The preservation of rainforests is crucial to prevent climate change. However, illegal deforestation and wildfires threaten the most vulnerable areas of our planet. Infineon Technologies is extending its collaboration with the NGO Rainforest
Connection. The partners pursue the common goal of monitoring the
vulnerable regions of our earth with modern sensor technology.
At the heart of the Rainforest Connection’s work are Guardian devices powered by
solar electricity. These devices transmit live sound recordings from rainforests.
Artificial intelligence is used to analyze data and detect sounds of threats.
When the sound of chainsaws is detected, rangers are alerted on-site and directed
to the location. This facilitates greater ranger safety and the ability to monitor much
larger areas to protect the world’s remaining forests from being illegally logged.
Rainforest Connection Rainforest Connection has deployed over 500 of these
devices in 30 countries to date, with active projects currently in 25 countries.
The hardware is also used to monitor biodiversities, such as the presence of
primates, birds, frogs, insects, and bats. Rainforest Connection has collected more
than 92 million minutes of sound recordings in recent years, including numerous
recordings of endangered and endemic species. The recordings are valuable for
scientific research and informing conservation impact on the ground.
To ensure that the devices can not only “hear” but also “smell,” both partners are
collaborating to equip a number of Guardian devices with Infineon’s XENSIV™
PAS CO2 sensor. The goal is to considerably expand the database for recording
biodiversity: in the future, sound recordings can be linked with other information
including temperature, humidity, ozone, and now CO2.
Rainforest Connection will be able to add CO2 data to its biodiversity analysis to look for further insights into forest health and to identify areas that need to be protected. The teams are also looking forward to seeing if there are links in how animals react to sensitive
changes in the microclimate.
Rainforest Connection has already deployed ten of these devices in Brazil during
the summer of 2022. The deployment showed that the CO2 sensor provides
tremendous data that will help monitor biodiversity. The teams are also exploring
how advanced sensors can be used to detect wildfires. However, this will require
further analysis using artificial intelligence. There are plans for further testing in
2023.
“By using gas sensors, we can link acoustic information about the biodiversity on
site with information about the microclimate,” said Bourhan Yassin, CEO at
Rainforest Connection. “This allows completely new insights into what effects, for
example, climate change has on the particularly vulnerable regions of our planet.
The recent Kunming-Montreal deal validates the importance and urgency of
allocating more resources to better preserve and protect our forests and
biodiversity, and our Guardian acoustic monitoring hardware powered by Infineon
sensor technology helps us do just that.”
“Our CO2 sensor, and its innovative and robust operating principle, create a
solution we are excited to see deployed into a low-power rainforest environment.
We believe that innovative technology solutions, that push the boundaries of what
is possible, can contribute significantly to helping protect the particularly threatened
regions of our planet. This is crucial for global climate protection. We are pleased
to be working together with the Rainforest Connection towards this goal,” says
Adrian Mikolajczak, Vice President, Silicon Valley Innovation Center.
Rainforest Connection will be at the Infineon booth at CES in Las Vegas from 05
to 08 January to present the new Guardian device.
Infineon at CES 2023
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 will be held from 5 to 8 January
2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. See how Infineon drives decarbonization and
digitalization together with its partners and customers at the Venetian Titian
Ballrooms 2204 & 2205 located at The Venetian Hotel, Level 2, and at the Las
Vegas Convention Center, West Hall (Booth 3829).
