AssetID: 53237304
Headline: RAW VIDEO: 'ForestGuard' System Can Predict And Stop Forest Fires Before They Happen
Caption: A team of recent design graduates from Turkey has created a satellite-enabled sensor system capable of detecting wildfires before they spread or even ignite. Known as ForestGuard, this innovative system utilises sensors affixed to trees to monitor changes in the air and promptly alert local authorities in the presence of a fire. Requiring just one sensor for every 16 hectares of forest, equivalent to around 16,000 trees, ForestGuard possesses the capability to distinguish between various emissions, differentiating, for instance, between wildfire smoke and emissions from sources such as cigarettes or car exhausts. This feature minimises false positives and significantly reduces average notification time for firefighters from 90 minutes to a mere 15. The ForestGuard system proved its efficacy in a recent incident on the Turkish archipelago of Princes' Islands, where firefighters successfully extinguished a wildfire while it had only consumed an area comparable to the size of a dining table. The ForestGuard team, comprised of Esirger and fellow graduates Ecem Ertan, Onur Sertgil, and Rana Imam Esirger from Istanbul Bilgi University, initiated this project in response to the devastating 2021 Turkish wildfires, during which they volunteered for search-and-rescue efforts. The ForestGuard system analyses temperature, humidity, air pressure, and various gas levels, deploying machine-learning algorithms to differentiate between wildfire smoke and other emissions. ForestGuard sensors exhibit robustness through features such as solar panels with long-lasting supercapacitors for energy storage, anti-theft mechanisms, and durability against ultraviolet light, animal interference, and can weather temperatures reaching up to 1,500°C. By collecting data through these sensors, ForestGuard can also predict conditions conducive to wildfires, enabling proactive measures like clearing dried brush or preemptive water spraying. ForestGuard asserts that its system can protect 500 trees for just US$1 per year, assuming the devices remain operational for five years. It secured victory in the Turkish segment of the James Dyson Award 2023. Already available in Turkey, ForestGuard plans to expand its presence into markets such as France, Australia, and the USA in the coming months. They currently have more than 250 active modules in Turkey, and we have new agreements on the way for a France Headquarters to expand to the EU market. The team also want to expand into other areas of disaster-preparedness, such as earthquakes and floods.
Keywords: forest fires,feature,photo,video,forestguard,turkey,nature,technology,tech,science
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