conservation
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LED-lit fishing nets save sea turtles from getting caught
Sometimes, it's the simplest tech that makes the biggest difference. University of Exeter researchers have crafted fishing nets with evenly distributed green LED lights (one every 33 feet) that warn sea turtles away without spooking fish. While scientists have yet to nail the exact reason the lights steer the turtles clear, one researcher tells Tech Insider that it's likely just a matter of visibility -- the turtles stand a better chance of seeing the net in time to avoid it. It's not only quite effective in early tests (it reduced green turtle deaths by 64 percent), but relatively cheap at $100 to cover a giant 1,640ft net with 50 lights.
Droppler water monitor listens for flow to help you conserve
Nascent Objects has teamed with Shock Top (yes, Shock Top the beer company) to develop and debut a new, modular water conservation device called the Droppler. Its simple white housing holds a pair of microphones that have been trained to recognize the sound of running water. You simply place it next to a sink, toilet or shower and as you use those utilities, the light bar on the front of the device will slowly decrease, giving you a quick and easy visual reference for how much water is moving through your faucets. It also uploads that data to an associated iOS or Android app. Armed with that information, users can more easily change their water use habits.
The shower of the future will save the planet, but at a high price
Aside from building a coal-fired power station, the thing that activates your brain's climate-guilt gland the fastest is taking a luxurious bath. Unfortunately, using a shower isn't that much better for the planet, which is why Dutch startup Hamwells has built the ultimate in eco-washing facilities. The company is showing off its first-generation e-Shower here at TechCrunch Disrupt, and the device does for showers what Dyson did for vacuum cleaners: makes it an object of desire. There's just one downside, and that's how much you're going to have to spend to own one.
Scent-dispensing chips help researchers snap wild wolverines
Wildlife experts in the US have a cunning technique to track "high-elevation" animals such as wolverines, lynx and gray wolves. Small survey stations known as "camera traps" use tempting scents to lure them in, before snapping a quick shot that can be used for research. The problem? The scent runs out after a few weeks, forcing conservationists at places like Woodland Park Zoo and Idaho Fish and Game to trek out and replace them manually. Microsoft researcher Mike Sinclair has been working with Dr. Robert Long, a senior conservation fellow at Woodland Park Zoo, and Joel Sauder, a wildlife biologist for Idaho Fish and Game, on a solution. The trio have developed an ultra-low power control processor, powered by lithium batteries, that's programmed to dispense just three millilitres of liquid scent through a tiny peristaltic pump each day. Just enough to lure the animals, but more importantly, the hardware can last six to nine months without any maintenance.
Study maps where golden eagles are safe from wind turbines
Researchers have completed a novel study that may help the wind farm industry avoid protected golden eagle habitats. Wind turbine blades reportedly kill up to 300,000 birds per year in US, which is admittedly a small percentage compared to those killed by your cat. Still, the golden eagle is particularly susceptible, considering that around 100 individuals were killed last year by a single wind farm in Altamont, California -- and there are only 500 breeding pairs in the state. The new study posits a simple idea: Why not plot both golden eagle habitats and the areas with the best wind farm potential, and make sure the areas don't intersect?
