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Connectivity / Feed

Advancements in communications networks that connect sensors and enable data retrieval across landscapes are revolutionizing conservation fieldwork. As the infrastructure that helps our core tools talk to each other in even the most remote places, the importance of connectivity cannot be overstated. Whatever solutions you're working with - and on whatever scale - this group is the place to discuss all things related to connectivity in conservation, from fiber-optic cables to LoRa to Swarm. 

discussion

New Group Proposal: Systems Builders & PACIM Designers

Chad Richardson

18 June 2025 2:52pm

Co-Creating Collective Impact Across the Conservation Technology EcosystemDear WILDLABS Community,I am proposing the creation of a new WILDLABS group focused on...

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Frank van der Most

19 June 2025 9:08am

Hi Chad,

Thanks for the text. As I read it, PACIMs play a role in something else/bigger, but it doesn't explain what PACIMs are or what they look like. Now I've re-read your original post, I'm thinking, maybe I do understand, but then I feel the concept is too big (  an entire system can be part of a PACIM ? ) to get going within a WildLabs group. And you want to develop 10 PACIMS within a year through this group? Don't get me wrong, I am all for some systems change, but perhaps you're aiming too high. 

Chad Richardson

19 June 2025 12:19pm

Hello again sir - PACIMs really mean 'projects' is the way I see it. Each part of the acronym can be seen as a project (if you have an assignment to do, you have a project really).

 

As for your query on 10 projects in 'this' group - I should ask for clarification if you mean particularly acoustics or in any group (I see now this is the acoustics thread after I selected all the groups for this post). If you are asking on acoustics, you're right - I am unsure on 10 as I am not too keen on acoustics yet. If you are asking 10 projects as a whole like 10 projects in the funding and finance group - I believe 10 to be a very reasonable number. Our projects we have co-created are for the most part replicable, rapidly deployable, quickly scalable, fundable through blended finance and more. 

 

Thank you again for the feedback.

Frank van der Most

19 June 2025 1:43pm

Thank you for your reply, Chad

I meant 10 as a whole, indeed. Perhaps you see your post in one group, but since it is tagged for all groups, I assumed you meant 10 in total.

In your first post you explain PACIM stands for "Projects, Assignments, Campaigns, Initiatives, Movements, and Systems", so I understood it as more than just projects. Obviously, many things can be packed into a project or called a project, but then, what does it mean that 'Projects' is part of the list?

Well, if you think 10 projects is doable, then don't let me stop you.

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discussion

Feedback needed for new Tech Concepts

Gina van der Meijden

3 June 2025 12:43pm

Hi, My name is Gina. I'm currently working on my Bachelor's Thesis and would like some feedback on some concepts I have worked out. The concepts involve new technology for...

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Shannon Rankin

11 June 2025 10:44pm

Gina-  Sounds like an interesting thesis topic! I work with bioacoustics in offshore waters and I'd be happy to have a chat and provide feedback-- feel free to message me via Wildlabs. 

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discussion

Dual-/Multi-Use Technology Strategies

Deepak Sathyanarayan

1 April 2025 11:46pm

Hi Everyone, I am new to the WildLabs community and relatively new to conservation technology. I have been working in this space since 2018 (marine and coral focused with NOAA),...

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Deepak Sathyanarayan

15 April 2025 6:17pm

That is a great point and the current international trade climate has been making supply chain even more difficult. This also deeply affects US companies given much of the US goods manufacturing and assembly happening in China. Over the last few years, I have been seeing US hardware companies (e.g. drone platform and component OEMs) sourcing their goods from India, Turkey, Canada, and more recently in African and South American nations. Because of the last 3-to-5 years of increasingly restrictive and costly international hardware trade, there has been a emergence of specialized component manufacturers internationally. For European companies interested in providing hardware services to the US, I would suggest diversifying the supply chain beyond China. Given the current climate and trends, that added supply chain resilience may be a good idea, regardless of work with the US.

Kim Hendrikse

15 April 2025 7:36pm

This is more than the supply chain though. The point was the company itself cannot use any tech for anything from the 5x companies. So in my case my ISP is incompatible. Essentially I see the only companies making that kind of sacrifice are ones that want to devote themselves to defence only.


Of course. That’s US defense as a customer. European defence is fully on the table.


It’s just sad that it’s not restricted to defence. US government wildlife organisations cannot buy European tech unless that European company was pure in their eyes.

Deepak Sathyanarayan

15 April 2025 8:37pm

True, the US ecosystem is a challenging space right now, for basically all sectors. 

We should not let the US chaos prevent us from engaging with opportunities in other nations' multi-use markets. A company's ability and journey to tap into other markets is very unique to them (product, team, finances, infrastructure, agility), and some simply cannot adapt. There is no one size fits all (or even most) solution when it comes to multi-use strategies. It is important that  we are systematic about evaluating the cost to adapt our product-service to a different market, and the value of new opportunities in that new market, without losing track of underlying conservation and social good needs.

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discussion

From Field to Funder: How to communicate impact?

Léa Smadja

16 April 2025 3:51pm

Conservation involves a mosaic of actors — field practitioners, local communities, funders, government agencies, scientists, and more.Each one needs different levels of...

