Record Details
The Case for Remote Monitoring: Evidence from Kenya
ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Title | The Case for Remote Monitoring: Evidence from Kenya |
| Names |
Dunn, Zachary A.
(creator) Gallagher, Sally K. (advisor) |
| Date Issued | 2014-10-17 (iso8601) |
| Note | Graduation date: 2014 |
| Abstract | International development projects aimed at alleviating poverty often fall short when it comes to capacity for operation and maintenance. As a case in point, today it is estimated one-third of all African wells have fallen into disrepair due to lack of effective management, corresponding to as many as 250,000 broken wells and a failed investment of 1.5 billion dollars. Remote monitoring, defined here as the use of internet-enabled sensors that report data in near real-time, has the potential to provide critical data to facilitate effective long-term management of wells and other infrastructure. This essay seeks to answer the question of how remote monitoring can be used to ensure the sustainability of international development projects. Using the case study of a rainwater catchment system implemented in Lela, Kenya in 2012 by a student chapter of Engineers Without Borders USA, this essay demonstrates how solar-powered, GSM-enabled sensors allowed the chapter to monitor the usage and capture rate of the system remotely post-implementation, creating the opportunity for intervention when the system partially failed. The essay concludes with a discussion of the potential for adoption of remote monitoring within the field of international development. |
| Genre | Research Paper |
| Topic | Kenya |
| Identifier | http://hdl.handle.net/1957/53430 |
