The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Monitoring Animal Identification, Health, and Behaviour

Animals (Basel). 2022 Jul 1;12(13):1711. doi: 10.3390/ani12131711.

Abstract

With many advancements, technologies are now capable of recording non-human animals' location, heart rate, and movement, often using a device that is physically attached to the monitored animals. However, to our knowledge, there is currently no technology that is able to do this unobtrusively and non-invasively. Here, we review the history of technology for use with animals, recent technological advancements, current limitations, and a brief introduction to our proposed novel software. Canadian tech mogul EAIGLE Inc. has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) software solution capable of determining where people and assets are within public places or attractions for operational intelligence, security, and health and safety applications. The solution also monitors individual temperatures to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19. This technology has been adapted for use at the Toronto Zoo, initiated with a focus on Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) given the close physical similarity between orangutans and humans as great ape species. This technology will be capable of mass data collection, individual identification, pose estimation, behaviour monitoring and tracking orangutans' locations, in real time on a 24/7 basis, benefitting both zookeepers and researchers looking to review this information.

Keywords: Pongo abelii; animal behaviour; animal health; artificial intelligence; conservation; identification; monitoring; orangutan.

Grants and funding

This project was funded by two (2) Mitacs Accelerate postdoctoral fellowships. J.V.C.’s postdoctoral funding (Mitacs Reference #IT23450) is in collaboration with Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy (Toronto, ON, Canada). M.H.’s postdoctoral funding (Mitacs Reference #IT25818) is in collaboration with EAIGLE Inc. (Markham, ON, Canada) J.V.C. also received additional postdoctoral funding from an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship (Reference #456426328; Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada).