Case Studies

The Internet of Things (IoT) always-connected network of AWARE Flood inundation sensors enables flood monitoring and programmable water level alerts to be sent to a phone or computer. July 21, 2020 – Torrance, CA – Aware Monitoring Systems, Inc., a leading provider of integrated environmental sensing solutions, is now shipping production units of its IoT-connected AWARE Flood monitoring systems. With fully integrated solar power management, IoT communications, and mesh networking capabilities, a system of AWARE Flood sensors can be installed in urban and rural communities to provide low-cost flood monitoring and reporting without significant infrastructure investment. The AWARE Flood sensor has multiple expansion ports for additional sensors, such as an optional camera unit or a tipping bucket for measuring precipitation. A complete AWARE Flood system consists of a network of sensors installed near flood plains, riverbeds, and low-lying areas. Each sensor is connected to the internet via an integrated cellular or Iridium satellite communication module so that all data can be stored in the cloud-based data logger. Thanks to an integrated solar power system and built-in rechargeable batteries, these inundation sensors do not need to be connected to an external power source. They are ruggedized and built to withstand the strongest storms. Each sensor begins collecting data within 60 seconds of start-up and transmits information to a portal provided by Aware Monitoring Systems for customers to view data or images from the sensor’s site. The data can also be sent directly to third-party software like emergency response management tools and automated alert systems. “Over the past four years, we have worked with emergency management and flood resilience teams around the country with the support of the Department of Homeland Security,” said David Miller, Vice President and General Manager of Environmental Monitoring Systems at Aware Monitoring Systems. “During that time, we have fielded hundreds of units and refined the design into the commercial units we are producing today. We are delivering the best product on the market for flood monitoring, and we’re proud to have this opportunity to help protect life and property in order to make communities more resilient to flooding events.” About Aware Monitoring Systems, Inc. Aware Monitoring Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of advanced sensing and display solutions supporting a data continuum from acquisition to visualization. We enhance our hardware with software that adds intelligence to our systems and can turn raw data into useful information for improved decision making and process automation. Aware Monitoring Systems offers both off-the-shelf products 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, we occupy over 100,000 square feet across two facilities. Our manufacturing capabilities include electronics fabrication, unit qualification testing, systems integration, and volume production with full quality assurance. Aware Monitoring Systems is qualified across engineering, accounting, and manufacturing to serve both government and commercial customers.

By Greg Mantell The city in northwest Virginia partnered with Aware Monitoring Systems and the Virginia Innovative Partnership Corporation to install the AWARE Flood System to improve its flood response after suffering significant damages in 2020. Staunton (pronounced “stan-ten”) is home to 24,000 residents, three buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, and the birthplace of former president Woodrow Wilson. Since 2020, however, they have seen increases in severe flooding that has resulted in 166 reports of damage, totaling $3.1 million in losses. Staunton officials are committed to improving flood mitigation and response efforts, and they found the ideal solution in the highly accurate water-level measurements provided by the AWARE Flood System. Staunton officials recently installed AWARE Flood communication units and pressure sensors at the city’s three main watersheds. This network of flood sensors will provide critical water-level data in practically real time so that first responders can prepare for potential flooding events and issue evacuation notices or detour traffic as needed. In a recently issued press release, city leaders announced that the installation of the AWARE Flood System will greatly enhance the city’s overall storm water management strategy. NBC 29 and WHSV both reported on the story. The city chose the AWARE Flood System based on input from the Virginia Innovative Partnership Corporation (VIPC), formerly known as the Center for Innovative Technology. This organization showcased the AWARE Flood System at the inaugural Virginia Smart Community Testbed in May 2021. The expo highlighted several new and emergent technologies that could serve communities’ pressing needs, such as flood mitigation efforts. The AWARE Flood System stood out as a rugged, low-cost, Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled innovation that was networkable, highly accurate, and proven in regions like northern Virginia. “Flooding has such a devastating impact on communities,” said Chuck Kirby, the VIPC Vice President of Smart Communities. “It is a privilege for VIPC to partner with the City of Staunton to provide vital smart communities technology, such as AWARE Flood sensors, that can save lives and reduce property damage when flooding occurs.” The AWARE Flood System is now in use across several states and in major metropolitan areas like Charlotte, North Carolina. The system’s year-long deployment in that city demonstrated its effectiveness and accuracy. It also provided on-site imagery and water-level data for first responders in St. Tammany Parish during Hurricane Ida, the second strongest storm in Louisiana state history. The AWARE Flood System endured 10 hours of heavy rain, high winds, and intense storm surge on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain so that the fire department knew when it was safe to reenter the area. Additionally, Staunton city planners will install rain gauges at the city’s three watersheds. Should the need arise, the AWARE Flood System can also connect to tipping bucket rain gauges, as well as non-contact water-level sensors like radar. Every AWARE Flood sensor and communication unit can be set up by a small team of 2–3 crew members in just 30 minutes.

