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Reindeer trio assisting scientist

Thermal camera research to aid road users

The reindeer Pahka, Piipa, and Pörrö recently posed for a thermal camera and took part in a study by the University of Oulu, aimed at developing methods to prevent reindeer collisions. Approximately 4,000 reindeer collisions occur annually in Finland, leading to personal injuries, property damage, and harm to the reindeer. These collisions can also cause psychological distress. Since reindeer move frequently on roads, especially during the dark season when they are difficult to detect with the human eye, it’s crucial to develop technologies that assist humans in detecting reindeer. The thermal camera is an excellent solution as its effectiveness is not affected by light and weather conditions.

The research collects unique thermal camera footage of reindeer and other animals, even on a global scale. This data is needed to develop various AI and machine learning methods. Based on this data, algorithms can be trained to recognize reindeer and other road users even in challenging conditions. The application could warn drivers (or autonomous vehicle systems) of approaching reindeer, horseback riders, and other animals on or near the road, allowing the vehicle to slow down and take appropriate evasive actions in time. The footage captured in Ranua could hopefully be used in the future to reduce reindeer collisions!

Immersive Experiences

During their recent visit, the research team also filmed 360-degree video footage from the heart of the reindeer herd. This video material will allow reindeer and other arctic animals to be brought immersively up close to the viewer using the immersive environment developed by the University of Oulu. The AIC Smart Campus Lab Lounge, located in the Faculty of Information and Electrical Engineering, is utilized for AI research, human-machine interaction studies, and demonstration purposes, such as for university visitors. In this space, visitors can, for example, experience what it’s like to be face-to-face with a curious reindeer!

Arctic Soundscapes

Collaboration on the research will continue in the spring of 2025, when the team returns to record springtime animal sounds at the Ranua Wildlife Park. The recordings will be made using a special microphone that allows the direction and distance of the sound to be sensed. This binaural stereo soundscape is aimed to be combined with the 360-degree video footage, ensuring that the direction of the sound matches the directions presented in the 360-video content.

The goal is also to plan how the sound recordings made at Ranua Wildlife Park could be used in the future to study the impact of environmental sounds on the behavior of wild animals.

 

Thermal camera image: Benjamin Kämä

Sound recording image: Ella Peltonen