Primary Country (Mandatory)

United States

Other Country (Optional)

Set News Language for United States

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language[s] (Optional)
No other language available

Set News Language for World

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language(s) (Optional)

Set News Source for United States

Primary Source (Mandatory)
CNN
Other Source[s] (Optional)

Set News Source for World

Primary Source (Mandatory)
AajTak
Other Source(s) (Optional)
  • Countries
    • India
    • United States
    • Qatar
    • Germany
    • China
    • Canada
    • World
  • Categories
    • National
    • International
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Special
    • All Categories
  • Available Languages for United States
    • English
  • All Languages
    • English
    • Hindi
    • Arabic
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
  • Sources
    • India
      • AajTak
      • NDTV India
      • The Hindu
      • India Today
      • Zee News
      • NDTV
      • BBC
      • The Wire
      • News18
      • News 24
      • The Quint
      • ABP News
      • Zee News
      • News 24
    • United States
      • CNN
      • Fox News
      • Al Jazeera
      • CBSN
      • NY Post
      • Voice of America
      • The New York Times
      • HuffPost
      • ABC News
      • Newsy
    • Qatar
      • Al Jazeera
      • Al Arab
      • The Peninsula
      • Gulf Times
      • Al Sharq
      • Qatar Tribune
      • Al Raya
      • Lusail
    • Germany
      • DW
      • ZDF
      • ProSieben
      • RTL
      • n-tv
      • Die Welt
      • Süddeutsche Zeitung
      • Frankfurter Rundschau
    • China
      • China Daily
      • BBC
      • The New York Times
      • Voice of America
      • Beijing Daily
      • The Epoch Times
      • Ta Kung Pao
      • Xinmin Evening News
    • Canada
      • CBC
      • Radio-Canada
      • CTV
      • TVA Nouvelles
      • Le Journal de Montréal
      • Global News
      • BNN Bloomberg
      • Métro
HeatGear Compression Long-Sleeve T-Shirt Buy Now
3-Pack No-See-Thru Yoga Leggings Buy Now
Lenovo Tab M9-2023 - Tablet - Long Battery Life Buy Now
Womens V Neck Tshirt Summer Floral Tops Buy Now
Ascender Softshell Front-zip Jacket Buy Now
LN LENQIN Military Sport Watch Buy Now
KODAK PIXPRO AZ405 Digital Camera (20MP, 40X Zoom) Buy Now
Workout Set: 5-Piece Exercise Outfits Buy Now
Lee Men's Regular Fit Straight Leg Jean Buy Now
Touchstone Hollywood Glamour crystals jewelry Buy Now
Spray Screen Cleaner Kit with Microfiber Cloth Buy Now
GoPro HERO13 Black: 5.3K Action Camera Buy Now
Gold Pearl Bridal Jewelry Set Buy Now
Women Bunion Shoes Buy Now
Lenovo 14" Business Laptop w/ 40GB RAM, 1TB SSD Buy Now
Hair Bonnet for Sleeping Hair Buy Now
STGAubron Gaming Desktop PC Buy Now
Luxury Big Face Watches for Men Buy Now
Men's Pleated Trousers Buy Now
EcoSmart Fleece Hoodie Buy Now
MoreBack to News Headlines
Scientists are using facial recognition software to track and protect seals

Scientists are using facial recognition software to track and protect seals

CBC
Thursday, December 1, 2022 10:43 AM GMT

Scientists are taking a controversial technology associated with surveillance, and adapting it for conservation.

It's called SealNet, and it's a facial recognition database that's used to track the movement of seals. 

"It's sort of transforming this technology from the Big Brother concerns that we have in human facial recognition technology, to using it for good," biologist Krista Ingram told As It Happens host Nil Köksal. "There's no downside."

Ingram, a biologist at Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y.,  is the team leader of SealNet. The software was developed in part by Ahmet Ay, a Colgate associate professor of biology and mathematics. It's based on PrimNet, facial recognition software used to identify primates.

In a recent test Ingram, Ay and their colleagues found SealNet could accurately identify individual harbor seals between 90 and 97 per cent of the time. The findings were published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.

If you think all seals look alike, you may want to check your human biases. 

Ingram says each seal is unique — and she should know. She and her colleagues have spent hours in Maine's Casco Bay snapping pictures of harbor seals for the database.

Ingram says she's taken more than 8,000 photographs of the critters so far. They've uploaded 1,250 of them to SealNet.

"I'm getting really good at it," she said.

She and her team photograph the animals while they're resting on rocks that jut out of the water at low tide. They snap the shots from a boat using long-range cameras, so as to abide by federal regulations to keep 50 metres away from marine mammals.

It's not without its challenges.

"The difficulty is that you can't manipulate them. So you have to wait until they're actually looking at you if you want a full-on front picture," Ingram said. "So one of the things we're working on is using some new drone technology to allow us to more easily manoeuvre around … to get every face of every seal on that rock."

Tracking the movement of seals is key to conservation planning, Ingram said.

Traditionally, scientists follow the movement of seals and other marine mammals using satellite trackers. But facial recognition technology could provide faster, cheaper, more accurate data with a non-invasive technique.

