New AI solution aims to prevent deforestation

Non-profit organisation Rainforest Connection aims to make a difference in the fight against climate change using its ‘guardian’ devices - small, android-run devices placed in the rainforest treetops - to pick up sounds and stream them to the cloud. 

“Protecting forests is critical to climate change,” explained Rainforest Connection CEO Topher White. “Of all the carbon emissions every year, at least 17 per cent come from deforestation, more than all transport combined. Illegal logging makes up to 90 per cent of all logging, taking place in the tropics across the world.”

The main challenge in using the guardians is that detection of chainsaw activity can take up to 14 days to reach rangers, who review the information and arrange to go on site. By this time, trees can already be lost.

Hitachi Vantara, the digital infrastructure and solutions subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd, has partnered with the organisation to develop a solution using its Lumada data analytics technology.