An Extremely-low Cost Ground-Based Whole Sky Imager

TL;DR

This paper introduces an ultra-low-cost ground-based Whole Sky Imager that captures high-resolution images with adaptive shutter speeds and includes a manual backup option, making sky imaging more accessible and affordable.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel, cost-effective WSI design with adaptive imaging and manual data backup, expanding accessibility for remote and budget-constrained applications.

Findings

Achieved high-resolution sky images at minimal cost

Implemented adaptive shutter speed based on ambient light

Enabled manual data backup for remote data retrieval

Abstract

Ground-based Whole Sky Imagers (WSIs) are increasingly being used for various remote sensing applications. While the fundamental requirements of a WSI are to make it climate-proof with an ability to capture high resolution images, cost also plays a significant role for wider scale adoption. This paper proposes an extremely low-cost alternative to the existing WSIs. In the designed model, high resolution images are captured with auto adjusting shutter speeds based on the surrounding light intensity. Furthermore, a manual data backup option using a portable memory drive is implemented for remote locations with no internet access.