Performance assessment of a kinetically-powered network for herd localization

Abstract

Developing a herd localization system capable to operate unattended in communication-challenged areas arises from the necessity of improving current systems in terms of cost, autonomy or any other facilities that a certain target group (or overall users) may demand. A network architecture of herd localization is proposed with its corresponding hardware and a methodology to assess performance in different operating conditions. The system is designed taking into account an eventual environmental impact hence most nodes are simple, cheap and kinetically powered from animal movements -neither batteries nor sophisticated processor chips are needed. Other network elements integrating GPS and batteries operate with selectable duty cycles, thus reducing maintenance duties. Equipment has been tested on Scandinavian reindeer in Lapland and its element modeling is integrated into a simulator to analyze such localization network applicability for different use cases. Performance indicators (detection frequency, localization accuracy and delay) are fitted to assess the overall performance; system relative costs are enclosed also for a range of deployments.

Spatiotemporal Cattle Data—A Plea for Protocol Standardization

“…Recently a hybrid system was developed that employs a kinetically powered network of primary and secondary nodes powered by the movement of an animal's neck. When these systems are combined with GPS technology at specific locations, termed "hotspots", autonomous monitoring of free-ranging animals (reindeer were the test subjects) may be economically feasible over landscapes ≤ 2000 km 2 [97]. Future GNSS studies to determine the correct ratio of instrumented to non-instrumented animals required to accurately characterize the behavior of interest among various landscapes are needed.…”

Cattle-Powered Node Experience in a Heterogeneous Network for Localization of Herds

“…This paper presents a self-powered heterogeneous network to locate herds and individual animals tested with semidomesticated Scandinavian reindeer. Previous works that focused on system architecture and simulations rather than real operating conditions and deployments can be found in [5]- [7].…”

Localization and tracking in energy-constrained networks with dynamic connectivity

“…Localization Previous models are a stepping-stone to analyze and understand further implications and relationships involved in localization which are not covered by hardware tests. Such implications are presented conceptually in (Dopico, Gutiérrez, & Zazo, 2011) and are detailed analytically along with some performance metrics in (Dopico et al, 2012). In addition, the work enclosed herein broadens previous contributions by modeling the parameters of specific probabilitydistribution families which were found apt to model several aspects of the localization performance.…”

“…Such models are different because the analyses enclosed in this Chapter were developed in parallel to the field tests reported in previous chapter. While the previous section was an initial approach with limited knowledge of system operation (Dopico, Gutiérrez, & Zazo, 2011), this Section incorporates results and conclusions of the aforementioned test beds as well as data not available initially (Dopico et al, 2012).…”

“…From previous sections, we already know that the localization error depends on the GPS activation period, mobility pattern, propagation over secondary links, and respective positions of secondary node, and primary node at detection time and at GPS reading time (Dopico, Gutiérrez, & Zazo, 2011;Dopico et al, 2012). Since geometry is unlikely to be controlled, and the propagation model and mobility pattern are fixed for the current scenario, just the GPS activation period emerges as the variable parameter of this specific problem.…”