Kochi: Six engineering college teachers have patented an AI-powered camera trap technology designed to capture, count, and classify wild animals in real time. This innovation aims to enhance wildlife conservation and reduce human-animal conflict.
The technology, developed at Rajagiri School of Engineering & Technology, consists of an AI camera trap and a communication system that wirelessly transmits data to forest officials. The camera activates upon detecting specific animal movements and uses convolutional neural networks (CNN) to identify features like ear notches and stripes.
Professor Binu A, one of the patent holders, noted that the system can learn to differentiate between various species as more data becomes available. This advancement eliminates the time-consuming manual data analysis currently required by conservation biologists.
Additionally, the system allows for automatic data transfer to officials' computers when they are within 20 to 30 meters of the trap, streamlining the monitoring process. Professor Preetha K G emphasized the technology's potential to alert communities about wildlife intrusions, promoting coexistence.
The team began developing this technology after a nature camp in 2018 where forest officials shared their challenges in tracking wildlife. Currently, no commercial AI-integrated camera traps are available, making this patent a significant step forward in wildlife monitoring.
Interest in the technology has been expressed by both private and government sectors, with potential applications in monitoring wildlife populations and assessing ecosystem health.