Building a device that will track an animal and relay info back to PC

[fbrdphreak]

Here's the ideal specs, which will most definitely change as technical limitations are discovered:

2-3 mile range
Small device that attaches to a cat's collar
Reports location back to receiver which interfaces with PC
Has to be able to record cat's movement for 24 hours

The software on the PC will show the cat's current location relative to the receiver, with distance and ideally +/- Z as well.

We're having trouble finding the hardware to do this. Found a neat little transeiver made by Aerocomm that's 1" x 1" and has like 20mW power consumption. Range isn't great but that's not critical.

I'm particularly concerned about the receiver. HTF are we gonna get the data from the cat's transmitter thru a receiver into a PC program? We aren't going as far as writing our own device drivers & ******, only as far as a program to map the data coming in.

Any thoughts, suggestions, comments, concerns, or farewell wishes?

 

[ahurtt]

It's called GPS and you are a few years late to the party.

 

[KLin]

Originally posted by: ahurtt
It's called GPS and you are a few years late to the party.

QFT.

/thread

 

[RichardE]

GPS transmitters can do this.

If you want too, try to implement a system that can use a satellite to focus directly on the animal, thus enabling trackers to see where the animal is and what they are doing.

 

[fbrdphreak]

I think GPS will be too expensive/bulky/power inefficient for our needs, but we are looking into it. Other thoughts?

 

[jonnybonu]

http://www.computer.org/portal/cms_docs...on/csidc/CSIDC2005/NorthCarolinaSU.pdf

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
I think GPS will be too expensive/bulky/power inefficient for our needs, but we are looking into it. Other thoughts?

Don't environmentalists already do this when they tag wildlife with those collars for tracking? What do they use? They tag whales, birds, bears. . .all kinds of stuff.

 

[robothouse77]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

I'm particularly concerned about the receiver. HTF are we gonna get the data from the cat's transmitter thru a receiver into a PC program? We aren't going as far as writing our own device drivers & ******, only as far as a program to map the data coming in.

Any thoughts, suggestions, comments, concerns, or farewell wishes?

ok, so have a microprocessor connected to the receiver via a A/D converter, feed that to the GPIO lines of the MP, then have the MP communcate via RS232 to your PC.

EDIT: or you can do all of your data processing right there on the MP, and never interface w/ the PC. or are you required to use a PC

 

[Metron]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
I think GPS will be too expensive/bulky/power inefficient for our needs, but we are looking into it. Other thoughts?

They make tracking devices for fish, birds, cats, deer, etc. I really don't think size is an issue. Perhaps you need to do a bit more reading. VHF vs. GPS is the real question.

Environmental Studies GPS tracking collars

Telemetry Solutions GPS collars

Overpriced US Forest Service system

Televilt Deer Tracking System

...

Try google search of "animal tracking collar" For The Nguyen!

 

[ahurtt]

Originally posted by: Metron
Environmental Studies GPS tracking collars

Telemetry Solutions GPS collars

Overpriced US Forest Service system

Televilt Deer Tracking System

...

Try google search of "animal tracking collar" For The Nguyen!

For the Nguyen. . .LOL

 

[SaturnX]

Wireless transmitter / reciever, they're cheap but you'll need to boost the signal for the required radius. Then again that'd definately be a pain for a 2/3 mile radius, GPS FTW!

--Mark