A research conducted at the Institute of Mathematics and Computer Sciences (ICMC) - USP at São Carlos allows one to monitor and differentiate species and insects sex according to the sound made by their wings. Taking advantage of this sound, a trap, very different from those used today, was created. The trap does not stick or kills the bugs and do not need a biologist to do the ratings.
Using computational intelligence, Gustavo Batista, ICMC Professor and a researcher at the Centre for Mathematical Sciences Applied to Industry (CeMEAI), aims at classifying the bugs this new tool. The trap consists of a glass case containing LED lamps, and electronic components that convert light into electrical signals and sensors. "We do the classification by the sound, the buzz that we hear from the beating of insects´ wings. It converts the signal light into an electrical signal much like the signal captured by a microphone. We know that different species beat wings at different frequencies, have different numbers of wings, wing shapes, and this scenario gives a signature for each species, "said Batista, who began his studies in 2011 in conjunction with a researcher with the University of California at Riverside (USA), and now advises the graduate student André Maletzke at the Computer Science and Computational Mathematics Graduate Program at ICMC.
Juliano Corbi, a biologist and professor at the Engineering School (EESC) of USP at Sao Carlos, explains that the trap can be used, for example in the fight against the dengue disease. "Since it is the female mosquito that bites, which transmits the disease, if you have a larger amount of females, you are more likely to be contaminated. In addition, it is also the female who spawn", he says.
The goal of the trap it to be marketed to the general public, and should cost an average of R$ 200 (Brazilian Real). The project awarded by the Google Research Grant program for Latin America.
See more information about the project (in Portuguese) at <link da noticia complete em Portugues>
