The ProBee system was launched in Pilsen on April 28, 2021. It is a cutting-edge combination of nature and science that will use artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor select bee colonies.
The city will support the project through its Business Innovation Centre (BIC Pilsen). This Czech city will then gather data that will help educate students and inform beekeepers.
The type of information that will be gathered by using this technology is regarding the activities associated with beehives. According to the creator of the project, Pavel Mach, this will allow beekeepers to control their bee colonies remotely and will therefore also relieve their anxiety about unknown factors.
This system will also produce information that has educational value in schools and will teach children about nature and spark their interest in technology. They will also learn more about honeybees and how vital they are to humanity.
This 4:21-minute video by ProBee goes deeper into what the system is all about:
Mach explained in a press release how the system works. He noted that ProBee records data like hive shocks, hive weight, temperature, sounds, GPS tracking and video stream. The technology can even recognize pests.
The data produced can help beekeepers make educated decisions, for instance, are the bees too cramped or are they hungry. This removes a lot of guess work from the shoulders of beekeepers. The data even allows ProBee to inform the user if the hive was stolen or if it has fallen.
Concerning school education that will use data from this system, the director of Information and Technology Administration of the City of Pilsen, Luděk Šantora, has said that the collected data, in addition to looking at the lives of bees, can also be used to teach other subjects such as biology and physics calculations.
For beekeepers wishing to use the ProBee system at their own apiary, there will be a monthly usage fee for receiving the technical equipment. However, ProBee’s basic functions and records will be available to everyone free of charge.
Mach noted that the ProBee system will still need to be tweaked, perfected, and improved. Beekeepers who are interested and willing to contribute to the development of the innovative technology will receive discounted rates.
It is interesting that this is a city-wide project and as results become available in the future we will report to our readers how this new system is working and if beekeepers have less anxiety and more peace of mind by using it in their hives.