NORCTURNAL ANIMAL WARNING SYSTEM
25/09/2017
Mr. Lone Godfrey Future Kolobe
BEng Telecommunications Engineering
Botswana International University of Science & Technology
Student ID 13000492
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ABSTRACT’
Introduction
The following is a project proposal on a nocturnal animal detection system suited for use in Botswana and other developing countries due to it low fiscal and environmental cost as well as low maintenance features. In addition, the proposal establishes the possible applications of the system in wildlife migration across busy roadways ensuring efficient deployment of relevant personnel to prevent domestic and wild animal interactions, early detection of potentially abnormal migration or poaching activities. Primary deployment is along busy roadways prone to animal related accidents. The system therefore provides a means to, in real time, inform drivers of potential hindrances in the road blind spots at night. This is done in part by visually warning drivers using bright yet conservative strobe lights. Furthermore, animal migration towards the road is discouraged by emission of sounds related to predators/farm hands to dissuade the animals from approaching the road and posing a danger to themselves and humans.
Objectives
1. Provide real time information on animal presence along bends, other road blind spots and up to 20m away from the road way
2. Produce a system with a low environmental and fiscal cost to the relevant institution.
3. Provide a flexible solution able to adapt and collect and disseminate information to all stakeholders about road safety/conditions.
Problem statement
Referencing figure 1, the transport sector in Botswana experienced a general upward trend in terms of its contribution to the national GDP. A more detailed contribution of each transport subsector is also shown below. In addition to this, studies indicate that roads due their design disrupt the normal structure of a given habitat [1]. As a result, mechanisms are employed in an attempt to reduce the impact of roads on grazing areas of both domestics and wild animals as well as the migration areas of wild animals, the effectiveness of various strategies is listed in figure 4. However for countryside roads where long stretches of road are unavoidable (for instance the A1, or A12 in Botswana) and streetlighting is not a feasible,
‘ static road signs are employed to warn drivers of animal, accident prone areas and road works,
‘ With regard to animal hazards, teams of animal patrol units patrol long open stretches of tarred roads.
However, they often only have a single team/vehicle patrolling an expanse as big as 60Km. Thus, the only means of efficiently detecting animals in real time on the sides of roads is fellow drivers in convoys. This brings us to the objectives 1 & 2 of this proposal. Where a system electronic or otherwise is to be deployed on roads with a low fiscal and environmental cost, to constantly monitor the state of these side pockets where wildlife tends to lie in wait before attempting to cross nearby road ways at night. Often with a loss of life, typically to the 21-40-year age group [2], typically the most productive members of our society, thus this has a direct impact of on poverty eradication, will also reducing national productivity as well as the national work force. Furthermore, the loss in the agricultural and tourism sectors is also severe with scores of animals perishing leaving farmers without a means to sustain themselves and additionally export.
Figure 1 [2]
Figure 2 [3]
Figure 3 [1]
Literature Review
With the continued urbanization of this country and general improvement of access via the building of tarred roads and access ways interactions between,
1. Wild & domesticated animals are likely to increase, threatening the integrity of the agricultural sector [4]
2. Human traffic and animals and by extension the number of annual accidents due to this increased interaction.
Furthermore, the reduction in habitat caused by these developments as well as the influx of affordable vehicles in Botswana [4] mean drivers more drivers are on roadways at any point in the day- as shown by the 122% increase in registered vehicles [2] between 2006 and 2015. Additionally, drivers are generally observed to be strained when driving along the countryside at night [5]. This results in more drivers eyeing the 20m-30m of bush lining the road as high beams are a hindrance to other drivers at night. Subsequently, whether following road speed limits or not road accidents are an inevitability [5].
According to a 2015 report on road accidents in Botswana, animals (wild and domesticated) were the second highest cause of accidents after careless drivers [2] at 11.4% [2]. In addition to this trend, 85% of all accidents occurred on tarred roads, with another 81% of accident related injuries occurring on tarred roads [2]. 2015 & 2014 saw similar trends in terms of the numbers of accidents at night, 30.1% [2] and 13.1% [3] respectively. Currently the effectiveness of road safety campaigns is limited due to the methods employed to both assist drivers and deter animals from the road, refer to the figure below (figure 4):
Figure 4 [1]
While fences do exist in Botswana, their maintenance is shoddy with vandals often taking sections for themselves and farmers at times forgetting to close gates leading to the main roads from their farms. As of yet, ADS (animal detection systems) have not been deployed in Botswana.
