A plant has taken the world's first plant-powered selfie as part of research that could lead to major advances in data collection for conservation efforts.
The plant -- known as Pete the fern -- is part of a trial looking at
the use of microbial fuel cells at ZSL London Zoo, according to a
statement from the organization.
These cells allow Pete to create
energy that powers a camera and takes his own photo. Researchers say
their findings could enable major progress in conservation efforts.
"Plants
naturally deposit biomatter as they grow, which in turn feeds the
natural bacteria present in the soil, creating energy that can be
harnessed by fuel cells and used to power a wide range of vital
conservation tools remotely, including sensors, monitoring platforms and
camera traps," said Al Davies, ZSL's Conservation Technology
Specialist, in the statement.
"Most power sources have limits --
batteries must be replaced while solar panels rely on a source of
sunlight -- but plants can survive in the shade, naturally moving into
position to maximise the potential of absorbing sunlight -- meaning the
potential for plant-powered energy is pretty much limitless."
Pete
is a maidenhair fern equipped with an ultra-low-powered camera
manufactured by Xnor.ai, a US artificial intelligence company.
It uses so little energy that it can work 24/7 on power produced by a small plant.
This
kind of technology could be used in remote and inhospitable locations
that are hard to reach for humans, who usually need to change batteries.
Measurements
of temperature, humidity and plant growth are important in furthering
our understanding of climate change, habitat loss and other threats,
according to researchers.
"We've quite literally plugged in to
nature to help protect the world's wildlife: Pete has surpassed our
expectations and is currently taking a photo every 20 seconds -- he's
been working so well we've even accidentally photobombed him a few
times!" added Davies.
The ZSL are planning a second trial that will take place in the wild.
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