The US wants you to track endangered wildlife with your phone
The next time you go fishing, make sure to bring your smartphone... it might just help you protect an endangered species. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is partnering with the developers of mobile app FishBrain to crowdsource conservation data. A new feature in the free software lets you catalog as many as 50 threatened species (aquatic or otherwise) during a trip, helping conservationists find out both where these critters live and why their populations are dropping. It seems paradoxical to ask anglers for help saving coastal life, but it makes sense when you think about it -- they're the most likely to see these rare animals, and they're often well aware that extinction has dire consequences. The big challenge will simply be getting enough people using the app to provide meaningful input. [Image credit: AP Photo/John Flesher]
Empire State Building projection shines a light on endangered animals
If you were hanging around midtown Manhattan this weekend, you may have noticed some exotic animals projected on to the side of the Empire State Building. What was that all about? As it turns out, that was one of the more ambitious examples of tech-powered advocacy in recent memory. It was Projecting Change, a collaboration between the Oceanic Preservation Society and Obscura Digital that used striking imagery to highlight the plights of endangered species, such as snow leopards and manta rays. The piece relied on 40 stacked projectors to beam 5K video on to the legendary New York City skyscraper. At 33 floors tall, the resulting image was clear within about 20 blocks' radius -- you could have had a good view at 14th Street. There's sadly no talk of repeating the event in the near future, but there are replays both on YouTube and Discovery if you want to see what happened. [Image credit: Joel Sartore and Ron Robinson/Obscura Digital]
Rachio Iro proves that smart home devices saves resources, money
Back in June I wrote about the Rachio Iro Smart Sprinkler Controller, a US$249/$299 (depending on number of zones) intelligent sprinkler controller with an accompanying app that allows amazing control over your yard irrigation. Iro adjusts to weather conditions and seasonal changes to make sure that your lawn, garden and shrubs are watered just perfectly. Denver-based Rachio released figures today showing that its product saved 10,631,109 gallons of water this summer, not only preserving a scarce resource, but saving homeowners a lot of money in the process. Rachio reports that Iro devices delayed watering 12,534 times this summer when rains provided needed moisture, and that the devices have already made 10,111 seasonal adjustments to account for the cooler late summer/early fall weather. Over 5,244 personalized watering schedules were created by the devices as well. In other news, you'll now be able to purchase the sleek white boxes from your local Apple Store or the online Apple Store. I can't vouch for all of the other Rachio Iro users, but I've been extremely happy with the device. The company uses a Smart-Cycle algorithm to turn sprinklers on and off during a cycle, making sure that water has a chance to soak in and not run off the lawn. That proved very important in my case, where we have hard clay soils that often prove very difficult to water. My lawn used to get watered every morning for a shorter time; this summer it was watered every other day for a bit longer. The best results for me, however, were that not only did my lawn look the best it has in probably 20 years with absolutely no dry spots, but my water consumption was down as well. Between May and August of 2013, we consumed 59000 gallons of water (predominantly for irrigation) at a cost of $162.25. For the same period in 2014, consumption was down to 44000 gallons and cost us $129.80. That's a drop of about 26.4 percent in consumption. As more and more homeowners begin to embrace smart devices and companies like Apple build supporting frameworks like HomeKit into their smartphones, we can expect to see even more stories of natural resources being conserved thanks to brilliant engineering, intelligent software, and iPhones.
Instant Wild satellite cameras protect animals through crowdsourcing (video)
Remote cameras are useful to wildlife conservationists, but their closed (or non-existent) networking limits the opportunities for tracking animals around the clock. The Instant Wild project's cameras, however, are designed to rely on the internet for help. Whenever they detect movement, they deliver imagery to the public through Iridium's satellite network. Anyone watching the cameras through the Instant Wild iOS app or website becomes an impromptu zoologist; viewers can identify both animals and poachers that dedicated staff might miss. Maintenance also isn't much of an issue, as each unit is based on a Raspberry Pi computer that can run for long periods on a single battery. The Zoological Society of London currently operates these satellite cameras in Kenya, but there are plans underway to expand their use to the Antarctica, the Himalayas, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.
Google dives deep to bring underwater photos of the Great Barrier Reef this September
Your next trip to the Great Barrier Reef could be from the comfort of your home now that Google's partnered with Catlin SeaView Survey, the University of Queensland's Global Change Institute and the Underwater Earth organization to document this amazing ecosystem. Equipped with a special underwater camera capable of withstanding depths of 328 feet, the survey aims to photograph 50,000 shots in 360-degree panoramic view and incorporate them into Google Earth and Google Maps. Dubbed "Google SeaView," it seeks to open opportunities for increased conservation as well as a free look for wanna-be world travelers who can't afford a plane ticket down under. As an added perk, the collected data may also be used to help future ship captains navigate through the treachery of the intricate coral highways. Check past the break for more info on the survey and plenty of footage teeming with aquatic wildlife.
