Initial situation: Lack of digitalisation in rural areas and pent-up demand for smart solutions
SMARTinfeld was born out of my personal drive to promote digitalisation in rural areas. As CEO of Alpha-Omega Projects, which has been providing IT and management consulting services specialising in the energy sector since 2009, my goal was to create competitive advantages through innovative technologies. In 2015, I realised that the digitalisation of rural regions, particularly in the area of LPWAN, offered considerable potential. While smart solutions were increasingly finding their way into cities, rural areas were often left out, even though smaller communities in particular can benefit enormously from digital technologies - through more efficient public services, lower costs and an improved quality of life.
The challenge in rural regions is tight budgets and staff shortages, while at the same time there is a growing need to make the region attractive to young families and skilled workers. Cost-efficient and easy-to-implement solutions are needed to overcome these challenges - and this is where digitalisation comes into play. IoT technologies based on LPWAN offer the opportunity to sustainably improve the infrastructure through smart lighting, environmental sensors and traffic counting.
The vision behind SMARTinfeld was to implement a high density of IoT applications in the municipality of Martinfeld and establish this as a blueprint for other rural municipalities. The project was intended to show that rural areas can be made competitive and future-proof through IoT solutions.
Today, SMARTinfeld serves as a showcase model for other municipalities and proves that digital transformation in rural areas offers a wide range of opportunities. IoT technologies are the key to efficiency and the further development of rural structures.
Solution: LoRaWAN as a key technology for the digitalisation of rural communities in SMARTinfeld
The centrepiece of SMARTinfeld is LoRaWAN, which transmits sensor data over long distances with minimal energy consumption. This technology forms the basis for IoT applications that make rural areas more efficient and future-proof. One of the first solutions is intelligent street lighting that automatically reports defective lamps. This has enabled the municipality to reduce energy costs and increase safety.
Other IoT solutions have also been successfully tested, such as road surface temperature monitoring, traffic counting and weather stations that continuously record temperature, air pressure, humidity, rainfall and lightning strikes. This data can help to plan winter road maintenance more efficiently and monitor road conditions in real time. E-car charging stations have also been set up at the company site, which can be used by visitors, employees and partners as well as by any charging guests.
SMARTinfeld serves as a blueprint for smart villages and shows how IoT technologies can be successfully implemented in rural communities, with a focus on optimising infrastructure and improving quality of life.
Companies and municipalities interested in smart villages can see first-hand how these IoT solutions work in practice. SMARTinfeld offers a platform for the continuous development of innovative solutions for rural areas.
SMARTinfeld: winner of the ‘Digital Places in the Land of Ideas’ competition and blueprint for the digitalisation of rural communities
SMARTinfeld has already achieved remarkable results and was honoured as the winner of the ‘Digital Places in the Land of Ideas’ competition in 2023. Smart street lighting has enabled the municipality to achieve significant savings in energy costs. The installation of weather stations and environmental sensors has made it possible to collect accurate data. Water level and quality sensors continuously monitor the condition of the River Rosoppe.
Model location for smart villages
SMARTinfeld now serves as a blueprint for other rural communities that want to embark on the path to digitalisation. The project shows how IoT technologies can be successfully implemented to modernise the public sector, use resources more efficiently and improve the quality of life. These practical solutions are already accessible to other municipalities and can be easily customised to their individual requirements.
Synergy on the ground
Another key to the success of SMARTinfeld was the strong synergy between the municipality and the local company Alpha-Omega Technology. This close cooperation made it possible to test innovative solutions directly on site and to continuously develop them further. Alpha-Omega Technology was able to expand its expertise in the IoT sector and establish the project as a reference for other regions. The collaboration has both driven technological development in the region and strengthened the company's reputation as a leading IoT service provider.
Jan Bose, Managing Director
As the initiator of SMARTinfeld, it was clear to me from the outset that this project was not just a technical challenge, but also an affair of the heart. Alpha-Omega Technology provided the entire infrastructure, from the LoRaWAN components to the sensors, and is supporting the project in all phases. Our location in Martinfeld has enabled us to test and continuously improve the project right on our doorstep. Local authorities interested in Smart Village have the opportunity to visit us on site and see for themselves the IoT solutions that have been implemented here. SMARTinfeld is a model project that shows how rural communities can be made fit for the future through innovative technologies.