HAAS Alert will ingest data from Aware Monitoring Systems’ IoT AWARE Flood System to send flood alerts to drivers and first responders through mobile navigation apps like Waze and emergency vehicle alerting systems. March 14, 2023 – Torrance, CA – Aware Monitoring Systems Inc., a leading provider of environmental monitoring solutions, and HAAS Alert, innovators in digital alerting for connected vehicles, are collaborating to deliver flood warnings to drivers nationwide through mobile navigation apps like Waze. This project will address the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) mission to cultivate a “weather-ready nation” that is resilient to extreme weather events. With funding through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, Aware Monitoring Systems and HAAS Alert are developing an integrated solution that will disseminate real-time flash flood information via mobile apps and built-in navigation software distributed by automotive manufacturers. Aware Monitoring Systems’ new software system integrates real-time water level data from the AWARE Flood System, a rugged, accurate, low-cost Internet of Things (IoT)-based flood sensor system, and other publicly available data through HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud® digital alerting platforms, where it is then disseminated through traffic information apps like Waze to provide the general public with safer, more efficient routes during flooding events. The AWARE Flood System monitors flood-prone areas and automatically sends real-time flood alerts, data, and images via cellular or satellite communications. This network of flood sensors can be configured via two-way communications to indicate flash flooding in coastal and riverine areas, and it is rugged enough to withstand hurricane-force winds and multi-year deployments. “Bringing real-time flood data to people’s phones is a true gamechanger,” said Andres Arzate-Engels, Director of Programs at Aware Monitoring Systems. “We have proven that the AWARE Flood System is compatible with a variety of software used by municipalities across the U.S., and we are elated to see this data reaching drivers and vehicles. I am very proud of our team for bringing this solution to NOAA and contributing to its mission to reduce loss of life and property damage from high-impact events like flash floods and hurricanes.” Aware Monitoring Systems and HAAS Alert field-tested the system in Fredericksburg, Virginia where AWARE Flood units were fed real-time flood data and the system automatically generated flood alerts through Safety Cloud into Waze. As this project progresses, HAAS Alert will continue to support the integration of AWARE Flood data into Waze and provide the data to motorists through automotive systems and through Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Eventually, the software will disseminate data to FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS), which issues alerts via radio and TV and sends push notifications directly to mobile phones in the affected area. “This is the perfect marriage of hardware and software,” said Cory James Hohs, Co-founder and CEO of HAAS Alert. “Our mission is to make vehicles and roads safer, and we know that flooding is a major risk in communities nationwide. Integrating this data from AWARE Flood System into Safety Cloud is going to get critical flood warnings to millions of vehicles and drivers, and that’s ultimately going to save lives.” About Aware Monitoring Systems, Inc. Aware Monitoring Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of advanced sensing and display solutions supporting a data continuum from acquisition to visualization. We enhance our hardware with software that adds intelligence to our systems and can turn raw data into useful information for improved decision-making and process automation. Aware Monitoring Systems offers both off-the-shelf products 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 80,000 square feet within our Torrance campus. Our manufacturing capabilities include electronics fabrication, unit qualification testing, systems integration, and volume production with full quality assurance. Aware Monitoring Systems is qualified across engineering, accounting, and manufacturing to serve government and commercial customers.

By Greg Mantell On the 35th anniversary of the worst flood in the state’s history, the Virginia Center for Innovation Technology announced the deployment of Aware Monitoring Systems’ AWARE Flood System across the city of Roanoke to improve its flood preparedness and resiliency. On November 4, 1985, a tropical storm dumped several inches of rain across Virginia. The Roanoke River rose nearly 20 feet in ten hours, resulting in 10 deaths and damaging 3,000 homes. Since then, the city and state have taken several steps to improve its flood response efforts, but Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) made their biggest leap yet with the installation of the advanced AWARE Flood System from Aware Monitoring Systems, Inc. across key sites in Roanoke. With support from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate (S&T), CIT installed sensors in vulnerable areas that help in the evacuation of flood-prone homes, proactively closed roadways, and improve floodplain management. “I experienced the Flood of 1985 first-hand, and vividly remember the light of heroism demonstrated during that dark time,” said Chuck Kirby, CIT Vice President of Smart Communities. “It is a privilege for CIT to provide vital smart communities technology, such as Aware Monitoring Systems’ Flood Sensors, that can save lives and reduce property damage when flooding occurs.” “The City of Roanoke will never forget The Flood of 1985,” said Roanoke City Manager Robert S. Cowell, Jr. “We learned many lessons from that tragic event in our history. Thanks to emerging flood sensor technology leveraged by dedicated staff, the City of Roanoke is working hard to protect its citizens during local flooding.” The AWARE Flood System bolsters flood prediction with rugged, low-cost sensors and communication units that autonomously report water level and precipitation through a variety of accessories. Every AWARE Flood unit can be attached to pressure level sensors, water-resistant camera sensors, and tipping bucket rain gauges. Recently, the DHS S&T published a performance analysis of the AWARE Flood System after a two-year deployment in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The system met—and in many cases exceeded—the needs of the local storm weather services with water level measurements that nearly matched the existing and more expensive USGS flood gauges.

