne Rinehardt and five of his co-workers were trapped with heavy rain triggeredflooding around their recycling business in northern Charlotte. Thankfully, they were all rescuedwithout injuries. But John Wendel of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Stormwater Services wanted toensure that he and his city’s first responders were prepared for the next flood event. In cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security, the agency installed 100 AWARE FloodSensors to receive automatic alerts in the event of heavy rain like they experienced in July 2018.Wendel praised the sensors’ reliable operations and communications with its integrated solar panelsand built-in LTE cellular modem. Alerts from the AWARE Flood sensors are currently going to Mecklenburg County StormwaterServices office, which then informs the fire and police departments of possible road closures andevacuation notices. But soon, with the addition of 900 MHz radio, flood warnings reported by theAWARE Flood system can sent directly to phones so that officials can react even more quickly. “I wanted to take a moment and give a big congratulations and thank you to the whole team that hascommitted countless hours to making the AWARE system a success,” said David Miller, the VicePresident of Products and Engineering at Intellisense Systems. “Their hard work and devotion are onthe verge of making a big impact, as AWARE Flood begins to improve the safety and resilience ofcommunities around the globe.”

By Greg Mantell A proposed solution from Intellisense will integrate flash flood information from theproven and reliable AWARE Flood System with mobile navigation apps that are usedworldwide. The AWARE Flood System is an Internet-of-Things (IoT)-based flood detection system that hasproven to be invaluable for communities across the United States. Since it was first deployed inMecklenburg County, North Carolina in 2019, it has transmitted water-level data to city officialsand first responders via propriety networks like Mecklenburg County’s Flood Information andNotification System (FINS) or the Southeast Texas Regional Alerting and Information Network(R.A.I.N.). Soon though, the AWARE Flood System could provide this data right to people’s phonesthrough mobile navigation apps like Waze and Google Maps. With funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) through theDepartment of Homeland Security’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program,Intellisense won a contract to develop a system that would disseminate real-time flash floodinformation to communities via mobile apps. With data from the AWARE Flood System, apps thatuse real-time traffic information can suggest new routes and direct users around these hazards.This system will ingest data from the AWARE Flood System and automatically generate alerts inflooded areas. It will also disseminate hazard data to FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert & WarningSystem (IPAWS), which then issues alerts via radio and TV, as well as sends push notificationsdirectly to mobile phones in the affected area. This proposed solution aligns with NOAA’s mission to prepare the nation for extreme weather, withobjectives geared toward reducing loss of life, property, and disruption from high-impact events.The organization seeks to improve transportation efficiency and safety when exposed to suddenhazards like flooding. These improvements should improve the travel experiences for millions ofAmericans and remedy potential supply chain obstacles. The AWARE Flood System collects, processes, and transmits data from a single, wireless unit thatcan be installed or mounted on nearly any existing infrastructure. Thanks to its IoT connectivity,the system can readily integrate with proprietary or regional networks in cities across the UnitedStates. The engineers at Intellisense are now devising ways to get that information directly intopeople’s hands around the world. See how the AWARE Flood System can improve your flood preparedness, and learnmore about NOAA’s flood safety resources here at Weather.gov.

Intellisense Systems has partnered with HyQuest Solutions, a global leader inhydrological equipment, to offer two tipping bucket rain gauges designed for urbanand rural environments.October 19, 2020 – Torrance, CA – Intellisense Systems, Inc., a leading provider of integratedenvironmental sensing solutions, and HyQuest Solutions, one of the world’s most experiencedmanufacturers of hydrological instruments and equipment, have partnered to offer two tippingbucket rain gauges for the AWARE Flood system. These tipping bucket rain gauges enable users toadd precipitation data to their flood risk analytics. Customers have a choice of the TB6 Rain Gauge,which accurately measures low rainfall events, and the TB4 Rain Gauge, a siphoning gauge whichdelivers high levels of accuracy across a broad range of rainfall intensities.“These tipping bucket rain gauges bring a whole new dimension to the AWARE Flood system,” saidRyan Guerrero, Manager of Business Development for Environmental Monitoring Systems at Intellisense. “In addition to our already rugged and reliable water level pressure sensor and water-resistant camera, our flood networks can now factor in rainfall to their flood risk analyses. These tipping bucket rain gauges are low-cost and designed to work in every urban environment, whichenables our customers to set up a robust flood monitoring infrastructure at an affordable cost.”Every AWARE Flood system node can attach up to four peripherals to deliver a complete overviewof the environment and alert users to any potential flood risks. A propriety water level pressuresensor and water-resistant camera sensor are already available and commonly purchased with theAWARE Flood system. Intellisense will also offer new accessories in the coming months, includinga water level radar.About Intellisense Systems, Inc.Intellisense Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of advanced sensing and display solutionssupporting a data continuum from acquisition to visualization. We enhance our hardware withsoftware that adds intelligence to our systems and can turn raw data into useful information forimproved decision making and process automation. Intellisense Systems offers both off-the-shelfproducts and custom development services. These services include research and development,requirements analysis, design, systems integration, prototyping, production, testing, field support,and training. Headquartered in the South Bay area of Los Angeles, the company occupies over100,000 square feet across multiple facilities. Our manufacturing capabilities include electronicsfabrication, unit qualification testing, systems integration, and volume production with full qualityassurance. Intellisense Systems is qualified across engineering, accounting, and manufacturing toserve both government and commercial customers.Media ContactEmail: media@intellisenseinc.comPhone: (310) 320-1827About HyQuest Solutions Pty. Ltd. (Formerly Hydrological Services Pty. Ltd.)Two Tipping Bucket Rain Gauges Available with the AWARE Flood System https://www.intellisenseinc.com/news-events/press-releases/tipping-buc… 1 of 2 1/25/2024, 9:35 AM With more than 40 years of experience, HyQuest Solutions offers a range of environmentalmonitoring, data acquisition and reporting solutions for water, air and energy applicationsworldwide. HyQuest Solutions is accredited with ISO9001:2008 Quality CertificationMedia ContactEmail: sales-us@hyquestsolutions.com

