Sensors have been installed in the Manningham Street playground to help capture additional data to compare with Nature Play.

By adding the same Yabby sensors we used in Nature Play to the equipment on the Manningham Street playground, we can compare and understand user behaviour, usage and activity levels. Sensor data tells us on a typical week the average use of the Manningham Street playground is approximately 10 per cent of Nature Play’s. While we expect high use of benches near these playgrounds, sensors have helped confirm this hypothesis.

A second AIRS sensor (used to count pedestrian and bike movement) was installed in late December to collect information on a second path location. A micro-climate sensor, the same one we’ve used in other parks like Argyle Square, has been installed in Royal Park to better understand usage trends in different seasons. We’ve also added a second Yabby sensor to compare cricket nets usage.

So, what’s coming next?

• Bin sensors will help us understand current usage and identify opportunities to match up collections with times the bins are full.
• More pedestrian sensors will be installed to develop our understanding of park traffic at different locations.
  
• Barbeque sensors will help us learn about usage and understand patterns when compared with other park data like temperature and playground use.

We are developing a community dashboard to share data insights. This dashboard will be co-designed with community members to ensure it is useful and engaging.

See the map to explore the ways we’re using different sensors in Royal Park.