One of the core abilities of Aware Monitoring Systems is the integration of multiple sensors and technologies into compact, self-contained units. The Micro Weather Station (MWS®) combines eight weather and environmental sensors into a rugged package that is completely self-powered and still weighs less than 4 pounds. Similarly, the AWARE Flood System enables the integration of pressure transducers, precipitation gauges, and water-level radar into a single, cost-effective communications module. Moreover, Aware Monitoring Systems has been developing and delivering sensor-fusion systems that integrate EO/IR, lidar, ultrasonic, terahertz, radio frequency, and mmWave sensors with embedded processors and algorithms for its customers. Additionally, the engineers at Aware Monitoring Systems are incorporating deep-learning algorithms into their work to identify changes and threats in the environment to further improve these potentially life-saving applications. These capabilities ensure that multi-sensor fusion projects like the MWS and AWARE Flood System can assist users in making faster, more informed decisions in critical situations, like disaster response, rescue operations, and combat scenarios. When the U.S. Department of Homeland Security needed a portable device that could identify humans or vehicles that may be hiding in the wilderness through adverse weather conditions in both daylight and nighttime conditions, Aware Monitoring Systems applied its skills in multi-sensor fusion to create the Infrared and Optical Wilderness Location and Surveillance system, or IROWL for short. IROWL consists of a multispectral optical design, which integrates a high-acuity visible and near-infrared (VIS/NIR) sensor, an infrared thermal sensor, and a full-color camera. All these elements combine to better identify, range, and track individuals in wilderness terrain in both day and night, as well as in bad weather conditions. The VIS/NIR sensor can differentiate humans and animals from the surrounding wilderness, and the thermal (mid-wave infrared) sensor provides the ability to see through dust, fog, smoke, and other atmospheric obscurants. It can also unveil humans or vehicles that may be hidden in creek beds, shrubs, trees, or around man-made structures. The dual-band, high-resolution imagery not only allows the user to quickly distinguish humans from animals, but also determine what items individuals might be carrying. This is made possible by the deep-learning convolutional neural network (CNN) to identify body armor and differentiate weapons from other objects in a person’s hands. The system also incorporates a laser rangefinder that can accurately determine the distance of an individual or object up to a mile away. The system works in the same manner as many other range finders; a laser is emitted from the source, and the distance is calculated by the time taken to reach and be reflected off a target. But its low-power consumption and light weight means that it can be integrated in a multi-sensor solution that is completely wireless and still be hand-carried out into the field. IROWL integrates components and sensors that provide situational parameters as well, including a compass and GPS coordinates. These coordinates can report the location of individuals being observed. By integrating this system’s data with a smartphone interface, the IROWL imagery and geolocation data can be shared with other servicemembers both in the field or at headquarters. This development has a number of important military and private applications, particularly for border patrol and search and rescue. If an individual needs rescue in a fast-moving river in nighttime conditions, this portable system can identify the person with its infrared thermal sensor and determine their distance with the laser rangefinder. This application of multi-sensor fusion not only can bolster security for the military, but also save lives in the world’s most dangerous wilderness. This is just one example of many sensor-fusion developments currently going on at Aware Monitoring Systems.

