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| About the
PixController Lily Black Bear Den Camera |
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This camera is located in a very remote area of
Northern Minnesota close to the town of Ely. There is
no power or Internet at this location. The
camera is powered by batteries and solar panels. The camera is streaming over Verizon
3G cellular service, and the system was designed
and manufactured by
PixController, Inc.
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Camera Information
This camera streams a live video feed of Lily
the Black Bear in her den near Ely, Minnesota
for the third year in a row. The two previous
years viewers watched Lily give birth to three
cubs. This year Lily is not pregnant, but she
will be denning with her cub, Faith, from last
season. Lily and a number of other bears are
part of a long-term study into black bears which
is being led by Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield of
the North American Bear Center.
More information on Lily, other bears and the
research can by found on the websites of the
North American Bear Center (bear.org)
and the Wildlife Research Institute (bearstudy.org).
While Lily and Faith will be hibernating the
camera inside the den will broadcast live
streaming video with sound. If the bears move
leave the den area there is a
second pan-tilt-zoom camera that can be
controller remotely by the bear center
biologists to watch the bears outside the den.
Lily and Faith can also be followed on Facebook:
facebook.com/lily.the.black.bear
The Cellular 3G hardware and data plan are being
provided by
Verizon Wireless.
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Camera Technology
There are two cameras connected to the system.
One camera is a small camera that is placed
inside the bear den. This is a day color/night
infrared (IR) camera which can see in complete darkness.
The second camera is installed outside the den
and is a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera, which will
be used to watch and follow the bears if they
come out of the den site.
Only one camera will be streaming at a time, and
these cameras can be selected and remotely
controlled by members of the Bear Center or
PixController, Inc. Engineers. The camera system
is also equipped with custom electronics which
will monitor the systems battery supply.
The webcam electronics contain the
state-of-the-art
PixController Raptor electronics which
monitor the battery level and temperature.
The Raptor is setup to automatically send
out daily
status emails to the engineers and
biologists in order to keep the camera
system running smoothly throughout the project.
There is a portable shed constructed by
members of the bear center which contains
the solar panels, batteries, and webcam
streaming electronics. The shed is about
500' from the den opening. Cables are run
between the cameras installed at the den
site to the shed.
We
thoroughly enjoy being able to use our technology to share these
educational experiences and unique insights into nature with our
viewers.
Click here for more
camera information |
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