Executive Summary

Ribbit Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to building a global network of open-source CO2 sensors (Frog Sensors) to combat climate change. This report details Ribbit Network’s activities and impact during 2023.

Thanks to your support, we've made significant progress in developing and deploying Frog Sensors. We've finalized the sensor's core functionalities, including cellular connectivity and Power over Ethernet (PoE). We've also initiated field deployments in partnership with scientific institutions like Ameriflux and ICOS EU, allowing for data collection and sensor accuracy assessment.

Additionally, Ribbit Network has built up a demonstrated track record of coordinating and hosting educational events for STEAM experiences centered around climate.

See more on our site at ribbitnetwork.org

Project Update

• Frog Sensor v4 Development: The Ribbit Network open-source team has transitioned to a microprocessor architecture for Frog Sensor v4, reducing production costs, lowering power consumption, and facilitating future scalability.
• Core Team Expansion: Ribbit Network is a community driven, open-source organization. We onboarded new core team members like Damien Tournoud, Akhil Gupta, Mudit Agrawal, and Gray Jones, who have significantly contributed to sensor development, software development, and social media management in the past year.
• Sensor Calibration and Expertise: Sebastien Biraud, a leading climate scientist from Berkeley National Labs, joined Ribbit Network as an advisor. His guidance has been invaluable in sensor calibration and understanding sensor performance.
• Scientific Outreach: Ribbit Network presented at it’s first educational conference last year: NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory 2023 conference and again as a return attendee this year in 2024. Attending conferences such as this are critical to establishing a relationship with the scientific community.
• Field Deployments: We successfully deployed Frog Sensors in Washington State (Ameriflux program) and Zurich, Switzerland (ICOS EU program). These deployments provide valuable data for scientific research and sensor validation.
• Educational Outreach: Ribbit Network provided Frog Sensor kits, educational modules, and in person support to several educational events throughout the year. Most recently, in collaboration with a school district in Tarboro, NC, Ribbit Network hosted a workshop where students from extremely low income households built and deployed Frog Sensors. Ribbit Network has deployed over 200 sensors through educational programs and
• New Office and Online Store: Ribbit Network moved into it’s first small office, allowing a build up of inventory and parts which decreases the cost of the Ribbit Network kits, improving equitable access.

Impact of Community Support

Community Donations and Funding have been instrumental in propelling Ribbit Network's progress. Here's a specific breakdown of the impact:

• Educational Programs: Enabled travel to several in-person educational events outlined above, bring high quality STEAM, climate educational outcomes to low-income school districts around the US.
• Technological Advancement: Funding enables the final development of Frog Sensor v4, a more scalable and cost-effective sensor based on a microcontroller. In addition to this sensor, Ribbit Network publishes a set of high quality instructions and educational modules that accompany and augment the experience. See those instructions here: https://ribbit-network.github.io/ribbit-network-frog-hardware/
• Scientific Validation: Ribbit Network focuses on scientific field deployments with scientific partners, providing valuable data for sensor validation and scientific research.
• Conference Attendance: Funding for travel to scientific conferences is key an support enabled Ribbit to present at the NOAA GMAC conference in 2023 and 2024.
• Funding for Office and Equipment: Community funding enabled Ribbit Network to secure it’s first office space, equipment, tools, and parts to offer Frog Kits to Citizen Scientists around the US. Access to ready made kits was the number one barrier for citizen scientists to get involved.