The SERVAL sensor is still very much a Research & Development project. Before we can deploy the sensor in the bush to detect sounds related to poaching, illegal logging, and so on, considerable efforts are needed. To this end, we sought and found opportunities to speed up the development.
IoT Sensemakers Amsterdam
After a few introductory meetings, we had our first engineering night with IoT Sensemakers Amsterdam. Great fun! And successful, as the participants succeeded in mastering the first step: prepare and startup the existing prototype!
In the next sessions, we will be working on:
Testing other microcomputers to run the neural network and reduce power consumption.
Testing setup with another (cheaper) microphone.
Adding a LoRa-module.
Create a cheaper yet robuust housing.
The result we aim at is a user manual describing the various parts of the sensor and the assembly process. With this manual everyone interested can build his own sensor.
We made the software open source, thus allowing you to participate and contribute to its development – which of course, is much appreciated!
Amsterdam Sounds Project
In March / April the Amsterdam Sounds project will start. In this project, which we run in partnership with De Waag, the City of Amsterdam and the Ombudsman Metropool Amsterdam, citizens will be involved in assessing noice pollution in their own neighbourhood.
To assess distinct sound classes, such as scooters, car horns, shouting, and other noises, the SERVAL sound sensor of Sensing Clues will be used. Together with the various neighbourhoods we will be collecting sound samples, that will be used to train our sound classification model.
The output of this “city jungle” project will help us to ready the SERVAL sensor for the real jungle. Both in terms of hardware, software, and sound classification algorithms.
For now, thanks IoT Sensemakers Amsterdam! To be continued!