At an expo of emergent technology solutions for state and local governments, NBC 4 Washington D.C. highlighted the AWARE Flood System from Intellisense and its low-cost, flood-monitoring capabilities for communities of all sizes. Hosted by the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), the inaugural Virginia Smart CommunityTestbed in Stafford, Virginia featured new and emergent technologies that could serve the diverseneeds of communities in Northern Virginia. The technologies on display at the Testbed includedInternet-of-Things (IoT) devices, virtual reality, UAS/drone applications, and 5G broadbandexpansion. The CIT hopes that the Testbed will accelerate the proliferation of smart technologythroughout the state. One of the innovations featured at the Testbed was the AWARE Flood System, an IoT-based flood-monitoring solution that can send alerts in almost real time. The system was previously installed in Roanoke, Virginia because it has been proven effective in deployments across the country. In a casestudy published by the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), the AWARE Flood System met and in some cases exceeded the needs of the local storm-weather services in Charlotte, North Carolina, a major metropolis that is highly prone to flooding. In that circumstance, the system not only added 100 sensors to the city’s flood monitoring efforts, butthe water level measurements captured by the AWARE Flood System nearly matched the existing andmore expensive flood gauges.Thanks to its affordability and IoT capabilities, this innovation caught the eye of NBC 4 inWashington, D.C., who highlighted the technology in their report on the Testbed.The report notes that the low cost and versatility of the AWARE Flood System means that it canaccommodate small and rural communities that may not have the resources to implement a largenetwork of flood sensors. Users can attach up to four water level sensors or peripherals to receive acomplete picture of any flood-prone area. And because the AWARE Flood system is software agnostic,it can report data to a variety of platforms.The report also mentions that AWARE Flood nodes and sensors are already in use in Stafford, VA formonitoring water levels around storm-water ponds. The AWARE Flood System is currently beingused in parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, Utah, and California.

Department of Homeland Security Features AWAREFlood in New Video In 2018, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Science & Technology Directorate (DHS S&T)collaborated with Intellisense Systems, Inc. to design, develop and test a network of inexpensive,readily-deployable inundation sensors to respond to the increasing risks of flooding. Flooding isnow the nation’s leading natural disaster in terms of property damage and loss of life. Over the last30 years, floods have accounted for $8.2 billion in damages and 105 fatalities every year. Much ofthis devastation can be allayed by deployable flood sensors with Internet of Things (IoT) technologythat monitor flood-prone areas in real time and rapidly alert first-responders, city officials, andcitizens to flooding events.Now the DHS S&T has released a video promoting the benefits of flood sensor technology likeIntellisense’s AWARE Flood System. It highlights the system’s relative accuracy within a 1/2 inch ofwater level, as well as its ability to detect minimal water level rise. These capabilities allowemergency managers to monitor and quickly respond to urban flash flooding, coastal zone tidalsurge, dam and reservoir height fluctuations, and other flood hazard events. The video demonstrates that proven and dependable low-cost flood inundation sensors can offer flood hazardmonitoring, alerts warnings, and notifications to communities, giving officials and citizens the timeneeded to respond to fast-moving flooding events. The video also features testimonies from community leaders and officials who have benefited fromthe AWARE Flood System. “The accuracy of the low-cost sensors exceeded expectations forreliability and accuracy when compared to the USGS stream gauge data,” said a project managerfrom the Charlotte-Mecklenburg (North Carolina) Storm Weather Services. A Flood WarningSystem Manager in Howard County, Maryland added, “After major flooding events in both 2016and 2018, our participation in the flood sensor project helped us refine our models and help usbetter understand areas that could be impacted.” Finally, an Assistant Manager at the KentuckyDivision of Water (KY DOW) affirmed that, “The accuracy requirements for the KY DOW DamSafety Program were completely met by the low-cost flood sensors.” In addition to this video, the DHS S&T also published a performance analysis of the AWARE FloodSystem after a two-year deployment. The system met and in many cases exceeded the needs of thelocal storm weather services with water level measurements that nearly matched the existing andmore expensive USGS flood gauges. The DHS S&T ultimately concludes these cost-effective andinnovative technologies are invaluable to helping protect property, improve community resilienceto flooding, and – most importantly – save lives.