Robo-Biotics

The Integration of Artificial Intelligence & Robotics in Wild Life Conservation

By Kristina Hedberg, Central Oregon Community College, June 5 th, 2018.

Robots Can Do What?

When most of us visualize a future densely integrated with AI (or Artificial

Intelligence) and Robotics, there seems to be innate fear that looms over us.

We have already witnessed such advancing technologies take away so much

security that we have already established. An obtrusion of job security in the

workforce and an intrusion of protected

private information are such examples.

Averring facts combined with Holly Wood

hysteria has left us fearing the unknown.

Remember that old saying “Keep your

friends close and your enemies closer”? Perhaps that can apply here, in the

ever-evolving world as well. What I am trying to say is that maybe in order to

truly save the Earth and everyone in it , we have to use the technology that we

fear can destroy us. .

Unwarrantable Fear

Sure we are competing with AI and Robotics for our current jobs, however,

what if we use their capabilities for the good of the Earth and not just

coorporate profit? Like, having robots clean our oceans and our Earth’s air. Or

having them protect endangered species like those almost extinct Rhinos that

we all love. We could have such technologies help Science and Biology

researchers save and protect our most invaluable resources. We need clean

water. We need clean air. We need a healthy ecosystem rich with biotic

diversity. Some where along the way, I realized that we really could use the

help of such a capable intelligence. Some groups may claim that using such
technologies to help us advance is unethical. I say it is unethical to let this

technology at our fingertips to go to waste especially with dwindling resources.

If you are like 70% of Americans and have

that fear of the new technology buzzing around

us, I ask you to stop, take a deep breath and

consider the positive benefits that AI and

Robotics can bring to the table. We are

absolutely capable of fixing what we have

broken, with the help of our “frenemies” of

course. Right now, world leading scientists are actually making huge

advancements in this exact type of technology and is changing the game in

global conservation efforts. I have compiled some compelling evidence that

suggests that we are on the right track to saving the world

with a little intelligent help.

Light as a feather, Stiff as a Bird?

Biologists have been striving to bring back certain

species of birds from the brink of extinction through breeding in captivity for
decades. Even though zoologists have been successful in the incubation

processes, the bird parents still have better success rates of caring for eggs.

By monitoring and evaluating the bird’s incubation habits, scientists can better

protect the eggs and hopefully have more successful recruitment rates. In

2004, The National Zoo in Washington D.C. had started a project to create an

electronic egg that can be carefully switched with eggs from that of Flamingos

an Kori Bustard birds to collect data on the incubating duration. Information

such as humidity an temperature could be monitored. However, at that time,

there was no software to support the collection of information an the project

was abandoned.“I feel like the data that came out of it was real. It’s a cool

story,” Hallager (Director of the project) says. “I just wish the software was

there.” Twelve years later, scientists at the

International Centre of Birds of Prey (ICBP) in the

United Kingdom reached out to in hopes to

successfully recreate the project in efforts to

protect the vulture. Vultures have been reducing in populations and 16 out of

23 species are currently close to extinction or on the endangered list. Vultures

are a very important part of the eco-system and reduce numbers of disease for

other wildlife. In just ten short years, 97% of the Indian Vulture has died off.

CEO of of Microduino, Bin Feng, and his team sought out to conquer some of

the toughest challenges in creating a perfect decoy egg that measures internal

temperature, surface temperature, rotations of egg, biometric pressure,

humidity, carbon dioxide levels and light intensity. It also needed to last the 70

days of incubation on a battery and then wirelessly send the data to the cloud

software system to analyze the data. ICBP has created a 15 year long
conservation project for the Vultures giving Microduino plenty of time to meet

their goal. “We’re really proud that we’re using Internet of things systems while

giving Mother Nature a helping hand in the process,” Feng says. “If it’s

successful, we can transfer the technology to other species.”

Watching You Like a Hawk

Poaching is a huge contributor to the decline of certain species that are

considered threatened, endangered or near extinction. What good are current

protective laws if we cannot catch the poachers? Currently, Drones, AI and

Robotics are a joining forces to stop poachers in their tracks. Like Batman has

Robbin, Law Enforcement has advanced technology. Here in the U.S, Robotic

animals are leading to more prosecutions then ever before (M. Maryann,

2009.). Many poachers wait in their cars on the side of the road for a quick

snag and get away but they don’t know the

animals they are shooting at are not real. The

robots are covered with animal hides that look

very realistic and include light reflecting eyes.

Officers can control their movements with

remote controls much like a video game and the animals include cameras for

sure fire evidence used in courts leading to more prosecutions. For every one

animal killed in season, one animal is killed out of season but this new

technique has been successful in just about every U.S. state. Now our

operations help mitigate the effects poachers have the local populations of
bears, deer, elk, turkey and moose. Arizona alone has an 80% average

success rate with their 12 annual stings.

What about the critically

endangered animals in more remote

places, how can we help them?

Remember those Rhinos I mentioned?

Very few actually remain in the wild

and dangerously close to extinction. A

non-profit organization called Save the Rhino (Savetherhino.org) is paving the

way for the necessary actions that could not only protect the rhinos, but can

also be applied for protection of other species. Savetherhino.org’s team has

raised enough money for a three year initiative that allows them to get the

equipment necessary to try to save an entire species from extinction. That is a

lot of weight for a little drone to carry but absolutely necessary. With 24/7

surveillance equipped with thermal and night vision capabilities, saving the last

5 species of Rhino is more possible than ever before. Over 7,000 Rhinos have

died from poaching since 2008. There are only 80 Sumatran Rhinos left. It is

critical for this entire species to have the protection of drones.

