{"id":{"repo_id":"cape-town","oai_identifier":"oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/5172"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/cape-town/oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/5172","repository":{"repo_id":"cape-town","name":"University of Cape Town","base_url":"https://open.uct.ac.za/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"On a wildlife tracking and telemetry system : a wireless network approach","abstract":"Motivated by the diversity of animals, a hybrid wildlife tracking system, EcoLocate, is proposed, with lightweight VHF-like tags and high performance GPS enabled tags, bound by a common wireless network design. Tags transfer information amongst one another in a multi-hop store-and-forward fashion, and can also monitor the presence of one another, enabling social behaviour studies to be conducted. Information can be gathered from any sensor variable of interest (such as temperature, water level, activity and so on) and forwarded through the network, thus leading to more effective game reserve monitoring. Six classes of tracking tags are presented, varying in weight and functionality, but derived from a common set of code, which facilitates modular tag design and deployment. The link between the tags means that tags can dynamically choose their class based on their remaining energy, prolonging lifetime in the network at the cost of a reduction in function. Lightweight, low functionality tags (that can be placed on small animals) use the capabilities of heavier, high functionality devices (placed on larger animals) to transfer their information. EcoLocate is a modular approach to animal tracking and sensing and it is shown how the same common technology can be used for diverse studies, from simple VHF-like activity research to full social and behavioural research using wireless networks to relay data to the end user. The network is not restricted to only tracking animals – environmental variables, people and vehicles can all be monitored, allowing for rich wildlife tracking studies.","abstract_html":"Motivated by the diversity of animals, a hybrid wildlife tracking system, EcoLocate, is proposed, with lightweight VHF-like tags and high performance GPS enabled tags, bound by a common wireless network design. Tags transfer information amongst one another in a multi-hop store-and-forward fashion, and can also monitor the presence of one another, enabling social behaviour studies to be conducted. Information can be gathered from any sensor variable of interest (such as temperature, water level, activity and so on) and forwarded through the network, thus leading to more effective game reserve monitoring. Six classes of tracking tags are presented, varying in weight and functionality, but derived from a common set of code, which facilitates modular tag design and deployment. The link between the tags means that tags can dynamically choose their class based on their remaining energy, prolonging lifetime in the network at the cost of a reduction in function. Lightweight, low functionality tags (that can be placed on small animals) use the capabilities of heavier, high functionality devices (placed on larger animals) to transfer their information. EcoLocate is a modular approach to animal tracking and sensing and it is shown how the same common technology can be used for diverse studies, from simple VHF-like activity research to full social and behavioural research using wireless networks to relay data to the end user. The network is not restricted to only tracking animals – environmental variables, people and vehicles can all be monitored, allowing for rich wildlife tracking studies.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Markham, Andrew"],"institution":"Department of Electrical Engineering","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Wilkinson, Andrew John"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2008,"date_issued":"2008","date_published":"2008","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:23:16Z","subjects":[],"languages":["eng"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5172","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Wilkinson, Andrew John"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Markham, Andrew"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-07-31T10:54:55Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-07-31T10:54:55Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2008"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Department of Electrical Engineering"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Cape Town"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Doctoral Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["PhD"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5172"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Includes abstract.","Includes bibliographical references (p. 239-261)."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Motivated by the diversity of animals, a hybrid wildlife tracking system, EcoLocate, is proposed, with lightweight VHF-like tags and high performance GPS enabled tags, bound by a common wireless network design. Tags transfer information amongst one another in a multi-hop store-and-forward fashion, and can also monitor the presence of one another, enabling social behaviour studies to be conducted. Information can be gathered from any sensor variable of interest (such as temperature, water level, activity and so on) and forwarded through the network, thus leading to more effective game reserve monitoring. Six classes of tracking tags are presented, varying in weight and functionality, but derived from a common set of code, which facilitates modular tag design and deployment. The link between the tags means that tags can dynamically choose their class based on their remaining energy, prolonging lifetime in the network at the cost of a reduction in function. Lightweight, low functionality tags (that can be placed on small animals) use the capabilities of heavier, high functionality devices (placed on larger animals) to transfer their information. EcoLocate is a modular approach to animal tracking and sensing and it is shown how the same common technology can be used for diverse studies, from simple VHF-like activity research to full social and behavioural research using wireless networks to relay data to the end user. The network is not restricted to only tracking animals – environmental variables, people and vehicles can all be monitored, allowing for rich wildlife tracking studies."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["On a wildlife tracking and telemetry system : a wireless network approach"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Wilkinson, Andrew John"],"dc:creator":["Markham, Andrew"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-07-31T10:54:55Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-07-31T10:54:55Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2008"],"dc:description":["Includes abstract.","Includes bibliographical references (p. 239-261)."],"dc:description.abstract":["Motivated by the diversity of animals, a hybrid wildlife tracking system, EcoLocate, is proposed, with lightweight VHF-like tags and high performance GPS enabled tags, bound by a common wireless network design. 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