Smart streetlights on the WUT Campus

An everyday problem, a smart solution

The idea originated several years ago, when researchers at WUT began exploring the concept of a campus-wide sensor network capable of collecting environmental data.

“Before this project, we carried out environmental measurements on the WUT campus using other sensors, but we faced two major challenges: the lack of permanent locations for the sensors and the lack of a reliable power supply. That led to the idea of integrating sensors into streetlights, which are already connected to the electrical grid,” explains Piotr Pałka, PhD, from the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology, one of the project's co-creators. “The project also includes additional mobile sensors - so-called small nodes - which complement the streetlights by collecting data from different locations.”

Besides providing lighting, the smart streetlights perform several additional functions. They:

• collect environmental data using a twilight sensor, air quality sensor, microphone for noise monitoring, proximity sensors that analyse the surroundings, and a camera that monitors pedestrian and vehicle flows;
• display collected information through an interactive touchscreen panel;
• store measurement data in a central repository for research and educational purposes;
• serve as part of the Warsaw University of Technology's Visual Identity and Building Accessibility Information System;
• automatically adjust lighting levels depending on the presence of people nearby, thereby helping to reduce light pollution.

The project aims to establish a prototype Smart City Living Lab at the Warsaw University of Technology.

“The system we are implementing and testing on the WUT campus can later be expanded to the scale of an entire city. It reflects the European concept of Smart Cities & Communities, which combines digital technologies and social innovation to improve quality of life, optimise resource management, and promote sustainable development. It is not only about infrastructure but also about actively engaging residents and strengthening local communities,” explains Prof. Robert Olszewski from the Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography.

An Interdisciplinary Collaboration Across Three WUT Faculties

The project is a joint initiative of experts from the Faculties of Electronics and Information Technology, Geodesy and Cartography, and Architecture. The collaboration was initiated through the Excellence Initiative – Research University (IDUB) programme. The pilot deployment includes ten smart streetlights and forty mobile sensing nodes. The streetlights have been installed in the heart of the WUT campus, near the historic fountain, while the mobile nodes can operate anywhere within the campus network coverage. According to Dr. Pałka, if the pilot proves successful, the long-term vision is for all campus streetlights to become smart.

Before implementation, the project team conducted interviews with students and university staff to identify which types of data should be collected and which would be considered unacceptable from a privacy perspective. Consequently, the system does not process information identifying individuals passing by the streetlights. The only exception concerns information that may be shared with the Academic Guards in the event of a security incident. Instead, the system records only aggregated data, such as the number of pedestrians.

The architectural design of the streetlights was developed by Krzysztof Nazar, MSc., and Karolina Dąbrowska-Żółtak, PhD, under the supervision of Prof. Krzysztof Koszewski. The technical engineering and manufacturing were carried out by an external contractor. The electronic systems and smart functionalities were designed by Sławomir Szostak, PhD, and Piotr Pałka, PhD, while the mobile sensing nodes were designed and developed by Przemysław Korpas, PhD, all from the Faculty of Electronics and Information Technology. The project also involved specialists from the Faculty of Geodesy and Cartography, including Prof. Robert Olszewski, Agnieszka Wendland, PhD, who were responsible for the geoinformation aspects and integration with other Living Lab initiatives, Paweł Czernic, MSc, specialising in image processing, Piotr Garbat, PhD, responsible for image processing, and Karol Orzechowski, BSc, who developed the software for the streetlights.

“The materials used for the streetlights were selected to ensure consistency with the pilot implementation of the visual information system on the central campus, including the information pylons and building signage that I had the pleasure of leading. In both cases, the defining material is weathering (Corten) steel, which naturally develops a rust-coloured protective patina over time. The streetlights will therefore continue to ‘mature’ before reaching their final appearance, something that may not be immediately obvious to everyone,” notes Prof. Krzysztof Koszewski, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture.

Smart streetlights on the WUT Campus

Dr. Pałka adds that the project is significant not only for its scientific value but also for the successful deployment of the smart streetlights. “This is a completely different kind of project from those I have worked on before. Its interdisciplinary nature is what makes it unique. Without the collaboration of architects, designers, electronics engineers, computer scientists, geoinformation specialists, and, above all, practitioners, this initiative would never have come to fruition. Equally important was the support of the administrative staff, accountants, public procurement specialists, the Chancellor, and technical personnel. Without their involvement, the project simply would not have been possible.”

The smart streetlights are part of the project entitled "iCampus WUT: Development of a Concept and Pilot Implementation of an IoT Sensor System Supporting the Creation and Development of a Smart WUT Campus." The project was funded through the Excellence Initiative – Research University (IDUB) programme under the Strateg II WUT competition. The project was carried out in two phases. The concept development phase ran from 15 May to 15 November 2024, while the implementation phase was conducted between 20 January 2025 and 30 June 2026.