October 18, 2005
Cell phone for birds
By attaching miniature cell packs to migrating songbirds, Oregon State University scientists hope to solve the mystery of where birds go and what perils they face when traveling back and forth from warmer and cooler climates each year, reports Corvallis Gazette.
Douglas Robinson contacted OSU’s College of Engineering to design a simplified, 0.07-ounce cell pack that will slip around birds’ legs “like pulling on a pair of underwear,” Robinson explained.
To wear the cell pack, a bird must weigh at least 1.4 ounces. Many thrushes, grosbeaks, sandpipers and ducks are good candidates.
After testing the cell device, researchers will travel to the tropics and attach the packs to hundreds of long-distance migratory songbirds. To conserve batteries, phones will be turned off until a pre-determined date when the birds are expected to be in North America. Then the cell phones will activate and attempt to connect with the nearest cell tower.
The phone will transmit its identification number to the tower. The cellular network will then have a record of the bird’s number, what tower it is near and the date and time of contact. Robinson has a verbal agreement with TMobile for its cooperation, and hopes to secure similar arrangements with other companies.
The researcher believes this technology has valuable medical and military applications. “With cardiac patients, you could monitor heart rhythms, and if a troubling pattern is detected, the cell phone could send a signal alerting the physician directly,” he said.
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