First 'Mobile Water Data Center' in Asia launched

[webfact]

First 'Mobile Water Data Center' in Asia launched

PATHUMTHANI, 29 September 2014 (NNT) –The Ministry of Science and Technology has launched its Emergency Mobile Water Data Center which is the first in Asia, at the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) on the outskirts of Bangkok, in Pathum Thani province.

The Center was developed by the Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute with the aim of assessing the water situation by utilizing satellite communications.

A mobile truck is equipped with a state-of-the-art computer system with 30 terabyte storage which is equal to 6,500 CDs, a cooling system, a backup power generator which can provide electricity for 8-hour, and an automatic fire extinguishing system.

Moreover, it can survey field data to assess the water situation more precisely. The speedy survey unit includes six SUVs equipped with Mobile Mapping Systems (MMS) to measure road height; one survey boat equipped with an echo sounder together with a GPS system and one small survey airplane equipped with cameras for taking photos and videos of the situation below.


-- NNT 2014-09-29

[FangFerang]

This is a very good idea.

WOW!

[Thai at Heart]

Please dont' tell me that it relies on AIS 3g or Wifi.......

[crobe]

First mobile water data center with sat communications....Not

GISTDA, that Thai Space Agency, have four of these for the past 4 years, they are currently parked at Sri Racha.

I will post a picture of them tomorrow

[ClutchClark]

If you can't dazzle them with brilliance then BS them with alot of technical jargon.

This sounds like a quite basic system of some SUV's equipped with basic instruments to measure water depth on roadways and a SATphone to relay the collected data.

[englishoak]

First mobile water data center with sat communications....Not

GISTDA, that Thai Space Agency, have four of these for the past 4 years, they are currently parked at Sri Racha.

I will post a picture of them tomorrow

[webfact]

Mobile data centre to fight floods
Wasu Vipoosanapat
The Nation



Science minister unveils Bt90 million facility, which aims to give fast assessments

BANGKOK: -- ASIA'S FIRST MOBILE data centre - which aims to monitor and promptly address flood problems, notably emergencies - was unveiled yesterday.

"In the past, when a flood hit, power was shut down and there was no other connection of mobile devices, so the measurement of floods was delayed for the authorities' assessment," Science and Technology Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj said.

That will no longer be an issue, as the Mobile Data Centre would help the Thai government make decisions on tackling floods faster, he told the press during at the launch of the centre yesterday and a demonstration at the Thailand Science Park in Pathum Thani province.

The Bt90-million centre, equipped with a 30TB super-computer, serves as a concise and mobile database of water and weather information.

It has the capacity to respond to a flood even when communication systems are down.

The centre would help related agencies to prepare contingency plans, flood disaster assessment and recovery planning.

Pichet explained that the centre would assess information in the available water database first, then conduct a "field" assessment in the affected area. Next it would report back to state agencies, including the provincial governor up to the prime minister, for further decisions, he said.

The centre uses satellite information systems for an operation, so it could make conclusions about a flood situation within just a few hours, he said.



Has own power generators

The data centre is the size of three containers and has its own electricity generators, which could keep the unit up and running for eight hours, Pichet said.

"Because we have energy storage by ourselves, we have no concern about a particular event such as a blackout occurring, " he said.

The centre could move around at 60kmh and wade through 80cm-deep floodwater. It also was equipped with a mobile mapping system (MMS) to measure road height and water barriers, a four-wheel-drive truck and a GPS-equipped patrol boat to accurately measure water levels, as well as a unmanned aerial vehicle to capture still and motion images from 200 metres above ground.

The Mobile Data Centre was developed by Hydro and Agro Informatics Institute.

It uses water information that is obtained via collaboration with over 30 state agencies. It is part of the water management plan to cope with Thai floods in the short- and long-term.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Mobile-data-centre-to-fight-floods-30244411.html

-- The Nation 2014-09-30

[ClutchClark]

Thanks for this more detailed article. As a techie, I wish the author actually had knowledge of the subject matter. For instance, the boat is described as "GPS equipped", which means very little today; however, the first article described it as having both an "echo-sounder and GPS" (assuming integrated) and this is advanced technology.

Then there is this, "The centre uses satellite information systems for an operation, so it could make conclusions about a flood situation within just a few hours, he said."

That is so vague.

Obviously, the photo provides the most useful information--that this is a serious investment by Thai authorities. Good for them.

[Jonmarleesco]

Should be useful during Songkran.

[crobe]

First mobile water data center with sat communications....Not

GISTDA, that Thai Space Agency, have four of these for the past 4 years, they are currently parked at Sri Racha.

I will post a picture of them tomorrow