RFCX IN THE NEWS

Pesquisa FAPESP: The machines that make biology a science of large numbers

DNA sequencers, recorders, drones and other devices of increasing use allow immense savings in time and impose a methodological twist

Based on this approach, called acoustic landscape, Cerqueira and colleagues at Utah State University in the United States assembled 92,283 minutes of sound recordings from 143 open areas and wetland or upland forests, representing six natural environments and two modified by human action, of a national park in Roraima.

Announcing Bourhan Yassin as Rainforest Connection’s new CEO

Rainforest Connection is excited to announce that current COO, Bourhan Yassin, has been appointed as the new CEO for the …

The Straits Times: What does deforestation sound like? Eavesdropping on the rainforest to detect threats

The tropical forest can be an assault to the senses. The air is laden with strong scents, and the bright colours of flora and fauna are distracting. Above all, it is hard to miss the hum of life. In a bid to protect the tropical forests of the world, Rainforest Connection has scaled the trees from Cameroon to Sumatra with gadgets and gizmos aplenty. In this article from The Straits Times, the process by which RFCx detects illegal logging to save forests and reverse the effects of climate change.

HUAWEI BLOG: PROTECTING INDONESIA’S FORESTS THROUGH THREAT RESPONSE

In this Huawei blog post, we discuss the technologies, processes, and use cases that enable rangers and communities to take action to protect endangered ecosystems, with a focus on West Sumatra.

Washington Post: Listen for the Trees

What if you could use technology to listen for the tell-tale sounds of loggers from a distance, and maybe even catch them before they have a chance to cut down a single tree? The Washington Post outlines the origins of Rainforest Connection, and how the concept earned its CEO the Rolex Award for Enterprise .

Forbes: Protecting Rainforests with Big Data and AI

You might not think saving the world’s tropical rainforests is a data challenge, but the urgent task of protecting the last remaining two million square miles of forest is precisely that. What is more, the challenge holds vital lessons for anyone tackling a data project with seemingly insurmountable odds. In this piece, Hitachi Vantara CEO Gajen Kandiah explores Hitachi Vantara’s partnership with CEO to develop AI algorithms to detect the sounds of illegal logging.

Five Media: The Spy Tech That Listens Out for Illegal Logging

A major challenge for those protecting the forest is actually finding illegal loggers in time to stop them. Rainforests spanning thousands of hectares are not easy to patrol, and resources to do so are often minimal. In the face of this huge problem, the latest weapon is a very small gadget. Five Media explores Rainforest Connection’s technology and its applications in threat detection and bioacoustic monitoring.

Silicon Republic: Smart Whale Sounds, A first-of-its-kind project off the coast of Ireland

RFCx has helped launch a first-of-its-kind project to monitor the acoustics of whales, dolphins and porpoises off the southern coast of Ireland. Sound data from a data-gathering buoy will be used to create machine learning models for wildlife detection and classification.

RFCx, Huawei, DENR & Smart join hands to save Philippine rainforests

In a landmark initiative, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), PLDT wireless unit, Smart Communications, and Huawei Technologies Philippines are collaborating with Rainforest Connection to pilot test an IoT solution that taps mobile technology to detect and record rainforest sounds that can help prevent illegal logging and poaching activities in the country’s rainforests.

WIRED UK: Deep in the rainforest, old phones are catching illegal loggers

WIRED UK outlines Rainforest Connection’s threat detection and bioacoustics capabilities, with a focus on Ecuador’s Mashpi reserve. By monitoring trends in illegal activity, local efforts to halt illegal deforestation and poaching are more targeted and effective. RFCx technology has also been used to automate the identification of hundreds of species.