As you might’ve already guessed the Raspberry Pi Pico Bat Detector and 384kHz full-spectrum recorder allows you to listen to the sonic chirps made by bats as they fly around. The PCB is now available to purchase if you would like to build your very own.
The project all began two years ago, with an enthusiast’s curiosity for the Raspberry Pi Pico and a passion for volunteering at Bats in Churches, a citizen science project in the UK. This combination triggered an idea for an affordable, high-quality bat detector that has since transformed into an advanced tool for bat enthusiasts and scientists alike.
Raspberry Pi Bat Detector
The bat detector is a handheld, battery-operated device designed for capturing and recording the elusive ultrasonic calls of bats. Initially intended as a fun DIY project, it has evolved into an affordable yet high-quality tool, costing less than £20 per unit for a batch of five or more. This budget-friendly price tag doesn’t compromise the quality, making it a leading choice among bat detectors priced below £150.
So, what makes this Raspberry Pi Pico bat detector so impressive?
- A unique real-time time expansion mode, which enables users to listen to live bat calls that are slowed down 16x and transposed down 4 octaves. It’s as if you’ve entered the world of bats, experiencing their communications firsthand.
- An ultrasonic microphone and op amp work in sync to capture and amplify ultrasonic audio from bats, which the Raspberry Pi Pico then samples. Users can choose between heterodyned or time-expanded outputs for listening.
- It functions as a full-spectrum recorder, saving the recorded ultrasonic captures as 384kHz/16-bit audio files to an SD card. This allows for comprehensive offline analysis.
- A vibrant 10 LED spectrum display is driven by the Raspberry Pi Pico’s hardware PWM system, offering a virtually smooth analog display.
- Speech synthesis feedback contributes to accurate frequency detection, aiding users in pinpointing precise bat calls.
- It comes with three push buttons as the command inputs to the system. For more convenience, you can use the iOS app ‘Pipistrelle’ to configure the devices.
PCB design
An interesting aspect of its design is the PCB, which includes a snap-off section. This section helps create a frame that holds together the PCB and solder stencil. It ensures a firm and accurate alignment when applying solder paste, simplifying the assembly process.
The Raspberry Pi Pico Bat Detector and 384kHz full-spectrum recorder is a wonderful embodiment of how technology can be used to understand and appreciate the natural world. Whether you’re an amateur bat enthusiast or a seasoned scientist, this affordable, high-quality device may just be the tool you need to delve deeper into the fascinating world of bats.
Source : PCB
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