Smart street lighting with fault detection

The problem

The municipality only learns a street light is broken when someone complains, so many stay dark for months. Meanwhile, working lights run at full power from dusk to dawn even when the street is empty. The result is excess consumption from working lights, darkness at broken ones, and no overall picture of the network.

How it works

1. Light measurementA light sensor measures ambient light and decides when to switch on.
2. DimmingBrightness is adjusted gradually as needed, rather than just on and off.
3. Load measurementA current sensor reads the lamp's actual consumption.
4. Fault detectionNo current despite an on command means the lamp has burned out.
5. ReportingThe pole reports its status and fault data to the municipality dashboard immediately.
6. EstimationThe system calculates the expected monthly consumption of each pole.

Project features

• Automatic fault detection is the core feature, removing the need for inspection rounds.
• Gradual dimming saves real, measurable energy.
• A clear beneficiary — municipalities — so the project has a real user.
• An easy miniature demo model with two poles showing the report arriving.
• It can expand to a network of poles shown on a map.

Expected challenges

These are the main obstacles to expect during the build, laid out clearly so you know them before you start.

• Handling 220 V safely — the most dangerous part of the project.
• Dimming requires a phase-control circuit, not just a relay.
• Telling a lamp failure from a power cut to the whole pole.
• Ensuring communication coverage along a long street.
• The unit must withstand summer heat and dust inside a closed pole.

The consultation gives you a solution for each one.

Expected committee questions

Prepare your answers in advance: these questions come up often in defenses of similar projects.

1. How does the system detect a burned-out lamp?
2. How is brightness controlled, and how much energy is saved?
3. How do reports from hundreds of poles reach the municipality?
4. What's the role of the motion sensor, and how does it affect the lighting?

Practice the defense, question by question