Source: ASRC AEROSPACE, INC. submitted to
AUTOMATED WIRELESS SYSTEM TO DETECT AND IDENTIFY MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLIES
Sponsoring Institution
Agricultural Research Service/USDA
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0405716
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
6615-22000-021-11S
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Aug 28, 2002
Project End Date
Nov 30, 2005
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
MANKIN R W
Recipient Organization
ASRC AEROSPACE, INC.
6301 IVY LANE, SUITE 300
GREENBELT,MD 20773
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
(N/A)
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
25%
Applied
40%
Developmental
35%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
20409991130100%
Goals / Objectives
Develop an automated wireless system to detect and identify Mediterranean fruit flies (medflies) as they are captured in a baited trap and communicate the results back to a central location.
Project Methods
Baited traps will be equipped with acoustic sensors to detect wing beats of incoming insects. The signals will be preprocessed and transmitted to a central location where they will be subjected to further digital signal analyses. A mathematical algorithm will be developed to compare an alaysis of the detected wing beat signal against analyses of previously verified pest insects, including male and female medflies. The output of the algorithm will include a "yes/no" decision about whether the signal matches the signals produced by medflies and a level of confidence in the match. The prototype detection/transceiver/analysis system will be field-tested to verify its efficacy.

Progress 08/28/02 to 11/30/05

Outputs
Progress Report 4d Progress report. A request for extension of this project was going to be submitted in November 2005, but due to changing circumstances (cooperator changed agencies) it was not extended.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications


    Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05

    Outputs
    4d Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and ASRC Aerospace Corporation. Additional details of the research can be found in the report for the parent project 6615-22000-016-00D, "Biologically Based Technologies for management of Crop Insect Pests in Local and Areawide Programs." Research was conducted in cooperation with ASRC Aerospace, Inc., an aerospace engineering firm in Greenbelt, MD, to develop a system for automatically monitoring captures of medflies in an array of traps. The medflies are identified by their wingbeats as they fly into a trap and the information can be transmitted by telemetry to a remote location for data monitoring and storage. ASRC is now finishing construction of a 2nd prototype, modified according to results we obtained from wind-tunnel bioassays. In addition, we are conducting signal analyses of wingbeat sounds that potentially enable an automated system to distinguish among insect species using differences in behavior patterns as well as wingbeat frequency.

    Impacts
    (N/A)

    Publications


      Progress 08/28/02 to 08/30/04

      Outputs
      4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? This report serves to document research conducted under a Specific Cooperative Agreement between ARS and ASRC Aerospace, Inc. Additional details of the research can be found in the report for the parent project 6615-430000-009-00D, "Population Management of Insects to Protect Stored Products". Scientists obtained recordings of male and female medflies flying up to and hovering next to a microphone to identify the patterns of sound produced by wingbeats of medflies entering a trap. ASRC Aerospace has developed an automated identification system that they are preparing to deliver to the Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, FL for laboratory testing. An automated monitoring system could greatly reduce labor costs in large- scale medfly-surveillance programs.

      Impacts
      (N/A)

      Publications