Sensor Development for Intelligent Apiary

This project will design an Apiary Management System to control and study environmental conditions that affect beehive health and honey production. Several efforts will be undertaken in developing this intelligent hive concept. In-hive environmental sensors will be implemented and thermal backplane will be developed to regulate the temperature within the hive. Sensors will be installed for studying bee movement, activity, and population. In the environment surrounding the apiary, food type and availability will be studied. Data gathered by sensors will be correlated with observations of bee and hive health, food availability, and honey production to map trends. This system will provide apiarists the ability to remotely monitor hive health, providing significant cost benefits to the apiarist. With bees playing a significant role in the pollination of agricultural crops, the developed technology offers the potential of additional economic benefits to the Canadian agricultural industry due to the greater health of the bees and hive environment.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Cyrus Shafai

Student:

Ahmad Byagowi, Colin Gaudreau, Valerie Beynon, TBD

Partner:

Durston Honey Farms

Discipline:

Engineering - computer / electrical

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

University of Manitoba