Wildlife Tracking, Biologging and Sensor Technology
Miniaturized tracking, biologging, telemetry and environmental sensing systems for wildlife research.
TechnoSmArt develops wildlife tracking and biologging technology for field research. Our miniaturized systems combine GPS and GNSS tracking, behavioural biologging, telemetry, remote data download and environmental sensing within configurable animal-borne devices.
Rather than providing tracking alone, our technologies allow researchers to collect integrated spatial, behavioural, physiological and environmental data. Our platforms can integrate GPS, tri-axial accelerometers, magnetometers, pressure and temperature sensors, light sensors, wet/dry sensors and other environmental sensors. Depending on the research objectives, data can be stored onboard, downloaded remotely or transmitted through radio, cellular or satellite communication systems.
GPS data describe routes, home ranges, migration patterns and foraging areas, while acceleration and magnetometry can reveal activity, posture, orientation and behavioural states. Pressure, temperature, light and wet/dry measurements provide additional information on diving behaviour, environmental exposure and habitat use. By combining multiple sensors and communication technologies within a single system, researchers can connect spatial, behavioural and environmental information in an integrated dataset.
Each research project presents different constraints, including species size, device weight, attachment method, battery life, sampling frequency, data-access requirements, transmission coverage and environmental exposure. For this reason, TechnoSmArt systems are configured case by case, from short, high-resolution biologging deployments to long-term tracking, telemetry and environmental monitoring programmes.
Compact dimensions, low power consumption, robust housings, flexible sampling schedules and multiple data-retrieval options make TechnoSmArt technologies suitable for demanding wildlife research and challenging field conditions.
Archival and Transmitting Systems
Devices are classified by how data are recovered: archival (stored on board) or transmitting (radio, cellular, satellite). The right choice depends on the species, the likelihood of recovering the device, the study area, required data frequency and available communication infrastructure. TechnoSmArt develops both families.
Archival Biologgers
Archival loggers store data internally; the device must normally be recovered to access the full dataset. They suit animals that can be recaptured, accessible breeding colonies or nests, and temporary attachments. Because no transmission is needed, archival devices typically offer: compact size and low weight, high-frequency recording, efficient power use, large onboard storage, and flexible sensor combinations — ideal for high-resolution studies when recovery is realistic.
Transmitting and Remote-Download Systems
These systems retrieve data without physically connecting to the device — via a base station, or over cellular/satellite networks. They’re valuable when animals are hard to recapture, when repeated data access is needed, or to minimise field disturbance.
| System type | How data is retrieved | Best for | Key advantage | Main limitation |
| Archival | Physical recovery of the device | Recapturable animals, accessible breeding colonies or nests, short deployments | Maximum autonomy, high sampling frequency, minimal size | Full data retrieval normally requires device recovery |
| Radio / UHF | Automatic download when the animal passes near a receiving station | Colonies, nests, roosts, fixed foraging sites | No dependence on mobile coverage, automatic download | Requires a receiving station within communication range |
| Cellular LTE/LTE-M | Transmission over mobile networks, remote online access | Wide-ranging mammals in areas with coverage, livestock, long-term studies | Frequent updates, immediate remote access | Requires adequate mobile network coverage |
| Satellite | Transmission via satellite | Oceanic species, remote areas, long-distance migration | Global coverage, no dependence on ground infrastructure | Trade-off between transmission frequency, weight and battery life |
The right choice also depends on species size, attachment method and battery life — see Products for device-specific specifications
Tracking, Biologging and Sensing Technologies
TechnoSmArt devices can combine location technologies with behavioural and environmental sensors to collect integrated data on animal movement, activity and the conditions experienced in the field. The configuration of each system depends on the research objectives, target species, required sampling resolution, deployment duration and data-access strategy.
GPS and GNSS Tracking
GPS and GNSS technologies provide geographic positions for studying movement routes, home ranges, migration, dispersal, habitat use and foraging areas. Sampling schedules can be configured to balance spatial resolution, battery life, memory capacity and data-transmission requirements. Depending on the selected system, location data can be stored onboard, downloaded remotely through UHF communication or transmitted using cellular or satellite networks.
Biologging and Environmental Sensors
TechnoSmArt devices can integrate behavioural, physiological and environmental sensors within the same platform. Tri-axial accelerometers and magnetometers provide information on activity, posture, orientation and behavioural states, while temperature, pressure, light and wet/dry sensors help researchers investigate environmental exposure, diving behaviour and habitat use. Additional sensing options can include microphones, humidity sensors, atmospheric and water-pressure sensors, air-quality and pollution sensors, and other environmental or marine sensors developed for specific research applications. Not every sensor fits every device or weight class — sensor integration is evaluated project by project, based on species, size, objectives, environment, sampling frequency and available power.
