Elemantra: An End-to-End Automated Framework Empowered with AI and IoT for Tackling Human-Elephant Conflict in Elephant-Range Countries

TL;DR

Elemantra is an integrated AI and IoT-based system designed to prevent human-elephant conflicts by detecting elephants and deploying deterrents automatically, aiming for autonomous operation in elephant habitats.

Contribution

This paper introduces a novel end-to-end framework combining deep learning, IoT sensors, and decision algorithms for automated HEC prevention, unifying multiple detection and deterrence modules.

Findings

Effective elephant detection using infrared and seismic sensors.

Successful deployment of autonomous deterrent systems.

Preliminary results show potential for real-time conflict mitigation.

Abstract

The cohabitation of elephants and humans has evolved into a human-elephant conflict (HEC) due to the increasing loss of historical elephant habitations. Since HEC is a substantial threat to both species, advanced sensing methods are utilized to develop HEC prevention frameworks which still lack unification. Here, we propose an end-to-end automated framework for HEC prevention consisting of three main modules: a distributed deep learning-assisted elephant detection module using infrared and seismic sensing, an on-site repelling system with time-varying acoustic and light deterrents and a mesh network for device communication. The framework is equipped with novel decision-making pipelines and algorithms such that it has the potential to operate with no human intervention. The preliminary results from each module confirm that the proposed framework is effective in performing their individual tasks towards collaboratively achieving the prevention of HEC. The codes are publicly available at https://github.com/nuwansribandara/elemantra.