Have you heard of the Occupancy Management project? Or have you spotted any sensors in Ravelijn? Marc Hulshof, policy advisor at CFM, together with Margriet Lindemann, Team leader Timetables & Examinations Office (CES) and programme manager of the "Educational Learning Spaces" programme, will explain to you why sensors have been installed in Ravelijn since late 2020. You will also learn why the data generated by these sensors - coming in on LISA's sensor data platform - is so significant. What is the aim and what problem is this project intended to solve?"
Marc Hulshof: "Our UT community is growing rapidly. That's why in recent years we have been forced to ensure that the spaces and facilities we have on campus are used effectively. The use of technology to gain more insight into the use of all the campus facilities is, of course, an excellent match for our university."
Margriet Lindemann: continues: "The increasing number of students and all kinds of educational developments result in a situation in which it is more and more challenging to make a suitable schedule. Students and staff experience a shortage of available rooms and facilities or are unable to find out whether these are available, and that is the last thing you want, obviously. An important result of the 'Room Management' project is therefore a connection that will be delivered in the near future: the interface between the sensor data platform and room management. This connection is the foundation, and we will continue to develop from there. This will allow for far more dynamic scheduling, because you will be using data on the actual usage of the available room, rather than - as is the case at the moment - scheduled data.”
Improved insights and more efficient use of educational facilities
A faster and better insight into the utilisation of lecture and project rooms. That is the main aim of the Occupancy Management project.
Marc Hulshof: "CFM obviously tries to use available spaces as efficiently as possible now, in cooperation with the Team Timetables of CES. However, as Margriet stated, we can only do this based on the scheduled use, i.e. the usage registered in timetables. So we will not know whether the scheduled utilisation matches reality. The data generated by the sensors in Ravelijn allow us to gain that insight and to monitor - over a longer period of time - the trends and changes in the use of the facilities. That is impossible if you have to count by hand, you only get a momentary impression.”
To test different sensors in a pilot
This project is a pilot. The aim of the pilot is to examine which sensors will enable us in achieving the objectives: swifter, improved and more accurate insights into the use of educational facilities and meeting rooms. The market for sensors is evolving rapidly: technology is improving constantly, resulting in ever more accurate data. After this pilot project, it will be decided whether people counters and presence sensors will be installed in other campus buildings as well, so that - based on data - more efficient usage of lecture and project rooms can be achieved.
Marc Hulshof: "Some time ago, we had sensors installed in the library. When we were drafting the plan for Ravelijn, we particularly paid attention to the technical aspects and user experiences, although you cannot compare the use of lecture rooms with the use of the various rooms in a library. As an example, we noticed that some of the sensors installed in the library have already been upgraded. There are also new market players who have introduced new kinds of devices. Therefore, we have set up test rooms in Ravelijn. This is where we are testing various types of person counters and presence sensors from a number of different companies. Quality and reliability are crucial here."
Privacy by design
Sensors counting people and detecting people in a room. What happens exactly? Which data are being registered, and what about privacy?
Margriet Lindemann: "We have absolutely zero interest in who is in a particular room, we just need to know the number of people. That is why all sensors capable of identifying people were rejected out of hand. Some sensors are able to identify people, but the sensor converts these infrared or low-resolution images into quantities (i.e. numbers) and only provides these as data. So we can never determine exactly who is present or what is happening in a room. Privacy by design, in short.”
Are you interested in finding out more?
Do you wish to learn more about the sensors? By following the link below, you will be able to find a short description of the presence sensors and person counters (including photos) installed in Ravelijn. Do you have an urgent question right now, please contact LISA project manager, Marcella Claase. If you have any questions about the programme "Educational Learning Spaces", you can turn to Margriet Lindemann.