Design and implementation of a modern device for detecting and monitoring termites

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> Termites are a significant pest in many regions of the world, where they attack cellulose-based material in buildings, trees, and crops. The most significant economic losses occur to timber in structures, and a great deal of effort and money are spent to prevent damage to homes and public buildings. Termites may attack wood anywhere in a building, from below soil to the highest point on the roof. Detection of termites is often challenging due to the cryptic nature of termites, the complexity of the structure, the location of damage or termites in the structure, and available techniques. Several methods have been utilized to detect and monitor the presence of termites in buildings, from simple visual searches to technology-based or technology-assisted approaches that vary in their invasiveness and destructiveness.Termite detection devices are tools used to locate and monitor termite activity. Several articles discuss different technologies and systems, including microwave detection, acoustic and temperature sensing, and wireless monitoring stations. These devices help professionals and homeowners to identify termite infestations early in order to implement effective control measures.Termites produce a range of sounds, usually inaudible to the human ear, through their foraging activities and communication. The use of sensitive audio equipment's could therefore be an option for termite detection in wood, where their activity might be missed.By analyzing the sounds of termites, it seems clear that they operate in the audio frequency range. The audible audio frequency range is from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. This information inspired us with the idea of designing and implementing the present device.This research aims to design and implement a high-specification device to detects wood eating insects (especially termites) and to understand the influencing factor in wood (humidity and temperature) that promotes the proliferation of wood-eating fungi.This paper presents the design and implement of a smart termite detection device that integrates sound analysis with artificial intelligence (AI) for real-time and non-invasive monitoring.The system utilities a high-sensitivity microelectronics mechanical systems (MEMS) microphone connected to a Raspberry Pi 4 to capture and analyze environmental sounds.AI models are trained to recognize the unique acoustic patterns produced by termites, particularly during feeding and movement.An innovative aspect of this system is its ability to process and refine termite-related frequencies, while also recognizing resonant warning signals emitted by soldier ants (natural termite predators).These signals can potentially be amplified or reproduced to interfere with termite behaviours, offering an eco-friendly and biologically inspired a promising control method. The proposed device demonstrates a high accuracy in field testing and presents a promising approach to sustainable pest control technologies.The termite detector device records the sounds of termites and can also predict their numbers.This is an innovation, utilizing modern software supported by artificial intelligence to analyze recorded sounds in order to identify early infestations, indicating the presence of termite activity in the wood.After studying the main detection criteria and testing different prototypes under various laboratory conditions, the device was developed for use in various applications and samples.Field trials were conducted in several infested locations to automatically detect them. This device is portable, easy to use, requires no wired power supply, and its components are readily available in the local market. It also offers quick response times and rapid recovery.