IoT and You Summer Camp Empowers Students with Real-World Tech Skills
- lrosier3
- Aug 8
- 2 min read
From July 7–18, high school students from across the region gathered at Georgia Tech Savannah for the latest IoT and You Summer Camp—a hands-on, two-week program focused on designing, building, and programming smart sensors using the latest Arduino development kits.
Throughout the camp, students explored a wide range of environmental sensors, including those measuring temperature, humidity, water level, and soil moisture. With guidance from camp instructors, they gained practical skills in electronics, coding, and data collection.
As part of their fieldwork, campers used their custom-built sensors to collect real-world temperature data—capturing the heat people actually experience during Savannah’s summer months. Measurements were taken both around the GT Savannah campus and during a field trip to the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium. Students then learned how to analyze and visualize the data using Geographic Information Systems
(GIS), transforming numbers into meaningful insights mapped across different environments.
In the second week, students applied their skills to develop a Smart Rain Barrel project, which integrates IoT technology to monitor rainwater collection and automate irrigation based on soil moisture levels. The system allows users to view water levels and soil conditions remotely via smartphone—demonstrating how technology can support sustainability and smart environmental solutions.
The IoT and You Summer Camp is led by Dr. Russ Clark and Lesa Hagins, in cooperation with CEAR Hub and the Georgia Tech Savannah CEISMC team. The program continues to inspire the next generation of innovators by connecting classroom learning to real-world challenges and applications.