I have some thoughts about designing this, but will need to build out my technology to help make this happen.

I'm currently working on a new wireless microphone design that would allow for a couple of channels of distributed audio from sites with a relatively simple and low-cost base station that would be ideal for sites like Mark's Cove when it's ready.

The biggest challenge (as usual) once the hardware is ready will be getting internet connectivity to the base station. Perhaps a community-minded neighbor would be willing to share their connection.

Central Stream Station

This photo of the Central Stream base station at Tidmarsh is an example of what a basic audio streaming installation at another restoration site might look like. A 50 to 100 watt solar panel, battery and electronics box (obscured by the solar panel) and directional wi-fi antenna, which could uplink to a location with internet access (e.g. at a neighboring property) 500m-1km away with line of sight.

Such an installation could record and stream stereo audio from a local pair of microphones. It could also potentially serve as the hub for the wireless microphones that I am planning to develop.

Great Blue Heron Lands

At Tidmarsh, we set up several cameras to share movies of wildlife that were visiting the site. This provided the community with a rich connection to the land that was undergoing restoration. We also used microphones to capture the sounds of Tidmarsh. Many people have told us that they go to bed listening to the Tidmarsh live stream.

The image: Great Blue Heron from movie clip recorded on Central stream cam February 20, 2025 at 13:45 by the sensor network developed and installed by the MIT Media Lab's Responsive Environments Group, in collaboration with Living Observatory, at Mass Audubon's Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary. Engineering: Brian Mayton, Gershon Dublon, Donald Derek Haddad, Spencer Russell. Faculty advisor: Prof. Joe Paradiso. More video, audio and sensor streams can be accessed at tidmarsh.media.mit.edu/