Turtles at Risk

Presented by :Rashmy Balasubramanian

Aimed at saving endangered species of turtle in Ontario

The WSN gathers information regarding risks factors and habitat requirements

Project carried out by Queen’s University Biologists and recovery teams will have

real-time access via the Internet to data without costly field visits and without negatively impacting the species being studied.

Primary Objective

High Frequency Radio telemetry has historically been the most common method of tracking wildlife.

Disadvantages: Data collection performed infrequently and thus incomplete,cannot retask the network

Using WSN , GPS positioning gives accurate position information, that can be stored on the sensor node, whereas the RF transceiver can be used to transmit the data at desired intervals.

WSN scores over existing technology

Internet access

Network longevity

Management at a distance

Inconspicuous operation

Requirements for Habitat monitoring

System Model

By using the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator), the trilateration method can be used to accurately locate the turtle.

Sensor nodes operated using ZigBee technology

SQ-SEN-200 omnidirectional tilt and vibration sensor 

Also various pressure, temperature and humidity sensors used

Features

-Greater resolution both in time and space-WSN facilitates the collection of diverse types of data at frequent intervals over large.-WSN enable ecologists and field biologists to unobtrusively collect new types of data, providing new insights on processes.-Real-time data flows allow researchers to react rapidly to events, thus extending the laboratory to the field.-The numbers and locations of sensors can be chosen/optimized/changed-In general, the system is fault-tolerant. Any  failure can be detected in real time.-Observing under extreme conditions-Reacting to events as they unfold -Controlled sensing: Sensing parameters  can be remotely changed/ modified (e.g.,  frequency of sensing, data rate, type of  data, sensing features, etc.)

Advantages

GPS & RF signals would be difficult to track while the turtles are under water. Hence, the tracking & transmission is done opportunistically, when the transceivers & antennas are exposed out of water.

Battery life is the biggest challenge in any WSN. Hence careful design & rigorous testing is involved to ensure the desired lifetime for the sensor node can be achieved.

Since tracking each turtle is important, the scenario of node failure is unacceptable.

In order to minimize the power consumption, the protocols used for RF communication have to be carefully chosen to ensure data is communicated accurately & in a timely manner.

Challenges

http://www.ece.queensu.ca/directory/laboratories/smcl/projects.html

A. Akhavan-Astaneh, A. Alemdar, and M. Ibnkahla, “Wireless sensor networks for wildlife monitoring: System architecture design”, Proc. International Workshop on Signal Processing and its Applications, Proc. International Workshop on Signal Processing and its Applications, WOSPA, UAE, March 2008

F. Al-Turjeman and M. Ibnkahla, “An overview of wireless sensor networks for ecology and forest monitoring” , Proc. International Workshop on Signal Processing and its Applications, WOSPA, UAE, March 2008

References