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Frank van der Most

17 April 2025 5:04pm

Great questions @LeaOpenForests !

I don't have concrete answers since I am not a stakeholder in any project in particular. Based on experience with research on the potential for a similar one-stop-shop for science metrics, I would suggest that there is no simple solution: different actors do need and have different views on presenting and viewing impact. This means possible gaps between what one group of actors need and what the other is willing or able to produce. One can hope, search and aim for sufficient overlap, but I don't see how they would necessarily or naturally overlap.

Still, I would guess that if there are dimensions of overlap, they are time, space and actor-networks 

Amber Balfour-Cunningham

28 April 2025 3:18pm

I have posted about this in a different group, but I love boosting the impact of my communication through use of visuals. 

Free graphics relating to conservation technology and the environment are available at:

  1. National Environmental Science Program Graphics Library

    Graphics below of a feral cat with a tracking collar and a cat grooming trap are examples of symbols available courtesy of the NESP Resilient Landscapes Hub, nesplandscapes.edu.au.

  2. UMCES Integration and Application Network Media Library
Feral cat with tracking collar courtesy of the NESP Resilient Landscapes Hub, nesplandscapes.edu.au

Cat grooming trap graphic courtesy of the NESP Resilient Landscapes Hub, nesplandscapes.edu.au

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discussion

Conservation Applications for Google Solar API

Lot Amorós

12 April 2025 11:35am

We are developing a tool to research about possible conservation applications of the recent Google Solar API.Solar API is a Google service to provide high...

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Carly Batist

14 April 2025 12:54pm

Do you know if there are plans to expand this beyond the global North? Many folks in this community are living and/or working outside of the areas where this dataset is limited to and thus would not be able to make use of it. 

Lot Amorós

14 April 2025 6:27pm

Yes, I know about this big limitation,

As far as I know they are working to increase the coverage available for this solution.

For trusted developers, there are more regions available.





More information about the coverage can be found here:

 



 

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article

Application of computer vision for off-highway vehicle route detection: A case study in Mojave desert tortoise habitat

Alexander J Robillard

8 April 2025 2:30pm

Driving off-highway vehicles (OHVs), which contributes to habitat degradation and fragmentation, is a common recreational activity in the United States and other parts of the world, particularly in desert environments...

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Vance Russell

24 April 2025 9:24am

Fantastic and thank you! It will be very interesting to see how these tools can be applied to other species and anthropomorphic features!
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discussion

The 100KB Challenge!

Dan

7 February 2025 11:47am

If you could send/receive 100KB of data from anywhere on the planet via satellite; what would you send?I work for a company called Ground Control, we design, build and manufacture...

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Dan

20 February 2025 9:13am

Nice one - what kind of thing would you use this for? 

~500mA peak current, it has a similar power profile as the current RockBLOCK product, in that it needs lots of juice for a for a small period of time (to undertake the transmission) we include onboard circuitry to help smooth this over. I'll be able to share more details on this once the product is officially launched!

 

Dan

20 February 2025 9:13am

~500mA peak current, it has a similar power profile as the current RockBLOCK product, in that it needs lots of juice for a for a small period of time (to undertake the transmission) we include onboard circuitry to help smooth this over. I'll be able to share more details on this once the product is officially launched!

 

Nuno Cesar de Sa

20 February 2025 9:31am

Hi Dan, 

Not right now but I can envision many uses. A key problem in RS is data streams for validation and training of ML models, its really not yet a solved problem. Any kind of system that is about deploying and "forgetting" as it collects data and streams it is a good opportunity. 

 

If you want we can have a talk so you tell me about what you developed and I'll see if it fits future projects.

 

All the best

 

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article

INSTANT DETECT 2.0 - ALPHA TESTING

Sam Seccombe

28 January 2025 3:18pm

The worst thing a new conservation technology can do is become another maintenance burden on already stretched field teams. This meant Instant Detect 2.0 had to work perfectly from day 1. In this update, Sam Seccombe...

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discussion

Thesis Collaboration

Simon

4 January 2025 5:15pm

Hello everyone, I am an experienced Data Scientist and I am currently studying a second master in Environment Management (ULB - Belgium). I am currently looking for a master...

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Sanne Govaert

7 January 2025 12:32pm

Hi Simon,
Did you already contact INBO? Both biologging and citizen science are big themes at INBO. Last year we had a master thesis on camera trapping invasive muntjac. You can send me a private message for more info!

Ivan Herrera Olivares

14 January 2025 3:30pm

Hi Simon,

We're a biologging start-up based in Antwerp and are definitely open to collaborate if you're interested. We've got some programs going on with local zoo's. Feel free to send me a DM if you'd like to know more.

enrico sorato

15 January 2025 8:30am

Hi Simon,
We (Reneco International Wildlife Consultants) have an ongoing collaboration with a local University (Abu Dhabi, UAE)  for developing AI tools (cameratrap/drone images and video analyses) and biomimetic robots applied to conservation (e.g  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574954124004813 ). We also have a genetic team working on eDNA.    Field experience could be possible, in UAE or Morocco.
Feel free to write me back if you may be interested and would like to know more
 

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discussion

Underwater wireless communication

Stephen Long

9 December 2024 1:32pm

Does anyone have any knowledge/experience of underwater wireless communication (i.e. sensor to surface)? Specifically using acoustic modems, see here.

