We are proud to be part of the BE-HIVE project development team, along with CYENS SuPerWorld & LEAR MRGs and EMME-CARE Center. The project is driven by the common interest in the health of the bee population, that can be affected from many factors ranging from diseases to ambient temperature. Therefore, by monitoring these factors we can infer the most favourable conditions for the placement of hives and ensure that bees are as healthy as possible. Our role in the project as Thinker Maker Space is to design & build the smart beehives, source the electronics and develop the data acquisition system. In close collaboration with SuPerWorld MRG we also work on developing camera traps that aim at capturing, in image format, the natural appearance of flying insects in an area of interest, such as the surrounding area of the deployed beehives. After the beehives are ready, the rest of the partners will be working on manipulating the collected data to extract useful information about the beehive’s health. Special thanks to Nicolas Netien.
The project is still under development but you can check the real time data collected by the weather station here. Stay tuned for updates!
CLICK & EXPLORE THE PROJECT UPDATES
An exciting update regarding the Behive project located on the rooftop of CYENS Centre of Excellence!
After a long time of constant maintenance and monitoring of the smart beehive the time has come for the honey collection.
The hive supers were transferred at apianthos facilities at Temvria for the honey processing. With the assistance of Vladimiros – our professional beekeeper – all individual cells on each hive frame were cut open to release the honey from within, and then placed in a centrifuge machine. The machine rotates them rapidly resulting in the extraction honey.
In addition, all of our equipment has been collected and is currently undergoing much-needed maintenance at CYENS.
A beehive routine check was conducted. Check the video for the full experience!
The Be-Hive Project got a six month extension, February-July. After evaluating our performance from last year we decided to upgrade our data collection systems but also add the custom made camera traps. During our testing phase, a camera trap captured a crow eating a bee right in front of the beehive. Moreover, periodic beehive inspection is performed, checking for diseases, new queen cells, honey levels, and overall hive health.
As mentioned in the project description above, part of the BE-HIVE project Thinker Maker Space is to design & build the smart beehives and the camera traps for insects. A camera trap is an image collection system that is self-sustained, via photovoltaics, and intelligent in that it takes photos only when there is a certain level of movement. It aims to capture images, detecting and effectively proving anomalies in the field, namely birds, wasps, etc., that disturb a beehive. Eight fully self sustainable automated camera trap systems are been made as we speak.
Performed our weekly check-up on our custom smart beehives. Software got a much needed update and maintenance of the hive was carried out as needed.
Hive transfusion in our custom smart beehive. Can’t wait for the first data to be collected.
After a few months of experimentation, we are proud to have our first smart BE-HIVE prototype, deployed and running. Located in Apianthos premises at Temvria village, and under the supervision of of our beekeeper Vladimiros, the smart beehive runs 24/7, collecting different types of data on a testing basis, such as the weight, temperature & humidity levels, along with pictures and sounds.
Data mapping, survey area and photogrammetry of one of the locations where the BE-HIVE project will be set-up. Special thanks to Nicolas Netien for welcoming and guiding us through his working process with the bee hives.
Kickstarting meeting, focusing on data collection needs for the BE-HIVE project. The first 3D renders for the prototype were produced and different sensors were tested.
