FloodSense

What it does

This system detects road flood in real time and alerts drivers via LED signboards at junctions, helping them to avoid entering flooded areas. It improves road safety and prevents cars from being stranded or damaged during flood incidents.

Your inspiration

Flooding is one of the most common natural disasters in Malaysia. Initially, we explored flood mitigation but shifted focus to preventive measures that are more practical and cost-effective. Seeing cars submerged during floods — often due to misleading road conditions — motivated us to act. We found two key reasons why vehicles get stranded: drivers cannot turn back, especially on highways, and many misjudge water depth. These insights led us to develop a proactive flood warning system that alerts drivers in real time, helping them make informed decisions before entering potentially flooded roads.

How it works

This device is a flood detection and warning system designed for roadside installation on existing light poles. It incorporates two key sensors: a rain sensor to detect rainfall and an ultrasonic sensor to accurately measure rising water levels on roads. When flooding conditions are detected, the device transmits a warning signal wirelessly via Wi-Fi using the ESP8266 module. These signals propagate pole-to-pole until reaching an LED signboard strategically located at junctions. The illuminated warning informs drivers ahead of time, helping them avoid driving into dangerously flooded areas after the junctions and enhancing road safety during adverse weather conditions.

Design process

We began by conducting a literature review on flooding, identifying key pain points during such disasters. From this, we shifted our focus from reactive approaches — like flood recovery — to proactive early-warning systems that could reduce vehicle losses. Team discussions revealed that vehicles are most often stranded on roads and highways, especially at junctions with no return path. During prototyping, we faced challenges in sensor selection — between water-level and ultrasonic sensors. Due to the risk of water damage, we opted for ultrasonic sensors, which can be mounted higher on light poles for better durability and accuracy. Once the core components were identified, we moved to casing design. The casing was built to be lightweight, waterproof and durable, to protect internal electronics under harsh weather. For wireless communication, we used the ESP32 microcontroller, which offers built-in Wi-Fi and reduces the need for long, maintenance-heavy cables often required in Arduino setups. All components were enclosed in a custom 3D-printed casing, enabling cost-effective and scalable deployment. This practical design ensures that the system can be easily replicated and installed widely to improve road safety during flood events.

How it is different

Unlike traditional flood warning systems that primarily rely on centralised data collection and administrative alerts, our system directly targets drivers at critical decision points. By utilising a localised network of low-cost sensors and Wi-Fi modules attached to existing infrastructure, it provides immediate, on-the-spot warnings through LED signboards. This proactive, real-time communication helps drivers avoid misjudging floodwater depth and prevents unnecessary vehicle damage. Moreover, our solution emphasises affordability and scalability, making it suitable for widespread deployment without heavy investment in complex monitoring equipment or smartphone applications. This practical design ensures rapid installation and adaptability, significantly enhancing road safety during floods in diverse urban and rural areas.

Future plans

Our affordable, scalable device currently provides instant flood warnings to drivers at road junctions. In future, we plan to integrate LoRa technology to extend communication range and enable centralised data collection. This upgrade support real-time monitoring, detailed analysis, and improved flood prediction accuracy. Also, we aim to collaborate with popular navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze to synchronise live flood data. By doing so, drivers can receive timely road accessibility updates, helping them make safer route decisions. This integration will ultimately enhance public safety and improve traffic flow during flood events.

Awards