Automatização de armadilhas de captura de animais de pequeno porte via Arduino Ecotrap

Abstract

Field research is especially important for monitoring fauna and flora; however, several specialists in the area report certain difficulties in successfully completing their work, due both to lack of safety and scarcity of adequate materials. Nevertheless, this work aims to develop an electronic system based on an Arduino microcontroller to assist in the safe capture of wild animals. The proposal seeks to reduce the mentioned risks, thereby protecting both the researcher and the animals during the process. The justification for the project is based on the need for effective and low-cost equipment, since limited financial resources restrict the acquisition of specialized or even more advanced technological materials for wildlife management. Through the Design of Experiments (DOE) methodology, a model was built that can be crucial for systematically and efficiently optimizing the system design and automating a capture trap for small animals, both in urban and rural environments. This would allow testing and calibrating the interaction between its various components (MONTGOMERY, 2019)—such as sensor sensitivity, servo motor response time, and notification reliability. This methodological approach ensured the creation of a solution with great potential for advancement and improvement. The purpose of this trap is to reduce the researcher’s exposure time in fieldwork, as well as the animal’s confinement time in the trap, minimizing stress and any possibility of physical harm to the captured specimen. The chosen design includes an ultrasonic sensor to detect the animal inside the trap, an Arduino Uno for processing, and an LED to notify the capture. The ultrasonic distance sensor is capable of detecting the presence of the animal through high-frequency waves that reflect off the animal and return to the sensor. The device also features a GSM shield module for cellular network connection and a servo motor to control the trap’s lock. The prototype development involved a series of studies, assemblies, and tests to create a functional and modular prototype, making it accessible to researchers or students and democratizing access to efficient and technological tools.