Read full story on CBC
Share this story on:-
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running GamePlay Run 3, the ultimate space tunnel running game with 300+ challenging levels!Adv.
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing GameTraffic Jam 3D is a game where you’ll be driving through heavy traffic.Adv.
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic GamePlay the classic 1984 light gun shooter game Duck Hunt on your browser.Adv.
More Related News
What we know about measles during pregnancy

The death of an Ontario infant born prematurely and infected with measles through the mother is raising questions about how the virus is transmitted during pregnancy.

Work underway to measure the quality of life of Nova Scotians with disabilities

In Nova Scotia, where there's a significant proportion of people living with disabilities, work is underway to measure whether the province is making progress on improving their lives.

Life is 'better after solar': Harnessing sunlight gives India's salt farmers freedom and profit

Under a punishing midday sun, Devabhai Sawadiya slowly rakes the salt pan that has been in his family for generations. It's quiet around him, except for the sweeping motions of his salt broom and the soft, clinking sound of dishes being washed nearby. 

Some rape crisis centres report spike in calls since start of Hockey Canada sexual assault trial

WARNING: This article references sexual assault and may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​sexual violence or know someone impacted by it.

A brisk walk a few times a week could help keep colon cancer away, study suggests

James Smith woke up from a colonoscopy to be told devastating news. At 59, he was diagnosed with colon cancer. Doctors found a mass so large it completely blocked their view of the rest of his colon. Smith said he was shocked.

Daughter of First Nations woman missing 20 years remembers her mother's 'warm hands'

Stephanie Cameron-Johnson was 11 and in foster care when she learned her mother had gone missing on Vancouver Island, after a friend showed her a photo in a newspaper.

How much does your gut health impact your overall health? A lot, doctors say

You may be hearing a lot about the gut microbiome these days — it's been mentioned everywhere, from wellness podcasts to the grocery aisle. Doctors are tapping into it to try to treat some diseases differently.

Parking Slot | Free Parking GamePlay Parking Slot, the best online 3D car driving and parking game.Adv.
Slope Ball Run - Play OnlineSlope Game takes you on an exciting journey of a ball on special paths.Adv.
Why did this outfit by a Blackfoot designer lead to controversy… and what does she think about it?

A Blackfoot designer says she was shocked when her latest collection received backlash online over sexualization of Indigenous women and inappropriate use of traditional medicines. 

'The missing link': New early tyrannosaur species discovered by Calgary researchers

Scientists from the University of Calgary have discovered a new dinosaur specimen that they say appears to be the "missing link" in the evolution of tyrannosaurs.

First Nations opposition continues after passing of Ontario's Bill 5

Many First Nations people in Ontario are continuing protests following the passing of Bill 5 in Ontario last week.

B.C. Mountie loses bid to stay obstruction of justice charge connected to 2017 death of Indigenous man

A Prince George RCMP officer has lost a bid to stay an obstruction of justice charge and will now be sentenced, in a case connected to the 2017 death of an Indigenous man in custody.

Preventable deaths, violent attacks: doctor alleges deteriorating conditions at Fraser Health hospitals

An emergency room physician is blowing the whistle on deteriorating conditions in hospitals managed by B.C.'s Fraser Health Authority — claiming in a lawsuit that her job was threatened after she and other doctors sought to warn patients about a potentially dangerous situation.

Millions of seahorses worth $29M smuggled illegally, study finds

Nearly five million smuggled seahorses were seized globally by authorities over a 10-year period, Canadian researchers found, warning it's only the "tip of the iceberg" in an illegal trade that is likely far larger in scale.

This 40-foot serpent sculpture in Vancouver is a reclamation of Squamish and Japanese art

James Nexw'Kalus-Xwalacktun Harry, a Squamish artist, and Lauren Brevner of Japanese and Trinidadian heritage, have been collaborating on art pieces for a decade.

2 new species of crayfish identified in Pacific Northwest — and they're already at risk

Two new species of crayfish have been identified in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, and researchers say both species are vulnerable to extinction.

Seasonique birth control pills from Teva Canada recalled due to extra yellow tablets

Health Canada issued a recall notice on Friday for some Seasonique birth control products due to some packages containing the correct blue-green pills coming with extraneous yellow tablets.

These families left the Mackenzie Delta for Yukon, and a chance to pursue their hockey dreams

Thirteen-year-old William Gruben said when he first moved from Inuvik, N.W.T., to Whitehorse in August 2024, he missed his friends back home. 

Anniversary of 'Red Paper' highlights First Nations' fight against assimilation

A grassroots group in Edmonton honoured those who stood up for First Nations rights back in 1970 when the Canadian government was proposing to erase legal distinctions between First Nations and other citizens, at an event Wednesday. 

Canadian technology could be used to mine the deep seas, but there's growing alarm over the risks

In dark waters near Collingwood, Ont., a giant yellow machine with metallic claws precisely snatches tiny rock balls from the lakebed, kicking up sediment with each grab. 

© 2008 - 2025 Webjosh  |  News Archive  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us