Etesian Technologies LLC, Amherst, Mass., has developed a new wireless, self-powered wind speed sensor. This anemometer is now being marketed to the crane industry and William Stein, founder of Etesian Technologies, said the response has been good.
“Our company was generally unaware of the regulatory environment applicable to the crane and construction industry. However, about six months ago we noticed that a good number of our sales were to this very industry,” said Stein. “Our first was to Atlantic Marine in February 2010. They outfitted two cranes with systems for monitoring the wind speeds.”
Etesian has incorporated a small generator, powered by the wind, into the sensor, and in doing so, took the worry about battery replacement out of the equation. “By utilizing the utmost in power-conserving electronics, we are able to use the wind we are measuring to provide the power to the sensor,” said Stein. “There are never any batteries to replace, and we all know how batteries are always needing to be replaced at the worst possible time.”
The sensor’s readout can be located up to 500 feet away from the device, and multiple sensors and multiple readouts can be installed. The readout has relay contacts for signaling an alarm or controls. For remote access, the user simply connects a cellphone network modem to the logger and calls it up to access the data from any personal computer.
The sensor logs wind speed data, with time and date stamps, for record keeping purposes. Optional measurements, also wireless and self-powered, include wind direction and temperature.
Etesian recently incorporated a wind trigger function into the device’s readout/base station. “As well as the usual function of logging wind data with date and time stamps, this relay can be set to actuate at any desired wind speed, and can then be used to sound an alarm or control equipment,” said Stein.
“My background is primarily in instrument design, and it seems this product is a very good fit for the crane industry given the recent regulatory requirements mandated by OSHA,” said Stein.
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