62292Gate sensor for identifying footfall in remote locationsClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UKThis project will produce a minimum viable product (MVP) of a self-powered gate-sensor that communicates over the cellular network, and will be ideal to monitor footfall. This device will require neither an external power source nor additional communications equipment, meaning that it will be deployed quickly and cost-effectively across any location (including remote ones that lack power or data infrastructure). Recording when and how frequently gates are opened and closed, and displaying that data in an online portal, this device will help address two impacts of Covid-19: 1) During the current (and quite possibly future) social-distancing restrictions, it will allow local authorities to understand where there is heavy footfall at short intervals, and thus where officers should be dispatched to identify and help prevent dangerous contravention of social-distancing rules. This is particularly useful in rural areas where there are often hundreds of potential locations where people might gather and it is very difficult for local authorities to predict where to send officers. 2) When social-distancing restrictions are relaxed, it is predicted that people in the UK will want to travel more domestically, avoiding cruises and aeroplanes, and make use of weekends to engage in more outdoor activities. Consequently, we should expect increased usage of many national parks, areas of natural beauty, and local parks, and for the pattern of that usage to be different. This device will help local authorities, county councils, and organisations like the National Trust to understand where and how usage is changing. This has very practical and often safety-related applications. For example, knowing that the number of walks from a small car park has dramatically increased, or that a playground is being operated at twice the capacity it was designed for, can help a local authority make much more informed decisions about where to invest in additional infrastructure and services. We have consulted our existing local authority customers about this product, and they have shown a clear demand for it, due to both its short-term and long-term benefits. The 'extension for Impact' funding will allow us to further develop the device to actually count the number of people passing through the gate (as well as the number of times the gate is opened and closed), and to further extend its battery life and the temperature range it can operate in. This will provide greater accuracy, and will increase the size of the target market. The funding will also allow us to further test and develop the market, by producing a larger number of prototypes to deploy in trials in different situations, and with different partners. Finally, the extension will also allow us to improve elements of the software, particularly the 'reports' feature, which provides additional insight into the data collected.