What it does
ForestGuard is an IoT-based, satellite-connected sensor system that detects fires in real-time. The system notifies authorities when it catches fire with AI-integrated gas classification, allowing them to intervene before the fire spreads.
Your inspiration
As a team of nature lovers, we were on the site of the 2021 wildfires in Turkey. One of our members aided S&R efforts from the air as a drone pilot, while others helped the locals. After returning home, we brainstormed about things we can improve in the fight against the wildfire. We focused on how to detect fires at an early, more manageable stage. We developed our first prototypes using LoRa infrastructure and created a "WoodWideWeb" as a way for trees to tell us there is a fire. During installments, we ran across application-related difficulties and shifted our attention to satellite communication; as a result, ForestGuard 2.0 was formed.
How it works
The ForestGuard works as a network in the forests by using sensor-to-satellite communication with the S-Band RF channel. The modules have sensitive, wide-spectrum sensors which can measure gas levels, temperature, humidity, and air pressure and also analyze the air for different scenarios. Our custom-designed boards are Edge AI-enabled, and use trained ML algorithms that differentiate wildfire smoke from other emissions, to prevent false positives, reducing unnecessary efforts. These sensor modules can be installed on tree trunks via flexible straps to allow the growth of trees. When any emergency occurs, sensor modules transmit the collected data to GeoStationary satellites, which then transfer this data to Earth and to our servers. If an emergency condition is verified on the server, it will inform the authorities and firefighters immediately to take action, reducing the reaction time to under 15 minutes.
Design process
We started in August 2021. After successful PoCs, we developed our own mainboards on February 2022, with power efficiency in mind. After countless field tests, we have integrated Li-Ion Hyper Capacitors with solar panels, which is a safe power source that won't cause a fire even in extreme conditions. This helps our modules to operate for decades, with over a 100,000-cycle life. We added an internal gyro sensor for anti-tamper/theft features, if an unwanted scenario happens, authorities get an instant notification. We migrated from using LoRa to S-Band satellite and added an over-the-air updates feature, which enables us to update the onboard algorithms to improve our reaction time and detecting algorithms and customizes location-specific values. Even though we are using satellite, our specially designed mainboard is modular, thus the system can be easily modified to work with GSM/NB-iot/Wifi/LoRa communication protocols. Additional sensors can be added for different use case scenarios. We use forest-collected plastics in our case manufacturing process. This way, while reducing the risk of wildfires and pollution of the forests, we also reduce our environmental impact. In 2023, after small-scale production, we sold and deployed over 200 modules in Turkey.
How it is different
It is faster, cheaper, easy to install, does not require any infrastructure, and most importantly, it detects fire in the ultra-early, smoke stage. Compared to the traditional methods of wildfire detection (Cameras/UAV/Satellite) it is faster. We detect it before the fire gets bigger since we measure under the tree canopy, where the fire initially starts. The latest algorithm allows us to predict wildfires even before they start, allowing firefighters to take further preventive actions. Our latest tests show that ForestGuard modules can detect a fire from 150 m, within the first 10 minutes. Sensors directly connect to the satellite and this makes installation easier and foolproof. Even in a disaster scenario when GSM infrastructure collapses, we are unaffected by using S-Band satellite communication. It is cost-effective: Only one module covers 16 hectares of forested area, with ForestGuard you can protect 500 trees for just one dollar, for a year.
Future plans
Currently, we have over 250 active modules in Turkey, and we have new agreements on the way for a France Headquarters to expand to the EU market. Our current customers are energy distribution companies, forestry ministries, resort hotels, ESG, and insurance companies. We have planned to expand our reach to the industrial facilities in forested areas such as power plants, mining facilities, and also to private homes. We are working with governmental bodies to expand our infrastructure-free, disaster-proof sensor modules for other disaster preparedness use cases, such as earthquakes and floods.
Awards
BIG BANG 2021, Most Awarded Start-Up Basaksehir Innovation Competition 2022, 3rd Place James Dyson Award 2022, Regional (Turkey) Second Sabancı ARF Innovation program 2023, 150.000$ investment prize
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