This system is particularly suitable for the monitoring of parameters in outdoor locations. Its two main characteristics are that it can be run on solar energy generated by photovoltaic panels, and the typology of data acquisition on the data collecting net.

The sensors used by this system are piezometric, thermometric, pluviometric and extensometric. For the latter a strain gauge is employed- an example of information acquired on a training course being put to good use- and the installation is carried out in SNAM.

The data collected by Watchdog can be acquired locally or by remote control through the supervision software programme. Watchdogs characteristics make its installation rapid and easy without the need for a direct connection to the phone line or to the power grid.

Watchdog has a modular structure and is suitable for application in outdoor locations for the monitoring of large scale physical and/or environmental changes that occur slowly over time (for example, water table levels, earth movements, structures such as bridges or roads subject to deformations and so on).

In particular, the acquisition of data from the sensors can occur in three different ways:

• Through the use of a portable control panel (see diagram) placed at the site to which the sensors are connected; in this case the data from the sensors can be read off directly;

• Through the use of AQLs locally connected to the stands that periodically carry out data sampling. Through the successive use of a data transporter or a portable computer that downloads the data from the AQLs in order then to upload it towards the supervision software programme;

• Through the use of a control unit with a modular structure, communicating in radio frequency with the AQLs, the sampled data is acquired which is then communicated, through the GSM modem or satellite systems, to the supervision software programme.