By Greg Mantell The town near North Carolina’s capital has several streams and waterways that are susceptible to flooding. To assess flood risk and improve public health, the town recently implemented the AWARE Flood System to alert officials to flood risks and develop basin models that mitigate water pollution. In 2021, the FBI declared Cary, North Carolina — the seventh most populous city in the state — to be the safest mid-sized city in the United States. The FBI’s survey, however, only pertained to crime. It did not account for the dangers posed by flooding and severe storms, which can put residents’ lives in jeopardy. Cary features a number of streams and waterways that diverge from the Neuse and Cape Fear River Basins. These river basins present a severe flooding risk for the town, particularly during the annual hurricane season when heavy winds and precipitation can overrun riverbanks and produce runoff. The Neuse and Cape Fear Rivers have also been plagued by wastewater and pollutants that pose even greater dangers to public health. To protect its residents, Cary officials needed a flood-monitoring tool that could not only alert first responders to possible flooding, but also record water level data to develop inundation maps and improve public health. The town ultimately found a perfect solution in the AWARE Flood System, a low-cost, highly accurate flood-monitoring tool that can connect multiple types of sensors and autonomously report water level data. This system continuously reports data in practically real time using a solar-powered communications node, which can be positioned near streams and waterways without requiring any connection to a power source. The flood-monitoring system employed by Cary uses both in-stream water pressure gauges and tipping bucket rain gauges. The AWARE Flood System was designed to connect a variety of sensors to capture a complete picture of flood risk in the area. The data collected by these in-stream sensors and rain gauges can also help city officials develop basin models, complete stormwater planning, and make floodplain improvements. The AWARE Flood System ensures that water level and precipitation data can be sent to any Internet of Things (IoT) connected device, including mobile phones and tablets. This IoT technology and data analysis are part of the Smart and Connected Cities Program that supports data-driven solutions intended to enhance the quality of life in cities like Cary. It is currently being implemented in several cities across the eastern United States, including several communities in North Carolina. The AWARE Flood System has already demonstrated its feasibility in North Carolina’s largest city, Charlotte. The city instituted a pilot program of low-cost flood sensors to supplement the stream gauges that recorded water level data. At the time, the City of Charlotte only had 50 stream gauges to monitor nearly 370 miles of streams. They sought a cost-effective solution like the AWARE Flood System that could endure severe weather events like hurricanes and send flood alerts over a cellular network. Over the course of its year-long deployment, the AWARE Flood System exceeded the City of Charlotte’s expectations in terms of accuracy, compatibility, and reliability. The system provided accurate water level data that was commensurate with their legacy stream gauges. It also worked with their flood-monitoring software thanks to a direct-to-IP approach and TCP/IP socket. This feature makes it compatible with a variety of flood-monitoring software tools. Additionally, the system reliably transmitted data throughout adverse weather and day/night conditions. This network also helped the city develop inundation maps and move residents and businesses from flood-prone areas, saving Charlotte stormwater services an estimated $10.5 million in 2020 alone. The AWARE Flood System is now fully integrated into North Carolina’s Flood Inundation Mapping and Alert Network (FIMAN). Cary also provides a portal that is open to the public and features interactive maps and real-time water level and rain gauge data. The data from the AWARE Flood System helps optimize the city’s operations at its wastewater treatment facility and improve Cary’s public health and safety.

This compact, integrated module allows environmental sensors to connect with higher-power accessories and report more frequently in areas where low temperatures and limited solar exposure can affect sensors’ power management systems. May 11, 2021 – Torrance, CA – Aware Monitoring Systems, a leading provider of integrated environmental sensing solutions, has announced the availability of the Auxiliary Power Module, an integrated solar panel and battery pack that serves as an alternative to hardline power. The Auxiliary Power Module ensures that all Micro Weather Stations (MWS®) and AWARE Flood System units can power multiple accessories and consistently deliver minute-by-minute reports of environmental conditions regardless of temperature or solar exposure. It is also compact, easily transportable, and can be positioned at any angle to gather the greatest amount of sunlight. The Auxiliary Power Module was developed for customers who needed faster reporting speeds without available hardline power in remote locations. In some of these conditions near the Arctic Circle, limited sunlight and frigid temperatures adversely affected their sensors’ built-in power management system, and operators were forced to reduce the reporting frequency to preserve power. The Auxiliary Power Module provides enough power to maintain five-minute reporting without hardline power. After field-testing with a multitude of MWS users, this module is now available to all customers. “Our first priority is ensuring that customers always get the environmental data they need no matter where they are,” said Jeff Norell, the Director of Products for Environmental Monitoring Systems at Aware Monitoring Systems. “The Auxiliary Power Module provides enough power to support high-power accessories and maintain a high reporting frequency in adverse conditions. It’s also been field tested in a variety of conditions, so we know that it will work anywhere in the world.” The Auxiliary Power Module connects to the MWS, AWARE Flood System, or any other environmental sensor via a threaded M8 serial connector. This connector is rated to IP67 waterproof standards, and the threading ensures that it remains connected to the sensor through extreme shock and wind. These ruggedized ports also enable integration with more advanced accessories, like the water level radar module for the AWARE Flood System. About Aware Monitoring Systems, Inc. Aware Monitoring Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of advanced sensing and display solutions supporting a data continuum from acquisition to visualization. We enhance our hardware with software that adds intelligence to our systems and can turn raw data into useful information for improved decision making and process automation. Aware Monitoring Systems offers both off-the-shelf products 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 60,000 square feet across multiple facilities. Our manufacturing capabilities include electronics fabrication, unit qualification testing, systems integration, and volume production with full quality assurance. Aware Monitoring Systems is qualified across engineering, accounting, and manufacturing to serve government and commercial customers.

