Thessaloniki gets ready for its metro launch in November
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
Smartula beehive monitoring system now operating in Gdynia City Hall, Source: Weronika Rozbicka / gdynia.pl
The Polish city is making use of new technologies to monitor the welfare of its bees
The municipality of Gdynia, Poland is effectively mobilising smart technologies to protect biodiversity in the city. The latest example of this is the new system installed to monitor the wellbeing of the bees, installed on the roof of the City Hall. Smartula keeps beekeepers informed about humidity, temperature or weight and helps prevent potential diseases of bee colonies, theft or devastation.
In 2019, the City Council of Gdynia made the decision to build beehives on the roof of the city hall. Now, the first honey harvest is already a fact – city officials take pride in over 50 litters of honey, produced while they were debating legislation. But although this is a clear sign that bees have found a comfortable home above the local parliament, officials believe that the situation can get even better with smart technologies.
That is why they decided to support an innovative project of Polish origin, for the benefit of bees and for facilitating beekeepers: Smartula. This is an apiary monitoring system developed by a team of students and scientists from the Gdańsk University of Technology in 2017.
According to Tymoteusz Cejrowski, co-founder of the project, quoted on the city website, the system learns the bee’s natural rhythm and tries to inform the beekeeper if it is disturbed. The reasons for changed behaviour can be different: for example, the phenomenon of swarming, when the bees divide and flee from the hive, or the attack of wasps, hornets or rodents. On top of this, Smartula might inform the beekeeper about potential theft.
“When implementing the system in Gdynia hives, we want to see how bees behave in an urban environment, discover if their behaviour differs from what is happening in the countryside. Thanks to this, we want to help beekeepers in cities and better situate their apiaries,” concluded Cejrowski.
The Smartula system consists of individual devices, inserted into the hive, that are made of three main components. The first and most important of them is the intelligent frame, which is equipped with a battery-operated and wireless bee monitoring device. Its operation is based on four sensors:
Said sensors collect important information from the inside and transmit wirelessly to the servers. The data is then analysed and presented in a simple web application or smartphone where beekeepers can check the condition of their apiaries, without having to physically go there. They will also receive a signal in case the hive is moved, thereby reducing the risk of theft.
Furthermore, the tool allows to constantly monitor the state of the apiary, informs about past and current measurements and events, and makes predictions with artificial intelligence.
Finally, the highlight of Smartula is the sound analysis module. Incoming recordings are analyzed in the context of historical values. Only after a few days, the algorithms know how a specific swarm behaves, so when something happens that causes, for example, a slight temperature change combined with changes in the sound, the system will notice it and inform the beekeeper.
If you want to keep up with how European cities and regions are changing, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin
That’s because the state has to spend money on updating the railway infrastructure rather than subsidizing the cost of the popular pass
Rethinking renewable energy sources for the urban landscape
The examples, compiled by Beyond Fossil Fuels, can inform and inspire communities and entrepreneurs that still feel trepidation at the prospect of energy transition
Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin
The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ESCT) sets the stage for stronger cooperation between the EU, national and local level to fast track Europe's transition to climate neutrality.
At least, that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo
The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays
At least, that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo
Hostal de Pinós is located in the geographical centre of the autonomous region
Despite its church-y name, the district has long been known as the hangout spot for the artsy crowds
Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment.
Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements.
Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces
An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself
An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö
A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital