FishCam: A low-cost open source autonomous camera for aquatic research
| dc.contributor.author | Mouy, Xavier | |
| dc.contributor.author | Black, Morgan | |
| dc.contributor.author | Cox, Kieran | |
| dc.contributor.author | Qualley, Jessica | |
| dc.contributor.author | Mireault, Callum | |
| dc.contributor.author | Dosso, Stan | |
| dc.contributor.author | Juanes, Francis | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-08-31T21:45:55Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2020-08-31T21:45:55Z | |
| dc.date.copyright | 2020 | en_US |
| dc.date.issued | 2020 | |
| dc.description.abstract | We describe the “FishCam”, a low-cost (500 USD) autonomous camera package to record videos and images underwater. The system is composed of easily accessible components and can be programmed to turn ON and OFF on customizable schedules. Its 8-megapixel camera module is capable of taking 3280 × 2464-pixel images and videos. An optional buzzer circuit inside the pressure housing allows synchronization of the video data from the FishCam with passive acoustic recorders. Ten FishCam deployments were performed along the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, from January to December 2019. Field tests demonstrate that the proposed system can record up to 212 h of video data over a period of at least 14 days. The FishCam data collected allowed us to identify fish species and observe species interactions and behaviors. The FishCam is an operational, easily-reproduced and inexpensive camera system that can help expand both the temporal and spatial coverage of underwater observations in ecological research. With its low cost and simple design, it has the potential to be integrated into educational and citizen science projects, and to facilitate learning the basics of electronics and programming. | en_US |
| dc.description.reviewstatus | Reviewed | en_US |
| dc.description.scholarlevel | Faculty | en_US |
| dc.description.sponsorship | This paper is dedicated to the late Callum Mireault (Memorial University of Newfoundland and CHONe graduate student) who brainstormed ideas with the authors at early stages of this project. Data collection in the field was made possible thanks to all the volunteers of the Juanes Lab at the University of Victoria, Scott Trivers, and Tristan Blaine from the Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance (CCIRA). This research is supported by the NSERC Canadian Healthy Oceans Network (CHONe) and its partners: Fisheries and Oceans Canada and INREST (representing the Port of Sept-AZles and City of Sept-AZles), JASCO Applied Sciences, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). X.M was also funded by an NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship and a Mitacs Accelerate Fellowship. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.citation | Mouy, X., Black, M., Cox, K., Qualley, J., Mireault, C., Dosso, S., & Juanes, F. (2020). FishCam: A low-cost open source autonomous camera for aquatic research. HardwareX, 8, 1-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ohx.2020.e00110. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ohx.2020.e00110 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1828/12065 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | HardwareX | en_US |
| dc.subject | Biodiversity | en_US |
| dc.subject | Citizen science | en_US |
| dc.subject | Education | en_US |
| dc.subject | Fish monitoring | en_US |
| dc.subject | Raspberry Pi | en_US |
| dc.subject | Remote underwater video | en_US |
| dc.title | FishCam: A low-cost open source autonomous camera for aquatic research | en_US |
| dc.type | Article | en_US |