By Greg Mantell After record-breaking rainfall from hurricanes in recent years, the City of Beaumont, Lamar University, and Texas state agencies teamed up with Aware Monitoring Systems to provide life-saving information during severe weather events. In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey dropped an unprecedented 60 inches of rain on parts of Southeast Texas. The storm displaced more than 30,000 residents and prompted nearly 17,000 rescues. Just two years later, Tropical Storm Imelda became the fourth wettest storm in state history, inundating 5,100 homes in Jefferson County, Texas and causing an estimated $14 million in damage. After this record-breaking rainfall, the county resolved to address these unprecedented flooding events. “What is happening the last five years is not something that was experienced much in the last hundred years,” affirmed Prof. Liv Haselbach, the chair of civil and environmental engineering at Lamar University (LU). “We don’t control the weather, but people knowing what to do quicker and earlier will help tremendously.” To address the increased risks of flooding, Lamar University partnered with the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T), the Southeast Texas Flood Control District, and numerous other regional entities like the City of Beaumont and several counties to provide a new resource to keep residents safe during severe flooding events. With funding from the Center for Resiliency at LU, various employees, partners, faculty, and students installed over 70 AWARE Flood System sensors in flood-prone areas across Southeast Texas in late 2021 and early 2022. The AWARE Flood System transmits water level data in real time and autonomously sends alerts when levels approach breaching. This data is sent to a website, the Southeast Texas Regional Alerting and Information Network (R.A.I.N.), which is funded by the Sabine River Authority of Texas and the Lower Neches Valley Authority. This website shows a clear map of the county’s river basins with well-defined dots indicating water levels. It also includes a weather radar map that shows rain in the area. In addition to R.A.I.N, data from the AWARE Flood System is being transmitted to various state and federal agencies including Houston TranStar, Texas Department of Transportation, and the National Weather Service. “This gives us a real-time idea of how high the water is in these canals, ditches, and streams,” said Nicholas Brake, an associate professor of civil environmental engineering at LU. “The public can use it to monitor the levels and check the levels near their homes.” The homepage of R.A.I.N. shows a clear map with the location of flood-prone creeks and ditches, like the Toledo Bend Reservoir Dam (pictured above). Each site has a simple color-coded system to show flood risk. Blue means the water level is low and presents no flooding risk. Yellow indicates the water has risen to the middle crest. Orange signals the water is nearing the top of the ditch. Red means the water is at a major flood stage and approaching critical infrastructure. In the coming decades, this flood-detection system will gather invaluable data that helps Southeast Texas officials determine how best to use funding to fix storm sewer systems, roadway access to critical infrastructure, low water crossings, as well as improve areas around neighborhoods prone to flooding. “[This project] could not be done if it wasn’t for the fact that all these amazing groups – federal, state, regional, local industry – has worked together,” added Haselbach. “It’s pretty amazing.” The AWARE Flood System has already proven that it can endure the heavy rains and intense hurricanes that have impacted Southeast Texas these past five years. In 2019, over 90 AWARE Flood units were deployed in Charlotte, North Carolina, a heavily populated area with over 2,800 structures in floodplain areas. The system provided critical water level and precipitation data that helped city officials create inundation maps and determine what structures to raise and what areas of public land to leave undeveloped due to flood risk. These efforts saved the city an estimated $30 million dollars in preventative measures to combat flooding. Last year, two AWARE Flood units were installed on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana when Hurricane Ida made landfall. The hurricane was the second strongest storm to make landfall in the state of Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. The units recorded nearly 72 inches of water overwhelming the shores of the lake, and a camera sensor transmitted images from the site even when flood waters dislodged the small but rugged communications unit from the ground. As the storm dissipated, the AWARE Flood units continuously reported water level data so that first responders could safely reenter the area and complete search-and-rescue operations as needed. Based on these successes, the City of Beaumont and Lamar University are confident in the accuracy and reliability of the AWARE Flood System when the next record-breaking storm arrives. Learn more about these efforts to improve flood response in Southeast Texas by checking out the story here:AWARE Flood Provides Life-saving Data to Southeast Texas