What was the challenge/problem addressed?
A pheromone trap is a type of insect trap that uses pheromones to attract insects. A pheromone-impregnated lure is encased in a conventional trap. The use of pheromone traps is one of the fundamental methods of pest forecast in orchards and vineyards. It is also required by the agro-environmental measure of the Common Agriculture Policy (EU) that farmers use insect traps according to a certain density of land (for instance one trap per two hectare) and read the catch results regularly, for example, once a day.
Agricultural land is fragmented in many countries of the Central and South Eastern European region therefore the parcels of economic farms are usually quite dispersed, meaning it is a very resource – human, time, cost – consuming task to physically visit and read the catch results of all the separately located traps regularly, to follow the insect gradation.
A simple, cost effective, open source, community based solution was developed and piloted in Hungary to overcome these difficulties and provide farmers and their advisors with an ICT based tool that let them follow the gradation in fruit plantations online, from their computer. The solution is based on a simple and cheap android device (e.g. a used smartphone) and open source web technologies.
The concept and prototype of an insect trap online monitoring device was developed jointly by two Hungarian advisory centers with the principle objectives of functionality and economy.
The components of the device include an entry level android smart phone, a plastic box with wooden looks to accommodate the phone, a delta-shape sex pheromone trap with transparent plastic sheets and the pheromone. The prototype was developed with a community approach in mind so that anyone can assemble and operate it following the public guidelines. Attention was taken to avoid high cost, such as insurance of the device, using expensive solar cell and other risks.
The technical task of the ‘android trap’ is to shot one picture a day about the sticky surface of the trap, and upload it to the web server via FTP connection. The IMEI number of the sim card, the date-time and battery level is sent with the image, prefixed to the file name. Thanks to optimized phone power settings an unexpectedly long operation time can be reached without recharge (20-40-180 days by normal-extended internal-external battery). Users may browse images and related data online in a user friendly web-application.
What are the success factors in solving the problem?
– Community based, the process of setting up hardware and software components is documented and published; Open source software are used both in android and web server technology
– Using existing components, both hardware and software; Cheapest android smart phone is suitable (under appr 100 euro) thus the price performance ratio is unprecedented; Easy to use web interface linked to farm logbook application
– Realistic solution for use by small and medium size family farms (as opposed to many fancy and pricy precision agriculture solutions available / at the time of development)
What were the main challenges during the innovation process?
Battery life
-special setting s had to be used to minimize battery consumption, to keep the phone switched off most of the time, going online only for few minutes while taking photo and sending the image via FTP connection
– the battery level is sent in the image (picture) filename and displayed on the online interface, to let the users to prepare and conduct recharge
– using enhanced battery solutions, internally or externally
Protecting the device from thefts
– putting the phone in a wooden looking plastic case hiding it in the natural environment
Counting the images and keeping track of the gradation process
– putting a grid pattern on the sticky paper of the trap
– adding a logbook function to each trap to enable the recording of catch results (entering manually by user, based on looking at the images and manual counting)
– automatic calculation of catch results (planned, in progress) based on the graphic evaluation of the image grey scale coverage (needs uniform light conditions, taking picture during the night with flash)
What role does the advisor or advisory service play with the practical case?
Knowledge awareness and exchange, Advisory, consultancy and backstopping aimed at solving complex problems, to be provided during the innovation process and based on demands of actors and the co-construction of solutions, Demand articulation, to allow actors to have access to new ideas, identify their needs, define their objectives and express clear demands to other actors
For sharing experience of the practical case, please contact
Attila Nagy
gazdatanacsadas@gmail.com