By Carmel Hayes
A SMART sensor project is underway in Abbeyleix to measure traffic, air quality and weather patterns.
The heritage town is one of only six pilot locations around Europe where traffic sensors are being installed, providing invaluable data for future mobility projects.
After two years in the planning, smart sensors have already been deployed on Main Street and the Ballinakill Road. Now the Abbeyleix Tidy Towns committee is looking for properties with unobstructed views on all other approach roads to the town, so that more smart sensors can be installed.
The sensors, placed in upstairs windows, are non-invasive and will give vital data for future developments in the town and elsewhere.
Abbeyleix has also signed up for real-time air quality monitoring, through a sensor that is measuring air particulates using a home-made sensor. The information gathered is shared…