IIT Kanpur to provide AI-based tech for the protection and conservation of UP wildlife

BAREILLY: IIT Kanpur and the UP forest department have joined hands for technological solutions to protect and conserve forest, wildlife and bio-diversity in Uttar Pradesh.
A team of 3D LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) mapping and artificial intelligence experts from IITK paid a visit to have a first-hand feel of constraints faced by frontline staff. Feedback was collected from staff and prototypes of new technology were demonstrated for their benefit.
LiDAR is a remote sensing survey method that measures distance to a target by illuminating it with laser light, and measuring the reflected light with a sensor.This included demonstration of ‘tree stock’ mapping using LiDAR in Sonaripur range of Dudhwa national park, which can detect the amount of biomass and wood, illegal actions and fire in forests. This technology can also be helpful for modelling moving objects in the forest.
Divulging details about the brief stay of IIT experts at Dudhwa, field director Sanjay Pathak said, “The experts arrived earlier this week and spent a few days at the reserve meeting officials and collecting information about challenges they face. Professor Salil Goel and his team demonstrated the use of 3D LiDAR in the mapping of forest and recording various parameters of trees, such as density, diameter, height and numbers.”
“Professor Nishchal K Verma and his research students demonstrated advanced algorithms for AI-based event-triggered machine vision technology for animals, using thermal and vision cameras in day and night, for timely assistance. This technology is helpful for identification and counting of animals, behavioural study and analysis, generation of alerts for timely assistance to rescue injured animals, and intelligent data analysis for knowledge generation. The technology was demonstrated in Salukapur campus under South Sonaripur Range, in the presence of deputy directors and range officers,” he added.
Pathak further said, “The experts have returned to Kanpur with a realistic view of constraints we face and first-hand experience, based on which they would be able to suggest suitable technological solutions. If everything goes right, Dudhwa will soon have AI-based monitoring system.”
Deputy director (buffer) Anil Patel said, “The biggest challenge in buffer areas is the risk of man-animal conflict. We’ve asked the IIT experts to help us in developing a system that will alert us, whenever a wild animal strays out of the forest. If we are alerted in time, it would minimise our response time and help in initiating their rescue at the earliest.”