Now, there is a 'FrogPhone' to track wild frog populations
For years, scientists have struggled to understand wild frog populations, owing to the difficulties involved in tracking species scattered in different parts of the world. The problem has impacted a number of studies, but a group of researchers has finally come up with a solution: FrogPhone, which is an acoustic surveillance device that can record and transmit frog calls anytime. Here's all about it.
What is FrogPhone, how it works?
While the name 'FrogPhone' sounds weird, the tech makes a lot of sense. Essentially, once you install this device at a potential survey site, it can be called up from any part of the world to start monitoring the surrounding environment. It records frog calls from a distance of up to 150 meters and transmits that data to the researchers, wirelessly.
Frog call transmission opens the way for remote scientific studies
The solar-powered FrogPhone uses 3G/4G to transmit frog calls in real-time as well as other environmental data, like air/water temperature, via text messages. It captures sound with complete clarity and minimal background noise, making it easier for scientists to use different frog calls to identify their species and the health of their habitat - right from the comfort of labs.
This allows remote monitoring anytime, anywhere
The FrogPhone can revolutionize scientific studies, as, with this device, scientists don't have to visit and analyze a site, time and again. They just have to go once and set up the receiver, which can then be called whenever and wherever needed. This is not just convenient for the researchers but also helps in saving plenty of time and money.
More upgrades planned for the future
The current version of FrogPhone comes with a case that allows it to float in ponds and water bodies. However, the researchers say, this tech can also be evolved to acoustically monitor other animal species, keep a better eye on ecological health. For this, the receiver might be integrated with multi-directional microphones or tools capable of capturing more animal sounds.