The extent of conservation

that these drones are

capable of contributing too,

does not stop at animals.

Cultural heritage

conservation is also
gaining from the use of drones. Heritage sites such as those that are found in

ancient Greek cities can be studied by drones and allows researchers to

assess precise measurements and modeling of site features to plan

excavations and in some cases, reveal undiscovered archaeological features.

Even with preservation aside, in some cases, a place can be too dangerous

for a human to go to and drones make places like Chernobyl easy to

explore(k. Calvo. 2017). Since the application of drones in conservation

practices of all types, we have observed a great influx of positive outcomes

used to our advantage.

Nothing Bugs Us

Speaking of little guys carrying a lot of weight for

survival, we also have little drones carrying a much

lighter load. A load of pollen. Honey bees have been

responsible for pollinating a majority of the Earth’s

flora. So naturally, a devastating decline in there population numbers is quite

worrisome. But have no fear, robo-bees are here! Okay, bugs are scary

enough without turning them into intelligent robotic drones buzzing around

your head. However, if you manage to avoid NetFlix’s original Black Mirror

series then you should have less issues visualizing the positive impact these

little miracles may have. They can be used to save the world using flower

power! They also have other cool potential capabilities such as monitoring the

climate and being helpful in search and rescue operations(P. Vander schaft.

2018).Walmart happens to be the first company to put a patent on these

autonomous bees. Perhaps for food security since they are massive global

retailers of produce and fruit.

 We have to admit that the bug thing is weird but the outcome is cool.

Robo-bees are not the only insect bot that is

helping in accomplish positive changes.

Say hello to the C02-sucking Parasitic

Robot(A. Peters. 2014). If the name didn’t scare you off yet (I hope that name

is a work in progress), a photo of the creation just might. It looks like it is

straight out of a Steven King Movie but could be worth the anxiety if it does

what its supposed to do. These Robots are painted in a C02 absorbing

polymer paint. The paint combined with intense heat generated from being

“perched” on billboard signs (those get hot!) starts sucking out the C02 from

the air and uses the converted and stored energy at night to “plug-in” to the

billboard signs to help power them up. Potentially, these small parasitic robots

can be used for small scale farming in the near future. The CO2 could be used

to feed plants that could grow on a large version of the machine. Cleaning the

air while growing food all with one “stone”.

How many Leagues Under the Sea?

Little is known about our ocean. It is filled with too many questions and is

too vast to apply the man power needed to monitor it. That is where the
popular aquatic robotics come into play. We may need them now more than

ever to not only have a deeper understanding of our ocean but to attempt to

protect it as well.

Lurking at the bottom of Lake Geneva in Wisconsin is a robotic eel.

Presently, Envirobot (the eel’s name) is being trained by scientists to be able to

detect and locate sources of pollution. Right now it can only detect salt but

future implications could be huge when it is fully capable! When carefully

observed, the eel looks like a long chain of Tupperware but is in actuality, a

system of testing chambers that can analyze pollution using the different

methods and can send data directly to computers to analyze and record. The

modular design also allows to disassemble and reassemble quickly and easily.

Some chambers contain fish cells that are grown directly on electrodes and

separate when exposed to toxins, creating a disturbance of electricity that can

be detected. Others contain Daphnia (tiny energetic crustacean) and are

exposed to two water samples; a clean water sample and a sample taken

directly taken from the environment and is then measured by the change of

behavior. Another advanced chamber contains a bacteria that the company

specifically developed to generate light when exposed to small amounts of

mercury. Luminometers are used to detect the changes and send the data in

the form of electrical signals.

While Envirobot is busy learning how the monitor the quality of water, Sofi

is learning how to monitor the

quality of aquatic marine life.

MIT unveils what they call

“the most advanced robot of its kind”. Looking at this robot, its easy to see that

the claim may be true. The main goal for MIT was to help biologists by

monitoring the health of marine habitats with out

disturbing any of the aquatic denizens. Right now,

SoFi, the robotic fish is only equipped with video

but they plan a future where other sensors will be

added. Its not Sofi’s abilities that actually set her

apart from the rest of the robots, its her soft pliable body. “There will be a

revolution in some fields with soft robots,” says SoFi's co-creator Robert

Katzschmann, a Ph.D. candidate at MIT's Computer Science & Artificial

Intelligence Lab. “It may be for underwater locomotion, but also walking

robots or grasping robots. This whole field will see changes.” SoFi has been a

work in progress from a clunky prototype who could not be controlled

remotely to now having an updated bouancy system as well a remote control.

Divers can use the remote control up to 50 feet away allowing the

circumstances to get close a marine species they are monitoring in its natural

habitat while the subject remains undisturbed. Early proto types were only

capable of going to depths of three feet. Now, SoFi can dive to a depth of 18

meters. With the soft body and life like tail motion, the robot integrates into

the surroundings naturally and surrounding fish are seemingly accepting of it.

SoFi can be used effectively to observe the unseen world, giving us a better

idea of how to protect it.

I think that I can safely speak for everyone when I say that conservation is

important and needed. Perhaps it is even the most important thing we should

be focusing on right now. Without our Earthly resources, we would have to

move off of our planet or out of our solar system. We think we fear the

unknown right now? Imagine if we relocate solar systems and have to worry

about advanced extraterrestrial neighbors who are really grumpy? Bottom line,

we need to clean our mess up and if AI and Robotics are the only answer, then

so be it. I want a healthy Earth for our future generations. So, go hug a robot

today! And thank it for helping us save us from our own stupidity. Because we

really are our own worst enemy.