PoachNet: An Embedded System to Detect Theft
Primary Investigator:
Research Independant
Eric Buedel
Abstract
During most months of the year, oyster farmers are growing thousands of dollars worth of oysters in bay areas. Many oysters are placed into one cage, multiple cages are filled, then the cages are placed many feet underwater, where they are attached to a buoy above. The oysters require months of time spent underwater in order to become fully-grown and ready for sale.
Because the oysters are expensive and cannot be monitored at all times, they are often poached (i.e., stolen), causing the farmer to lose thousands of dollars of oyster seed.
Our device, named PoachNet, resides in the cages with the oysters and monitors for theft. If theft is detected, it alerts the oyster farmer via SMS and a web interface.