wildCENSE: GPS based animal tracking system

wildCENSE is a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) system which attempts to monitor the behaviour and migration patterns of Barasingha (Swamp Deer). The system would collect the micro-climatic as well as positional information of the animal and communicate it to a base station through flooding of data using peer-to-peer network. The base station, using a gateway, will upload all the collected data to a database server on Internet and portray the information using browser based visualization software. Each node would monitor five parameters namely position (using GPS), temperature, humidity, head orientation and ambient light. Also, the node will have a real time clock for the synchronization of the network and to keep timing information. An external data flash memory would be used to record the data collected from sensors and other peer nodes. A radio transceiver would transmit the data to the base station by using a peer to peer communication protocol. A solar energy harvesting system for recharging nodepsilas power supply batteries is being added to prolong the lifetime of nodes. The system would be integrated in the form of a collar that can be easily fitted on the neck of animal.