Saturday, August 29, 2020




E-Locust: How apps are helping counter pest infestation in Kenya
Issued on: 28/08/2020

By:Julia Sieger

Insects can be a nuisance, but they are also a great source of inspiration for scientists who are looking to push the limits of innovation through a process called biomimicry. In this edition of Tech 24, we take a closer look.

Fears for food security in East Africa are mounting as swarms of locusts gorge themselves on crops. This year's outbreak seems to be the worst in the last 70 years. We tell you how smartphone apps can now help track real time information to better understand the locusts' breeding process.

Plus, from satellite imagery to supercomputers, Dhananjay Khadilkar tells us how scientists are deploying technology to predict the paths of these swarms.

While insects can be a nuisance, they're also proof that nature displays the most powerful and beautiful innovations and that humans still have much to learn. A great example of so-called biomimicry is the research conducted by PhD students at the University of Washington. They were able to create a low-power, low-weight, wireless camera system the size of a coin by mimicking the eyes of beetles. We talk to co-lead author Vikram Iyer about why creating a vision system for small robots is so challenging.

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