Lately, we have been hearing a lot about environmental threats.
FIRST, there are major concerns about the decline in the number of endangered species, including Malayan tigers, due to poaching.
This prompted law enforcement officers to collaborate with the Wildlife and National Parks Department, and two battalions of the General Operations Force have been deployed to patrol the forests.
TWO, the haze has made a comeback. The Malaysian Meteorological Department reported that several regions in Malaysia are experiencing poor air quality.
While the authorities are taking measures to address the problems, environmentalists and wildlife conservationists should consider working with scientists and technologists to find technological solutions to tackle these challenges.
In Hong Kong, technology is used to curb air pollution by deploying water-dispersing drones and outdoor air purifiers to improve air quality.
The Worldwide Fund Africa has deployed innovative vision-based surveillance systems to help rangers detect poachers in protected areas.
Closer to home, MIMOS Bhd has researched, developed and used video analytics, machine learning and Internet of Things (IoT) for day and night detection of boat trespasses at the Royal Belum Forest, Perak, to curb the smuggling of endangered species.
MIMOS has developed a solution for peatland monitoring with IoT to gauge under surface water levels, as lowered levels have higher risks of fire and smog/haze.
These are just some examples of what technology can do for the environment. If we explore deeper, there is so much more technology can offer.
Thillai Raj T. Ramanathan
Chief technology officer, MIMOS Bhd, Kuala Lumpur