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Thomas Gray

16 December 2024 6:59pm

It's probably much easier to find a company selling acoustic modems than to try and create your own...very challenging environment to work within. I have about 10 years working with underwater acoustics (as a non-engineer). 

Hannes Fischer

17 December 2024 1:50pm

To give you the best advice, I need a bit more information about your specific application. Underwater communication typically relies on acoustic modems because radio waves don't travel well through water. For longer distances, a hybrid solution is often used. This could involve an acoustic modem transmitting data from your underwater sensor to a surface buoy or platform. The buoy could then relay the data to shore using traditional radio communication, such as 900MHz radios (even commercially available options like Ubiquiti radios, depending on distance and line-of-sight). To help me understand your needs and recommend the right approach, could you tell me more about:

Data Rate Requirements: How much data do you need to transmit, and how often?

Range: What is the vertical distance between your sensor and the surface receiver?

Environment: Are you working in shallow or deep water? What is the water temperature, salinity, and expected noise level?

Power Budget: How much power is available for the underwater sensor and modem?

Cost: What is your budget for the acoustic modem system?

Integration: How will you integrate the modem with your sensor and surface receiving system?

Real-time or Delayed: Do you need the data in real-time, or can it be stored and transmitted later?

Chris Yesson

18 December 2024 11:56am

Steve and I are looking to develop a low-cost benthic drift camera with a live video feed. Our hope is to use an acoustic modem to give us a low quality feed for navigation / hazard avoidance.  This could be as simple as a small black and white image refreshed every 1 sec. What we need to know from the system is are we at the bottom? and are we about to hit an obstacle? 

Data Rate Requirements: A very low quality (360p) video stream - could be black & white and low fps to reduce bit rate requirements (hopefully 1kbps)

Range: At least depth 500m but ideally down to 2,000m (deployed below a vessel from a tether)

Environment: Deep water temperature range down to 0C. Open ocean salinity levels (33-35 psu). Limited noise apart from deployment vessel (engine & echosounder)

Power Budget: Transmitter must be powered by a battery capable of continuous working for at least 1 hour.

Cost: Ideally under £1000 (GBP) for the transmitter & receiver.

Integration: Don't know. We are hoping to plug into an arduino or equivalent.

Real-time or Delayed: We need real time transmission with very limited lag for slow moving obstacle avoidance.

It's a big ask, but any pointers would be very welcome

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discussion

Can wireless charging technology be used for animal sensors?

Yu Jiang

17 October 2024 7:03am

Recently I have read many papers on animal research, and I found that one of the most difficult problems is how to solve the problem of charging sensors. After all, for many small...

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Yu Jiang

23 October 2024 4:00pm

Although this technology may not be mature now, and there are still many problems to be discussed and solved, I think it will have good application prospects. 

Unfortunately, I am just an undergraduate student in China, and what I can do is very limited. Maybe in the future I can also do some similar research or what I want to do. Just like you, I am studying hard now. 

Thank you very much for this forum and the professionals who responded to me. You have allowed me to see more perspectives and many things I didn't realize. Thank you very much!

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event

Design-led innovation for nature

Catherine Greene

20 September 2024 2:24pm

How can space-enabled data and services be translated into information that is trusted and actionable, fuelling responsible behaviours towards nature? A new programme where SMEs will be paired with design consultancies...

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discussion

Move BON Development: Follow up discussion

Lacey Hughey

19 June 2024 12:02pm

Hey Biologging Community! We just launched a new initiative to mobilize animal tracking data in support of national and global scale conservation goals (learn more here!). If you...

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Akiba

12 July 2024 5:38am

Hi Talia! 

I feel like the topic is so broad that it might help to put some constraints around things, see what works, and then broaden those out. I have a lot of ideas regarding the data monitoring and collection side based on the other sensor and observation networks we've set up in the past. 

There may also be some potential scope to incorporate things like data collection and integrated monitoring to the Build Your Own Datalogger series where the system is updated to feed data into the observation network. 

It'd probably take a bit of discussion and coordination. Let me know if interested. I'm fine to jump on a call or discuss via email too.

CathyNj

22 July 2024 9:24pm

@cmwainaina please take a look

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article

New WILDLABS Funding & Finance group

Frank van der Most

5 June 2024 3:24pm

WildLabs will soon launch a 'Funding and Finance' group. What would be your wish list for such a group? Would you be interested in co-managing or otherwise helping out?

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Alex Rood

5 June 2024 4:14pm

This is great, Frank! @StephODonnell, maybe we can try to bring someone from #Superorganism (@tomquigley ?) or another venture company (#XPRIZE) into the fold!
Paul Edonga

6 June 2024 1:38am

I find the group to be dope, fundraising in the realm of conservation has been tough especially for emerging conservation leaders. There are no centralized grants tracking common...
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