An individual living in Surrey, UK, has come up with an innovative way to discourage foxes and badgers from fouling in his garden. James Milward decided to adapt Ring cameras located at his residence, using them in combination with a device that emits ultrasonic sounds. He trained the system via machine learning by initially uploading hundreds of images of the nocturnal creatures, enabling it to recognise them before prompting the high-frequency sound as a deterrent. Milward named his device the Furbinator 3000, and it has proved successful in keeping his garden clean.
Milward encountered problems initially. The camera didn’t accurately recognise animals, instead, it identified badgers as umbrellas or sinks. After some fine-tuning and the inclusion of additional images, the device started to identify the animal correctly, and the system worked. The sound emitted by the device alerted any intruders, prompting them to leave the garden. Milward’s two children could then play outside without encountering any unwelcome surprises.
The RSPCA has frequently criticised the use of ultrasonic animal deterrents like the Furbinator. They believe the noise generated by such devices can lead to discomfort, fear and even pain in animals, and that predicting an individual’s response is incredibly challenging. Milward recognises the importance of living alongside animals. Still, he wanted a humane way to protect his children from the mess that foxes and badgers typically leave behind while preserving his garden’s aesthetic.
Milward’s idea could be applied to more than just his home garden. He believes the Furbinator would be suitable for use in agricultural settings where predators threaten livestock or even anywhere else where humans and animals often come into conflict. Milward, an IT expert, has made his code open-source and is not looking to profit from the Furbinator. However, it is doubtful whether his wife shares his enthusiasm for the invention
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