Vodafone Greece recently announced that it has implemented the Smart Forest initiative, the first 'Smart' forest in Greece based on Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and the power of Vodafone Green Network for the efficient and timely detection of smoke and fire in forest areas.
Vodafone Greece presents the first 'Smart' forest of Greece in Parnitha. Smart Forest, using Vodafone's technologies and network, will be able to quickly and promptly detect any fire and send an alert to the authorities. With this initiative, Vodafone Greece shows in practice how its technologies can contribute to the effort to tackle the Climate Crisis, but also the green transition of Europe in a socially equal way.
Utilizing the Vodafone Green Network, artificial intelligence, state-of-the-art cameras and sensors, a technological solution has been created that will offer new features, such as automatic smoke detection. In conjunction with the Vodafone IoT, Vodafone's solution features include the ability to record changes in ambient temperature over a radius of several kilometers, identify the reasons why this occurs, record various environmental indicators, such as humidity level and atmospheric pressure etc. Detecting a fire in its initial stage, the solution activates an alarm and sends the exact location, as well as an image from the point of fire to the control center operator which is in the form of a web-based application, accessible from anywhere.
Using the appropriate equipment, data and indicators collected and an intelligent algorithm, the system senses the danger and signals an alarm. This happens, for example, when the heat rises and the algorithm detects from the data that there is a fire. At the same time, a camera can recognize the smoke signal at a point and confirm it, sending a command to another camera to focus on the point. Thus, it activates the corresponding signal and sends an image and location to a special platform.
Among the important advantages of this solution are: a) the detection of even limited foci of fire at very long distances b) the extremely fast detection, usually before the fire becomes visible through the visual media c) the ability to locate the focus 24 hours a day and at completely zero lighting levels.
This is a pilot initiative that is being developed and will be implemented for a period of 12 months in Parnitha. Vodafone's ambition is to be able to be utilized by all forests and natural beauty areas throughout Greece, contributing to the protection of Greek forests. According to an older research, every year in Greece about 500,000 acres of forest and agricultural land are burned.
The Vodafone Green Network is powerful and reliable, growing in a sustainable way and protecting the planet. Vodafone is evolving its network and opening up new possibilities for a sustainable future for all. Vodafone Greece aims through its technologies to help improve the lives of one billion people and to eliminate carbon dioxide (CO2e) emissions from its operation by 2030. The Vodafone Group's goal is to zero emissions carbon dioxide (CO2e) throughout the company's value chain by 2040.
The President and CEO of Vodafone Greece, Haris Broumidis
Greek forests are vital for the preservation of the natural ecosystem in the country and technology can now offer modern tools that will protect them from fires. Combining the best technologies of Vodafone, we create a "smart" forest to show how we can protect Parnitha, a national park that has a catalytic role for the quality of life of the approximately 5 million inhabitants of the Attica Basin.