Behaviour Sensors
- Tri-axial accelerometers — measure movement on three axes, supporting activity classification (flying, walking, resting, feeding, swimming, diving) and, at high frequency, posture, movement intensity and energy expenditure.
- Magnetometers — measure orientation relative to Earth’s magnetic field; combined with accelerometers, they support heading estimation and fine-scale movement reconstruction.
Temperature, Humidity and Environmental Sensors
- Temperature sensors — capture ambient or, in suitable configurations, near-body temperature, supporting thermal-ecology and habitat-selection studies.
- Humidity sensors — characterise atmospheric or microhabitat conditions (nests, burrows, roosts) in selected devices and custom platforms.
- Atmospheric pressure sensors — record altitude changes, complementing GPS and accelerometer data in flight and vertical-movement studies.
- Light sensors — record light exposure to study day–night activity, nest/burrow attendance and, in some applications, broad-scale geolocation.
Aquatic and Marine Sensors
- Water-pressure / depth sensors (TDRs) — reconstruct dive profiles: depth, duration, descent/ascent phases, vertical habitat use.
- Water temperature sensors — provide environmental context for diving and swimming behaviour, and insight into thermal habitat use.
- Wet/dry sensors — detect water contact and transitions between wet and dry states; combined with movement or location data, they can help identify immersion periods, haul-out behaviour and colony attendance.
- Additional marine sensors — on selected custom platforms: conductivity/salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and other water-quality parameters, feasibility depending on depth, accuracy needs and battery capacity.
Acoustic and Atmospheric Monitoring Sensors
- Microphones / acoustic sensors — record vocalisations, sound exposure and acoustic conditions, useful for studying vocal behaviour, social interaction and anthropogenic noise. Acoustic data are large, so recording schedules and bandwidth need careful optimisation.
- Air-quality and pollution sensors — on custom platforms, measure particulate matter, volatile compounds or other pollutants; typically better suited to larger devices or stationary monitoring systems.
Configurable Technology and Sensor Integration
TechnoSmArt platforms can be configured by combining different tracking technologies, data-access systems and sensors within the same device architecture. Depending on the study requirements, a system may integrate GPS or GNSS positioning with accelerometers, magnetometers, pressure and temperature sensors, light sensors, wet/dry sensors, microphones or other environmental and marine sensors.
Data can be stored onboard, downloaded remotely through UHF communication, or transmitted through cellular or satellite networks. This flexibility makes it possible to create different configurations for different research goals, such as GPS + accelerometry for movement and behaviour, GPS + pressure + accelerometry for three-dimensional flight or diving, TDR + temperature + wet/dry sensing for aquatic activity, or GPS + air-quality sensors to relate animal movement to pollution exposure.
Not every combination is suitable for every species or deployment. Adding sensors or communication systems may increase device weight, power consumption and data volume. For this reason, each configuration is evaluated according to the target species, attachment method, deployment duration, sampling frequency, environmental conditions and research objectives.
Wildlife Technologies by Animal Group
Each guide below covers device options and configurations in more detail— see also the Products page for the full device range.
FAQ
If recapture probability is low, a transmitting or remote-download system can reduce the risk of losing access to the entire dataset. Radio/UHF systems are particularly useful when animals return to predictable locations, while cellular or satellite transmission may be preferable where suitable network coverage is available. Archival systems remain advantageous when recovery is realistic and high-resolution recording, low weight or long autonomy are priorities.
The appropriate sampling frequency depends on the behaviour being studied and the required temporal resolution. Higher frequencies can capture faster or finer-scale movements but increase data volume and power consumption. Pilot recordings or previously validated sampling frequencies for the target behaviour are recommended, and scheduled recording can help balance data resolution and battery life.
Yes, TechnoSmArt platforms are configurable case by case, combining positioning, behavioural and environmental sensors depending on species, weight class and research goals.
Yes, but total deployment mass — including the device, battery, housing and attachment materials — must be evaluated carefully for the target species. Appropriate tag load depends on species, morphology, locomotion, attachment method and deployment duration; commonly cited percentage rules should therefore be treated as general guidance rather than universal limits.
UHF requires a physical receiving station near the site (colony, nest, roost) but doesn’t depend on network coverage; cellular does not require a local receiving station but depends on adequate LTE/LTE-M network coverage.
Additional sensors may increase device weight, power consumption and data volume: the choice should be driven by the study’s primary research question, prioritising sensors that directly answer it rather than adding them “just in case.”