Remote monitoring device
A device to monitor mouse activity year-round
As part of our work to enhance our mouse monitoring and surveillance capability across the country we’re developing a non-invasive remote mouse monitoring device.
This compact device is aimed at collecting real-time data on mouse activity in cropping paddocks. This means monitoring can be ongoing and current information on mouse activity accessed both regularly and remotely.
Left: remote monitoring devices ready for field deployment. Right: a device set up in a stubble crop. Images: Peter Brown & Nikki Van de Weyer
The device uses a passive infrared (PIR) sensor to detect a mouse via body heat moving through a small plastic tube. It records this event alongside the date, time and air temperature on a SD card, so every time a mouse moves through the tube a record is stored.
House mice are naturally curious and will willingly interact with foreign objects in their environment like small tubes. This means there is no need to use food bait as an incentive for mice to use the device. Monitoring cameras set up on devices overnight have confirmed mice are passing through tubes.
A mouse passing through the tube of the device was captured by a motion-sensor camera. Image: CSIRO
Device prototypes have been successfully tested on mice in the laboratory and are currently deployed in cropping paddocks to test their long-term accuracy and durability.
Next steps
After rigorous field testing and the development of an index of mouse activity from preliminary data, the remote monitoring devices will be ready for large-scale deployment in growing regions. The ultimate aim is to make data collected by devices accessible remotely (via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) and in real-time, removing the need to regularly access and maintain devices.