EnergyHub's energy management system on sale now to American planetlovers
Those Smart Meters may not have went over so well in San Francisco, and Google may have shuttered PowerMeter just a few months ago... but that doesn't mean that Ma Earth is doomed to live a life a few centigrade higher than she should, right? EnergyHub has just announced that its snazzily designed energy monitoring system is now on sale for eco-minded folk in the USA, with $399 netting you a home base, a socket, a strip and a wireless thermostat (simpler bundles start at $299). According to the company, this kit's ready to take on shacks, apartments or even houseboats, though no seal of approval from the Old Spice guy has been garnered in the case of the latter. Previously, this here package was only available through utility-sponsored programs, but now the simpleton in your life can see live energy use information, automatically switch appliances off while one's away and sleeping, and even control settings remotely via the web or an iPhone / Android app. Head on past the break for an introductory video, or visit the source links to get in on the buying frenzy.
EnerJ power-saving system prioritizes CPU voltage, may reduce energy consumption by 90 percent
It takes a lot of energy for computing systems or data centers to patch up critical errors, but what if we devoted less power to fixing less urgent issues? That's the basic idea behind EnerJ -- a new power-saving system that could cut a chip's energy consumption by 90 percent, simply by prioritizing critical problems over those that are less threatening. Unlike, say, liquid cooling techniques, the University of Washington's framework focuses exclusively on the programming side of the equation and revolves around two interlocking pieces of code: one that handles crucial, precision-based tasks (e.g., password encryption), and another designed to deal with processes that can continue to function, even when facing small errors. The system's software would separate the two codes, meaning that energy from one section of the chip would never be used to fix a major problem that the other should address, while allowing engineers to more efficiently allocate voltage to each region. The system has already cut energy usage by up to 50 percent in lab simulations, but researchers think the 90 percent threshold is well within their reach, with computer engineering professor Luis Ceze (pictured above) predicting that the system may even be able to increase battery life by a factor of ten. The team is hoping to release EnerJ as an open-source tool this summer, but for now, you can find more information in the PR after the break.
Smithsonian captures 201,000 wild photos with automated cameras
We have this big, fang-filled, claw-sharpened big cat all up in our grill thanks to the researchers at the Smithsonian, who have created a new database filled with over 201,000 pictures of elusive animals in their natural habitats. These candid shots were made possible with motion-activated automated cameras scattered around the world, and feature over 200 species of birds and mammals, and here's most impressive part -- these photos are au naturel. That's right... there's no editing here, these are untouched raw shots straight from the rain forests of places like Peru and China -- which allow us to see these magnificent creatures as scientists do. If you want more info or desire to check out these wild photos, hop over to the source link or check out the gallery below. %Gallery-118866%
Robot fish get upgraded, keep schooling real-life counterparts
Okay, so they still look like Depression-era bath toys, but Maurizio Porfiri's robot fish have come a long way from the coconut-and-tin-foil look they were sporting last summer. In an attempt to further "close the loop" between robotics and nature, Porfiri has continued to tinker with the little leaders by incorporating diving and surfacing into their aquatic repertoire, and it seems to be working: real fish have shown interaction patterns including tracking, gathering, and following in the presence of the pesci-bots. Now if they could just do the same with the the feral ferret living in our bedroom walls...
New York City turns to sewers for energy solutions
Listen up New Yorkers, those hot nuts you just swallowed could be used to light the signs on Broadway. Okay, so that's a stretch, but the city's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) just issued a plan to turn the stuff you flush, along with rest of its wastewater, into renewable energy. New York City produces about 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater daily, yielding 1,200 tons of biosolids that can be harvested to procure methane -- already accounting for 20 percent of the city's energy -- and butanol, a clean gasoline alternative. The plan, which also includes wind and solar projects, aims to use gas, converted by large digesters, to "power wastewater operations, meet on-site heat and electricity needs, and, where feasible, sell excess energy to the market." As the DEP points out, the plan isn't far fetched -- we've seen a couple of solutions for turning human excrement into usable energy, and a project already under way in Greenpoint is estimated to procure enough methane over the next year to heat 2,500 homes. Now, if that doesn't give you a newfound respect for the porcelain throne, we don't know what will.
