Image Processing Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE .
TCT chamber for emulating harsh environmental conditions.
controlled from the CI server using a custom tool. For automated control of the environment, we
currently use a prototypical setup of a TCT, built from a refrigerator, an integrated heater, and fans
for the airflow, which can be remotely controlled (see Figure .).
11.5 Test and Validation for Life on the Glacier—The
PermaSense Case
The PermaSense project [] aims at deploying a WSN to investigate the processes driving per-
mafrost in steep alpine terrain and as a result of the retreat of the glaciers, also rockfall. he targeted
deployment regions in the Swiss alps are above  m a.s.l. and are extremely hostile to any kind of
technology, least of all tiny high-tech sensor nodes over a prolonged period of time. Extreme chilling
and fast temperature variations, snow and ice, wind, avalanches, and rockfall are properties that result
as direct consequences of the area under investigation. Since the processes investigated are only hap-
pening very slowly, in some cases on a yearly scale, possibly even multiyear, the systems deployed for
measurements must operate over very long periods of time as to minimize the servicing intervals. In
a first analysis, logging only-solutions might provide a solution, alleviating the power hungry wire-
less link. Careful reconsideration of this approach reveals that in a significant amount of locations
actually interesting to geoscientists, the avalanches and rockfall prevail and sensor stations might be
swept away before a data retrieval by removal of the station could take place. hus the reliability and
power efficiency of a complete WSN-based solution is of primary importance.
In excess of a detailed specification and careful design phase, for the success of the PermaSense
application, rigorous test procedures including temperature cycle testing emulating the condition on
the mountain are of primary importance. Due to the fact that traveling to and from the deployment
site takes a whole day and can only be performed during the summer a failure of building blocks
of the technology would result in a complete failure of the project. In the following we discuss the
application of the test and validation methodology developed in the previous sections of this chapter
to this application. Apart from describing the steps taken and results obtained we critically discuss
our experience gained during this work.
 
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