Specification
The Comfy Creatures monitoring station is the world's first camera and environmental sensing device purpose designed to be installed in natural and artificial hollows. It is a stand-alone, solar powered device which streams directly to a user's IOS or Android smartphone using the free Comfy Creatures Monitor app.
Monitoring of nesting hollows has historically been a frustrating challenge for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Our monitoring station is a complete stand-alone system ready to be fitted to existing hollows or supplied installed in one of our nest boxes. It does not require any external infrastructure.
Streaming video and capturing data from the station is completely unobtrusive. The station uses three lighting modes which support daylight photo/video, true no-glow night vision (950nm) and a pest alarm (flashing red light augmented with buzzer and vibration) to deter invasive species. The natural light and pest alarm are pin protected on public installations.
Two probes measure the external and internal temperature at the height of the animals in the hollow. This enables the critical study of how effective artificial hollow designs are at regulating the internal temperature. Air pressure, humidity and ambient light add to the suite of environmental sensing data.
Observations can be taken live or on an automated schedule capturing a photo and the sensor data. These observations are coupled with information about the nest box and its installation which is recorded once as part of a 'commissioning' process enabled by a wizard within the app. These observations are streamed to the users phone for syncing later to the public database. This supports monitoring on remote sites where an internet connection is not available.
The database allows anyone to see where particular nest box designs and the variables of its installation have been successful in supporting particular species. Consequently it enables a scientific approach to the development of artificial hollows that best supports our endangered arboreal fauna.
The station can stream live video and data over 100m with a clear line of sight so nest boxes can be installed at heights that are consistent with the animals needs. Along with the solar powered batteries this enables minimal effort monitoring. Thirty nest boxes can be inspected in as many minutes.
The smartphone application, public database and the monitoring station are designed and manufactured in Australia by Comfy Creatures.
Feature Set:
- Direct subscription free wireless communication with IOS & Android smart phones.
- Solar charged batteries
- Live video and photo capture
- Live or scheduled observations
- Light modes: natural white or true no glow night-vision
- Pest alarm: red light, buzzer and vibration
- Environmental sensing: internal & external temperature probes, onboard humidity, pressure and ambient light
- Continuous environmental logging
See the General Use and Commissioning page for a comprehensive description of the stations software features.