The first batch of the new insect camera design is currently being produced and will be applied in the Netherlands this summer.
What does the camera do?
His main task is to take pictures of a screen that attracts insects. LED (UV) lighting is used to attract flying insects, also at night. The photos are stored on the device and can be sent to a web server of choice via wifi or a mobile data connection. A camera management module allows settings to be managed and a camera to be monitored remotely. See this page for more information.
Can I buy the camera?
This new version, version 2.0, will be produced and tested at selected locations, in cooperation with seven Dutch provinces. They are also used for research in the 'Living Labs', part of the 'Delta Plan Biodiversity Restoration'. The start-up company Faunabit produces, leases and sells the cameras. After this first production batch of a limited number of cameras, Faunabit will offer the camera to a wider public in the course of 2021.
How does the image recognition work?
Naturalis Biodiversity Center and partners have developed an image recognition model for flying insects seen in front of the camera in 2019 and 2020. A software package called 'NOUS' (Intel) is used for this purpose. Thousands of cropped photos of insects taken by the camera are annotated by experienced entomologists from EIS Knowledge Centre Insects. The image analysis is carried out by machine learning experts and runs on servers at Naturalis. Currently in batches once a year. New image recognition projects are expected to start in 2022.
Does the insect camera sold by Faunabit come with image recognition?
The trained model is available for use in the Netherlands. Naturalis charges a fee for the necessary (calculation) time and storage capacity. Outside The Netherlands no trained model is available yet. There are two possibilities:
Please contact Naturalis (Vincent Kalkman, see below) to discuss the possibilities or use or build your own model for image recognition.
For further information
Insect camera buy or lease through Faunabit: https://faunabit.eu/
DIOPSIS insect camera project in The Netherlands: insectencameras@naturalis.nl
Naturalis image recognition: Vincent Kalkman: vincent.kalkman@naturalis.nl
