Meeting Abstract
Cost-effective radio frequency identification (RFID) technology allows biologists to track the movement of tagged animals using short range antennas. Current reader designs generally record data to memory cards, to be manually uploaded and analyzed on a computer. While this approach may be sufficient for some projects, it does not lend itself to the deployment of large numbers of readers over large geographical areas, without significant logistical drawbacks. Here, we have created a system that wirelessly collects data from readers, stores data on a central server, and transmits data over a locally-generated Wi-Fi network to allow for real-time viewing and basic analysis on a computer or mobile device. This system uses a Raspberry Pi mini-computer, an Arduino board, and a transceiver radio module on every device in the RFID network. We will present the results of simulated and real-world tests of this system to validate radio range, ensure reliability of data transfer, and measure effects on battery life. Furthermore, we elaborate on additional features, such as networking radios together to increase range and integrating mobile hotspots to allow remote data access. This system can facilitate new, ambitious experiments that further extend the scope of behavioral questions that can be answered using RFID technology.
