A next generation smart insect trap combining novel sensors, targeted attractants and remote AI for enhanced pest detection and alerts

全球气温上升、城市人口增加和国际旅行/贸易导致害虫数量增加和非本地虫害爆发。臭虫尤其构成了越来越大的挑战，2018年，美国80%的酒店报告了臭虫的侵扰，每一次虫害的成本约为2.3万美元，抗药性菌株不断增加，这推动了对改进监测和捕获技术以解决虫害的需求。通过结合新颖的聚集信息素配方，独特的传感器阵列设计和机器学习，Arctech Innovation（自然疾病和害虫控制产品的领先中小企业开发商）旨在解决这一全球害虫挑战，其解决方案不仅旨在增强害虫的吸引力和诱捕，而且还通过使用基于信息素的识别确认确定害虫/媒介物种的存在。该方法还克服了其他现有智能系统的已知局限性，这些系统严重依赖于硬件的使用（例如带有传感器的摄像机/GPS来检测害虫），具有高功率需求，高成本和害虫分类方面的局限性。该方法可在可治疗的早期阶段采用更快速和成本更低的方法进行有针对性的昆虫检测，具有真正的可扩展性，所产生的数据还为更广泛的虫害管理规划提供了重要价值，包括物种鉴定/暴发建模，未来可在室外环境中应用，特别是针对占全球所有传染病17%的蚊子。Arctech有能力完成这个为期18个月的项目，该项目建立在臭虫自然测试诱饵和基于气味的诊断方面的成熟知识产权以及领先的害虫控制公司的成熟网络上。在全球积极寻求新解决方案的时候，获得“创新英国”的支持将加速发展。

Increasing global temperatures, rising urban populations and international travel/trade have resulted in growing populations of pests and non native pest outbreaks. Bed bugs in particular pose a growing challenge with 80% hotels in the U.S reporting infestations in 2018, costing ~$23K/infestation with growing pesticide resistant strains --fuelling demand for improved monitoring and trapping technologies to tackle infestations.Through the combination of novel aggregation pheromone formulations, a unique sensor array design and machine learning, Arctech Innovation (leading SME developer of natural disease and pest control products) aim to address this global pest challenge with a solution that not only seeks to enhance attraction and trapping of pests but also confirms the presence of defined pest/vector species through the use of pheromone-based identification. The approach also overcomes the known limitations of other available smart systems which rely heavily on the use of hardware (eg cameras/GPS with sensors to detect pests) with high power demands, high costs and limitations in pest classification.Allowing for a more rapid and lower cost methodology for targeted insect detection at an early, treatable stage, the approach is truly scalable, the arising data also providing significant value for wider pest management programmes including species identification/outbreak modelling with future application in outdoor environments, notably targeting mosquitoes which account for \>17% of all infectious diseases globally.Arctech are well placed to complete the planned 18-month project which builds on established IP in natural test lure for bed bugs and an odour-based diagnostic as well as an established network of leading pest control companies. The receipt of Innovate UK support will accelerate development at a time where new solutions are actively sought globally.