Abstract

Abstract: Low-power electronic design combined with smart on-device algorithms presents a game-changer for conservation biologists; enabling them to deploy sensors at scale within the environment to better understand animal behaviour in response to external factors such as climate change. When combined with low-volume manufacturing and novel distribution channels it is possible for small research groups to have significant impact in delivering novel conservation technology to practitioners. In this talk, I’ll describe our experiences developing AudioMoth, a low-cost open-source smart acoustic sensor; describing how it started as a tool developed for our own use, and how we scaled to the current situation where over 30,000 AudioMoth devices are in use around the world.

Zoom link: https://cl-cam-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/93489909164?pwd=azhlN2FJZnJLVlR0U1lJWXBobDlyQT09

Bio: Alex Rogers is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Oxford and a member of the Cyber-Physical Systems research group. His research addresses the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning within physical sensor systems to address real-world problems focusing on sustainability. His work has addressed future energy systems, such as the smart grid, citizen science platforms, and environmental monitoring, and typically involves the real-world deployment of novel approaches in devices, smartphones or the cloud. He was the co-founder of a home heating advice spin-out, called Joulo, that combined a unique low-cost temperature logger with cloud-based analytics and he maintains the GridCarbon app for monitoring the carbon intensity of the UK electricity grid. His current work is addressing the need for low-cost, open-source, tools to support conservation work, and work to date has included the development of AudioMoth, a smart acoustic sensor widely used for environmental and biodiversity monitoring.