Tunnel Camera System with Elevated Threshold for Animal Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wildlife crossing technologies, such as tunnels and overpasses, face challenges in reliably detecting and recording small and cold-blooded animals due to the limitations of passive infrared sensors, which struggle to consistently detect these species, leading to incomplete data collection for habitat conservation and safety assessments.
Innovation Solution
A tunnel camera system with an elevated threshold and a combination of photoelectric and passive infrared sensors, where a light beam is used to trigger camera captures of animals crossing the threshold, ensuring detection and recording of both cold-blooded and small mammals, while a passive infrared sensor detects medium-sized warm-blooded animals, providing comprehensive data collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If passive infrared sensors are used to detect animals in wildlife tunnels, then the system can detect warm-blooded animals, but it fails to reliably detect cold-blooded animals and small mammals
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system is segmented into two independent sensor types: passive infrared sensors for detecting warm-blooded animals and photoelectric sensors for detecting cold-blooded animals. Each sensor type targets a specific animal category, allowing the system to reliably detect both types without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection system achieves multi-functionality by combining different sensor technologies that can detect different types of animals. The passive infrared sensor handles warm-blooded animal detection while the photoelectric sensor handles cold-blooded animal detection, creating a universal detection system covering all major animal categories.
2Measurement precision
If a single sensor type is used in the tunnel camera system, then the device complexity is low, but the detection precision for different animal species is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is divided into specialized segments: passive infrared sensors specifically for warm-blooded animal detection and photoelectric sensors specifically for cold-blooded animal detection. This segmentation allows each sensor type to be optimized for its target animal group, improving overall detection precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The photoelectric sensor acts as an intermediary detection mechanism for cold-blooded animals that passive infrared sensors cannot detect. By introducing this intermediary sensor type, the system achieves comprehensive species detection without requiring complex individual sensor modifications.
3Quantity of substance
If the camera system uses only passive infrared detection, then the energy consumption is low, but the quantity of animal species data collected is incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The data collection system is segmented into two detection channels: passive infrared detection for warm-blooded animals and photoelectric detection for cold-blooded animals. This segmentation enables comprehensive species data collection across different animal types while maintaining energy efficiency through targeted detection approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial detection action by using photoelectric sensors specifically for cold-blooded animals that passively cross the light beam, rather than attempting to detect all animals with a single high-energy active sensor system. This approach collects sufficient data for conservation purposes without excessive energy consumption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively captures visual recordings of various animal species, including small and cold-blooded animals, enhancing data collection for habitat conservation and safety assessments by ensuring reliable detection and recording across different environments.
Implementation Method 1
A photoelectric receiver receives the light beam. The photoelectric receiver is located at a second end of the elevated threshold. The light beam is low enough with respect to the elevated threshold that cold-blooded animals and small mammals moving over the elevated threshold are raised in height sufficiently to block the light beam
Implementation Method 2
The camera includes a passive infrared (PIR) motion sensor that detects when medium sized warm-blooded animals traverse the tunnel
Data Source
AI summary
An animal detection unit detects cold-blooded animals and small mammals traversing a tunnel or other constricted area. The animal detection unit includes an elevated threshold that extends across a width of the tunnel or other constricted area. A photo emitter generates a light beam. The photo emitter is located at a first end of the elevated threshold. A photoelectric receiver receives the light beam. The photoelectric receiver is located at a second end of the elevated threshold. The light beam is low enough with respect to the elevated threshold that cold-blooded animals and small mammals moving over the elevated threshold are raised in height sufficiently to block the light beam as the cold-blooded animals and small mammals move over the elevated threshold. A camera is mounted on the frame. The camera is aimed and focused to capture visual recordings of the cold-blooded animals and small mammals as they move over the elevated threshold. The photoelectric receiver sends a trigger signal when an animal blocks the light beam. The camera captures a first visual recording of the animal when the photoelectric receiver sends the trigger signal.