TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MOMBASA

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC

ENGINEERING

PROJECT PROPOSAL

ERIC WACHIRA

BSEE/133J/2017

28/09/2021
 ANIMAL MONITORING SYSYTEM.

(PROJECT PROPOSAL)

1. Abstract

Animal monitoring system uses a pulses sensor as its main element to keep track and

monitor animals. Through manipulation of data received from the pulse sensor, animals’ heart

beat rate can be monitored and an alarm raised when the heart beat falls below normal rate or

rises above the normal rate. The ability of this system to monitor the heart beat rate of animals,

makes it possible for wildlife service organizations to protect the endangered species in reserve

areas by keeping them off the predators as well as poachers. This system will also enable them

respond to health issues of animals in time. Animal monitoring system can also be employed by

livestock keepers to monitor and respond in time to health issues of their livestock.

2. Introduction.

It is a global goal to ensure endangered wildlife animals are not eradicated but remain in

existence for the coming generations. However, the pursuit for achieving this goal is constantly

facing `difficult challenges such as poaching and death of the endangered species due to health

complications. It therefore becomes essential to have a digital system that can monitor and

produce real time information on animals’ body conditions such that when body conditions fall

out of the set normal conditions, an alarm is produced and the specific animal can be tendered to.

Pulse rate data is greatly employed by this system as the information representing body

conditions. With the improved technology, it is possible collect data, transmit it, and analyze the

data to generate an observable output. The animal monitoring system records pulse rate from an
animal in the field, transmits this data to analyzer circuit which will compare it to the set normal

pulse rate and indicates whether it is normal, below or above.

3. Problem statement.

In present day, cases of endangered species going to extinction due to poaching and

unnoticed illness has been common. Farmers have also been losing their livestock to unnoticed

illness or complication when giving birth when no one in the farm is aware.

4. General objective.

To design, construct, implement and test an animal monitoring system that will help

wildlife service organizations as well as farmers keep track and monitors their animal.

5. Specific objectives

i. To perform literature review on existing similar systems to gain

knowledge necessary for implementation of this project.

ii. To design a system that will be able to read pulse rate on animal bodies

and raise an alarm in case of abnormal pulse rate.

iii. To construct and implement the designed circuit.

iv. To test the constructed circuit

6. Scope.

This system will be applicable in national game reserves harboring

endangered species as this game reserves are considerably small. This is because the

system can only transmit data over a radius of 8km2. It will also be applicable in

ranches and livestock farms.

 7. Justification.

This system is meant to cub the challenge of eradication of endangered

wildlife animals. It is also aims at reducing loses incurred by farmers due to death of

their livestock.

8. Literature review

What is a Pulse sensor?

A pulse wave is the change in the volume of a blood vessel that occurs when the heart

pumps blood, and a detector that monitors this volume change is called a pulse sensor.First, there

are four main ways to measure heart rate: electrocardiogram, photoelectric pulse wave, blood

pressure measurement, and phonocardiography.Pulse sensors use the photoelectric method.

Heart Rate Measurement Method

Pulse sensors using the photoelectric pulse wave method are classified into 2 types

depending on the measurement method: transmission and reflection.Transmission types measure

pulse waves by emitting red or infrared light from the body surface and detecting the change in

blood flow during heart beats as a change in the amount of light transmitted through the

body.This method is limited to areas where light can easily penetrate, such as the fingertip or

earlobe.ROHM is currently developing a reflection-type pulse sensor (Optical Sensor for Heart

Rate Monitor).The reflection-type pulse sensor (Optical Sensor for Heart Rate Monitor) is

explained below.

Reflection-Type Pulse Sensor (Optical Sensor for Heart Rate Monitor)

 Reflection-type pulse sensors (Optical Sensors for Heart Rate Monitor) emit infrared, red,

or green light (~550nm) towards the body and measure the amount of light reflected using a

photodiode or phototransistor. Oxygenated hemoglobin present in the blood of the arteries has

the characteristic of absorbing incident light, so by sensing the blood flow rate (change in blood

vessel volume) that changes following heart contractions over time we are able to measure the

pulse wave signal.Also, since reflected light is measured, the range of suitable areas is not

limited as with transmission-type pulse sensors.

Reflection-Type Pulse Sensor (Optical Sensor for Heart Rate Monitor) - Operating

Mechanism.

Pulse wave measurement using red or infrared light can be affected by infrared rays

contained in sunlight (i.e. outdoors), preventing stable operation. For this reason, usage indoors

or semi-indoors is recommended.For pulse wave measurement outdoors (i.e. by smart watches),

a green light source which has a high absorption rate in hemoglobin and less susceptibility to

ambient light is preferred, so ROHM utilizes green LEDs as transmission light sources.

Pulse Sensor (Optical Sensor for Heart Rate Monitor) Applications

Generally, by looking at the period of fluctuation from the waveform obtained by

measurements of the pulse wave sensor and observing the pulsation (variation) using the heart

rate along with both red and infrared waves, it is possible to measure the arterial blood oxygen

saturation (SpO2).