Mongabay Newscast New technologies deliver cutting edge conservation, discussion with Shah Selbe
Mar 5, 2020
Rocket scientist Shah Selbe discusses using open-source technologies for conservation challenges. Their team deploys drones, sensor networks, smartphone apps, and acoustic buoys for ecosystem monitoring. They also introduce the open-source hardware and online platform FieldKit for real-time monitoring. Other topics include China's wildlife trade ban, fires in Brazil's Pantanal wetlands, lowland gorillas in Equatorial Guinea, and excitement about conservation technology and collaboration.
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From Rocket Science To Ocean Conservation
- Shah Selbe described moving from satellite engineering to ocean conservation after grad work at Stanford exposed him to illegal fishing issues.
- He translated aerospace skills into building drones and field tools for coastal monitoring and conservation projects.
Glacier Data Powering Public Art
- Conservify built seismic sensors to monitor the Bow Glacier and stream live data to a public art installation in Calgary.
- The project delivered real-time glacier activity for scientists and the public over open-source sensors.
Bridging The Sensor Cost Gap
- FieldKit fills the gap between expensive scientific sensors and hobbyist DIY electronics by offering modular, affordable hardware.
- The platform aims to produce scientifically relevant data while remaining low-cost and extensible.