
(Image source: Understory.)
Understory, creator of a weather network and analytics services to the insurance and other industries, has announced that it received a patent for its method of manufacturing weather stations. Previously awarded a patent for its mechanical strain-based weather sensor, Understory reports that this secondary patent significantly lowers the costs of creating resilient weather sensors. The vendor says that the patent positions Understory to radically alter the global weather sensing infrastructure.
“Scientific-grade weather sensors previously costs around six figures due to components, assembly, installation, service maintenance, and the necessary layer of communication to receive data,” comments Alex Kubicek, CEO and Founder, Understory. “In contrast, Understory’s method of manufacturing weather stations utilizes commoditized components that cost an order of magnitude less. With the cost barrier significantly lowered, we are creating resilient sensors that can be deployed anywhere in the world and last up to ten years in the field without human interaction.”
Understory’s weather networks are composed of patented weather stations that form what the company describes as full-stack, rugged, tamper-proof, maintenance-free, precision weather solutions. The stations, with their patented solid-state technology, measure 50,000 times a second to provide research-grade hail, wind and rainfall data year-round. The measurements power a cloud-based artificial intelligence core that combines measurements to provide insight into weather-caused damage at every point in Understory’s networks.
Deploying Cost-Effective Weather Sensor Technology Worldwide
With this patent, Understory says it is the only company capable of deploying cost-effective weather sensor technology worldwide to enable the collection of real-time and accurate weather data. Its patented, no-moving part creation method enables the collection of real-time, directional weather data at a fraction of the cost.
Understory currently has 500 stations deployed across five major U.S. metropolitan areas, with a planned national expansion underway to increase its sensor network to 5,000 sensors by the end of 2019, as well as a growing international presence.
Understory Granted Patent for Mechanical Strain-Based Weather Sensor Technology