A workforce of scientists from the Middle East Technical University (METU) Northern Cyprus Campus has pioneered a synthetic intelligence system, using unmanned aerial automobiles (UAVs) to detect sea turtles arriving at island seashores to put eggs. The modern know-how robotically alerts volunteers, enabling well timed protecting measures for the endangered species.
Professor Yeliz Yeşilada, a pc engineering lecturer at METU Northern Cyprus Campus, together with laptop engineering professor Enver Ever, electrical-electronics engineering lecturer Cem Direkoğlu and aerospace engineering assistant professor Anna Prach, supplied insights into the AI-based challenge.
Yeşilada emphasised the multidisciplinary nature of the challenge, involving college students from numerous engineering fields collaborating on a shared aim. The focus of the initiative revolves round defending sea turtles throughout their egg-laying intervals on the seashores of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Traditionally, volunteers manually patrolled the seashores to safeguard the turtles. However, inside the scope of this challenge, an AI-driven system was developed to detect the presence of sea turtles robotically, offering instantaneous notifications to volunteers.
The course of concerned the creation of a dataset for the AI algorithm utilizing images and pictures of caretta caretta sea turtles. The AI was educated to acknowledge sea turtles via this dataset. Additionally, in collaboration with aviation college students, a UAV outfitted with cameras of varied capabilities was developed. This UAV scans the seashore, processes captured photos and autonomously makes choices based mostly on the developed AI algorithm.
The designed AI system is tailor-made to survey particular seashores throughout the island utilizing UAVs and ship automated messages to volunteers relating to the standing of sea turtles.
Yeşilada highlighted the continuation of their analysis, noting a brand new examine specializing in detecting the hatching second of child turtles. For this function, a brand new dataset on child turtles has been ready to boost the AI system’s capabilities additional. The workforce aspires to create an AI answer that not solely alerts volunteers when grownup turtles lay eggs but in addition aids in defending hatchlings by stopping potential hurt from different animals.
The challenge showcases the intersection of know-how and environmental conservation and exemplifies AI’s potential in wildlife safety, setting an inspiring precedent for future conservation efforts.
Source: www.dailysabah.com