BatCapture

In order to detect bats, students have developed a convenient low-cost detector that communicates via smart phones.

It is already possible to purchase devices for observing bats from specialist retailers. However, the students wanted to have the results of the detector displayed on a smart phone in order to make the device more convenient and cheaper.

The BatCapture is equipped with a microphone optimised for the ultrasonic range. The weak input signal is filtered and amplified. In order to make this input unit  as compact and quiet as possible, a four-piece printed design was selected.  

The heart of the data-analysis system consists of an FFT application on the microcontroller of the BatCapture. Using a crest factor algorithm, bat calls are distinguished from other sources and saved locally. The data is sent to the Android app on the smart phone via Bluetooth. The calls can then be analysed using the spectrogram and played back at an audible frequency . All recorded calls can be organised, played back and graphically analysed at will on the smart phone by means of tags.

Project information

• Implementation: Oliver Brogle, Roger Gloor, Michael Hug, Simon Keller, Pascal Lang, Michael Saner and Remo Wobmann
• BSc Electrical and Information Technology degree programme
• Supervision: Matthias Meier, Peter Ganzmann, Anita Gertiser, Bonnie Domenghino and Pascal Buchschacher