Specifications
‘ Using a PIR (passive infra-red receiver) as the primary secondary device for movement, the proposed system uses an additional LDR (light dependent resistor) to determine the time of day and bias a transistor.
‘ An operational amplifier then amplifies the output of the transistor to the PIR which has a cycle of about 15Hz [6]
‘ Upon detecting motion, the PIR output pin biases a transistor with provides an input voltage to an astable configured N555 timer. The output of the N555 is connected to an LED which acts as a strobe light to not only warn drivers but also dissuade animals from getting any closer to the road and finally send GPS coordinated to animal patrol to effectively remove the animals from the scene and secure whichever means they used to go to the road side.
‘ See figure 6.
Functionality
The proposed system works as specified by the algorithm with the Proteus’ prototype currently not employing a GSM module as specified by the algorithm in figure. In theory, the entire algorithm maybe implemented using simple passive and active electronics. In addition, the systems would be deployed on road sides. With a PIR serving to detect motion over a 10m 15′ angle [6], additionally through the GSM module the system could notify animal patrol of the GPS position of the animal disturbance while also sending a warning to a programmable road sign(s).
Furthermore, the secondary application of the afore mentioned system would be to notify wildlife officers of wildlife movements more so if they encroach on human occupied areas. This feature may well be useful as it could:
1. Reduce fatal interactions between wild animals and humans as well as livestock and wild animal interactions. Possibly helping in the effort to reduce foot and mouth disease spread.
2. Increase the efficiency of tracking potentially illegal activities as it relates to poaching and animal trafficking as the system is self-sufficient and will transmit information relating to animal movement in isolated areas it is deployed in.
Figure 5
Figure 6
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Project Plan & Schedule
Schedule
Figure 7
Project Plan
The livestock localization and tracking system attempts to strategically tackle the risks as well as losses associated with livestock roaming on busy highways at night- both directly and indirectly. Through the use of GSM technology (SIM5215E) the system may be integrated into existing systems/mechanisms of animal control to increase efficiency as detailed below:
A) The use of the WaspMotes enables the use of the wireless sensor network’s scalability, relatively low cost per unit as well as the use of multihop routing [7]. This results in relatively large expanses of land being surveyed e.g Military projects such as Igloo white [8], as well as the use of the intruder model to achieve the tracking aspect of the project
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Conclusion
Studies conducted in different countries show that combined strategies are best to combat issues of road safety, see figure 4. To this effect this proposal notes that the current cost and effects of road accidents due to animals may well incapacitate the nation in the following areas if left unchecked:
Economics; roads as mentioned before contribute over 3% of GDP [3] adjusting for inflation. Additionally, while figures are currently unavailable the cost to farmers is also significant [4]. With poverty eradication strategies being undermined by not keeping tabs on the situation. In addition, there is the potential cost to the tourism sector and national wildlife reserves. Lastly, this system will provide increased jobs in animal patrol and also the companies which will manufacture and install the system in the long term.
Social structures; with the primary victims of car accidents being those in the working class 21-40 years [2], families are likely left without bread winners or stable social pillars. This undermines the long-term national social integrity as well as the human resource development strategy.
It is hoped that the implementation of this system may help save millions of pula to the country and save hundreds of young and productive lives. All the while helping provide work for and improve the efficiency of the animal patrol force on national roads.
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References
[1] M. Huijser, "Wildlife warning systems & Animal Detection systems," Montana State University, Bozeman, N/A.
[2] Statistics Botswana, "Botswana Transport & Infrastructure Statistics Report," Statistics Botswana, Gaborone, 2015.
[3] Statistics Botswana, "Transport & Infrastructure Statistics Report 2014," Statistics Botswana, Gaborone, 2014.
[4] K. Dipholo, ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY ANIMALS HAVE REACHED EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS, BUT THE AUTHORITIES DO NOT GIVE A DAMN!, Gaborone: Sunday Standard, 2017.
[5] D. M. P. R. T. B. B. K. R. a. H. T. D.-M. Wendy J. Collinson, "An Inventory of Vertebrate Roadkill in the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area, South Africa," African Journal of Wildlife Research, pp. 301-311, 2015.
[6] MoboTix, "MoboTix," 25 September 2017. [Online]. Available: https://www.mobotix.com/other/content/view/full/42471.
[7] CITRIS, Director, Wireless Sensor Networks: Technology and Applications. [Film]. 2007.