Mobile Based Animal Tracker (Mobile-BAT)

Mobile-BAT项目将研究基于小型化传感模块的蝙蝠迁徙路线自动跟踪方法，用于低功耗无源蜂窝网络检测。该模块将安装到迁徙夜行蝙蝠的背部，并将跟踪整个季节的路线，其准确性将使我们能够得出迁徙和路线选择策略的结论。为了尽可能地限制蝙蝠的移动性限制和定位模块对自然行为的干扰，传感器节点的重量必须低于2克，包括电池、电路和天线系统，并具有合适的外形因素。由于需要覆盖长达六个月的整个迁移期的操作时间，因此必须找到确保从有限的能源资源中本地化的概念。数据记录仪将被手动检索，并在动物返回到初始栖息地后评估存储的数据。在探测到返回初始栖息地后，传感器节点发送的特定低功率甚高频遥测信号的自动测向和三角测量将支持各自个体的定位。从记录的蜂窝基站参数中，必须提取所选路线的轨迹。为此，地形信息将被添加到移动电话信号的传播模型中，从而可以自动计算任意坐标的估计信号星座。存储的传感器节点数据将被映射到该数据库，并将产生高度精确的迁移路线轨迹。所提议的方法的好处是，由于采用无源系统方法，传感器节点不需要登录到某个提供商，因此能够记录任何频段的所有应收基站信号。这将导致大量的分析基站，从而计算出高精度的位置。Mobile-BAT项目将使人们能够从根本上了解蝙蝠的迁徙策略。除了这一具体应用之外，预计基于蜂窝的自定位将在世界上几乎任何国家都适用的无线传感器网络和物联网的背景下产生重要的发现。

This project Mobile-BAT will investigate methods for automated tracking of migration routes of bats based on miniaturized sensing module for low power passive cellular network detection. This module will be mounted to the dorsum of the migrant Noctule Bats and will track the route over one total season with an accuracy which will enable to draw conclusions to migrant and rout selection strategies of the animal. For limiting as far as possible the mobility restrictions of the bat and disturbance of the natural behavior by the localization module, the sensor node has to exhibit a weight below 2 gram including battery, circuitry as well as antenna system and feature a suitable form factor. Due to the required operation time for covering one entire migration period of up to six months concepts have to be found for ensuring the localization from the limited energy resources. The data logger will be manually retrieved and the stored data evaluated after the return of the animal to the initial habitat. The locating of the respective individuals will be supported by automated direction finding and triangulation of a specific low power VHF telemetry signal transmitted by the sensor node after detection of the return to the initial habitat. From the logged cellular base station parameters, the trajectories of the routes chosen have to be extracted. For this goal topographic information will be added to propagation models for mobile phone signals enabling an automated calculation of an estimated signal constellation for any arbitrary coordinate. The stored sensor node data will be mapped to this database and will result in a highly accurate migration route trajectory. The benefit of the proposed methodology is that due to the passive system approach the sensor node is not required to loggin to a certain provider and is therefore able to logg all receivable base station signals in any frequency bands. This will lead to a large amount of analyzed base stations and therefore to calculated position with high accuracy.The project Mobile-BAT will enable fundamental insight into migration strategies of bats. Besides this concrete application it is expeted that the cellular based self-localization will lead to essential findings in the context of wireless sensor networks and internet of things applicable in nearly any country of the world.