Belkin Conserve lineup will make you feel even worse about all the electricity you're wasting
Belkin's just made four new Conserve products available for pre-order. The Conserve Insight tracks your actual devices' electrical usage and tells you how much they cost you on a yearly basis. It also calculates CO2 emissions produced by usage of a given device on either a monthly or yearly basis. The Conserve Smart AV is a greener power strip with five regular outlets and one green outlet for your television, which can auto-detect the power state of your teevee and turn off your peripherals. The conserve Valet is a four device capacity charging station which turns off automatically once devices are finished juicing up. Finally, the Conserve Socket is plugged into your wall outlet and boasts a timer for automatic power offs. The Conserve products will all ship mid-July, and they range in price from $9.99 to $39.99. Gallery of all four devices below.
Casio's solar-powered Pathfinder watch plays the green card twice
Plotting their latest spread of watches this spring, Casio executives decided it was time to "go green." Some poor schmuck in R&D took them at their word. Thankfully for mother nature, the Casio Pathfinder PRG110C-3 is more than meets the eye; the watch -- suited for argonauts needing an altimeter, barometer, thermometer and digital compass -- also has a miniature solar cell built into its face to automatically recharge the battery. Though Casio's claim that this last will cut down on the three billion batteries Americans trash each year seems a little reaching -- watch batteries last a lot longer than a AA -- the timepiece does help the planet some merely by being packaged in recyclables. The $250 device will be available exclusively from Amazon, and yeah, the color you see here is the color you'll get.
Omlet Beehaus is a plastic beehive for the urban conservationist
Natural England needs you, dear urbanite, to put on your conservationist hat -- and beesuit, by the looks of it -- and start taking care of a small bee colony. Because, as you already know, you can't have healthy plant life without healthy insect populations to sustain it. At this point, a lot of us might be intrigued -- after all, who doesn't find the idea of homemade honey and a houseful of killer bees appealing? And all would indeed be well, but for the £465 ($790) price of the beekeeping unit, which renders the entire idea the exclusive preserve of the very wealthy and very bored and leaves us poor nature lovers looking on helplessly. Like a bee trying to fly through a window.[Via PhysOrg]
Sony to donate up to $10,000 in celebration of Earth Day
Want to do something green? Why not play a video game or watch a movie? Sony will donate $1 to Conservation International for each "unique paid transaction" made on the PlayStation Store on Earth Day (April 22), with a maximum contribution of $10,000. Each purchase must be made from the PlayStation Video Store.The PlayStation Store currently features a "Save Our Earth" section featuring a rather eclectic mix of sort-of-Earth-related games, including PixelJunk Eden, Flower, Flock! and er, Burn Zombie Burn.
AlertMe warns of energy vampires, kills them remotely
In-home power consumption monitors are trendy pieces of kit lately, with a new one popping up every few months. But, while they're all happy to just kick back and tell you what a wasteful pig you're being, a new service from UK security company AlertMe could actually make you more efficient. Subscribers to the company's monitoring plans, which start at about $260 plus another $17.50/month, will be able to purchase Smart Plugs for $43 each that can communicate wirelessly to an AlertMe Heating Controller. From there subscribers can monitor their energy usage online via computer or phone. That's all standard stuff, but the service also includes keyfobs that will automatically turn down the heat and deactivate devices when you leave, and allows users to manually control the plugs and the thermostat by text message, meaning you'd never be more than a few thumb-presses (and a 20 cent service charge) away from a warm and inviting home. [Via SmartPlanet]
