Determining Gopher Tortoise Burrow Occupancy … Gopher Tortoise Burrow Occupancy Using a Robotic Camera By Joseph A. Butler, Department of Biology And Alan Harris, Department of Electrical

UNF Environmental Seed Grant Application

Determining Gopher Tortoise Burrow Occupancy Using a Robotic Camera

By

Joseph A. Butler, Department of Biology

And

Alan Harris, Department of Electrical Engineering

November 1, 2010

Burrow Camera Butler and Harris Page 2

Summary Page

We propose to build and field test a robotic camera to determine occupancy of burrows

by gopher tortoises. Tortoise researchers and land managers typically estimate tortoise

population numbers using a count of the burrows rather than counting every tortoise present.

Sometimes tortoises utilize more than one burrow at a time, in which case the number of burrows

would overestimate the tortoise number. On other occasions tortoises may share burrows with

others, which would cause a straight burrow count to underestimate the number of tortoises. To

account for such problems earlier researchers devised a correction factor of 0.614 which the

burrow number would be multiplied by for a population estimate. Others have questioned this

correction factor and have argued that these numbers should be site specific because tortoises

behave differently in varying habitats.

The method of determining a site specific correction factor is to select a segment of the

burrow population and determine how many tortoises actually occupy those burrows (# tortoises/

# burrows = correction factor). In some cases where tortoises were to be moved offsite, burrows

were excavated to determine occupancy. In areas where burrows must be left intact burrow

cameras have been used with varying success.

We will build a subterranean robot to navigate burrows in the UNF tortoise population.

It will integrate of a high-definition camera, drive mechanism and robotic control device all

powered by a microcontroller. The microcontroller will allow a researcher to use a computer

interface on a laptop to communicate directly with the robot while viewing a live video feed.

Navigation information received from onboard sensors will be monitored using the computer.

We will use the robotic camera to establish the occupancy of tortoise burrows, thus

determining the appropriate correction factor for our site.


Proposal Narrative

Gopher tortoises have recently been elevated to Threatened Species status in the state of

Florida (FWC 2007). Their available habitat has decreased by 80% over the past century

(Auffenberg and Franz 1982). Despite this fact, in areas where gopher tortoise populations exist

they may range over thousands of acres (Deimer 1987) making it difficult to determine the actual

number of individuals inhabiting an area. The size of the population will likely affect

management decisions therefore it is essential to have an accurate estimate. Auffenberg and

Franz (1982) suggested that in large areas where it is impractical to count all individuals, one can

get an estimate of tortoise population size based on the number of burrows present. Some

tortoises use more than one burrow at a time so the number of burrows in an area is multiplied by

a correction factor of 0.614 to get a population estimate (Auffenberg and Franz 1982).

Subsequent researchers have found the correction factor is not hard and fast but varies between

0.4 - 0.8 with different habitat types, and most suggest that correction factors be site specific

(Burke 1989, Breininger et al. 1991, Deimer 1992). To establish a site specific correction factor

(# occupied/# of burrows), one would select a number of burrows from an area and verify

occupancy by excavating them (Smith et al. 2005). Of course this would destroy the burrow, so

to preserve the burrow occupancy could be determined by searching the intact burrow with a

camera (Tuberville and Dorcas 2001).

Robotic cameras are currently widely used for exploration of environments that are either

hazardous or not suitable for human exploration. Robotic exploration of subterranean

environments is of particular interest for this project. Robotic cameras have been used for

exploration of underground caves and mines (Morris et al. 2005). Siles and Walker (2009)

introduced a novel design for subterranean robotic exploration in which various drive


mechanisms were investigated to navigate over uneven surfaces. Based on information from this

work, a caterpillar track system will be designed for use on the burrow robot.

The subterranean deployment of a robotic camera raises interesting communication

aspects between the controller and the robot. Wireless communication with the robotic camera is

limited due to the need to transmit through soil and rocks. The length of burrows to be explored

will allow for the design and construction of a tethered robot, in which control of the robot as

well as a live video feed can be provided through a hard-wired connection. Navigation in an

underground environment will also require sensor devices to be installed on the robot to assist

the controller in determining distances while underground. Ultrasonic sensors can be

incorporated into the design to provide instant measurement of distances between the robot and

any underground objects.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to design, build, and field test a robotic camera to be used

to assess gopher tortoise burrow occupancy in a way that will not damage burrows or occupants.

Goal: The ultimate goal of this project is to produce technology which will allow field

biologists to determine accurate correction factors to be used for gopher tortoise population

estimates.

Objectives:

• To have undergraduates from both Engineering and Biology (2 total) design and build a

tethered robotic camera capable of penetrating gopher tortoise burrows throughout their

lengths

• To test the instrument in gopher tortoise burrows on campus

• To make any design alterations revealed as necessary by field tests

• To train other students in the use of this device


• To determine the appropriate correction factor for the UNF tortoise population estimation

Hypothesis: We hypothesize that a robotic burrow camera will be useful in determining gopher

tortoise burrow occupancy and subsequent formulation of a site specific population estimate

correction factor.

Methods: Our field site is in the southwest corner of the UNF campus, an area with 13 hectares

of upland gopher tortoise habitat. Student tortoise teams overseen by JAB have worked in that

area for the past two seasons and have identified and marked 375 burrows. Of these, 138 are

adult burrows and applying the traditional 0.614 correction factor we estimate there to be 84

adult tortoises. We plan to use the burrow camera on all the adult burrows and with the

occupancy data we will calculate a more accurate correction factor and compare it to others.

The design of a subterranean robot to navigate the burrows will require the integration of

a high-definition camera, drive mechanism and robotic control device through the use of a

microcontroller. The microcontroller will be programmed in order to allow a user to control the

robot’s movement using a tether. The user will also be able to use a computer interface on a

laptop to communicate directly with the robot while viewing a live video feed. Navigation

information received from onboard sensors will also be monitored using a laptop computer.


Butler’s Background: I have worked with turtle ecology my entire career at UNF (21 years). I

have studied the campus gopher tortoise population off and on since 1990. I have been co-chair

of the Gopher Tortoise Council (GTC), given numerous presentations on tortoise biology, and

have co-published numerous articles with UNF students. Three of my graduate students have

won small grants from GTC, and many of my students have presented at those conferences.

Since 1995 I have also done extensive fieldwork with another turtle species, the diamondback

terrapin. Again I have published extensively on their ecology, had grants that have taken me to

field sites throughout the state, and am the founding co-chair of the national Diamondback

Terrapin Working Group (dtwg.org). I have always assembled teams of students for my field

projects because during the active seasons the sites must be monitored daily and sometimes twice

daily. Many undergraduate students from my teams have presented at conferences, published

their work, and some have gone on to graduate school. Three of my graduate students have done

their theses on tortoises.

Harris’ Background: My research area is in optical and wireless communication systems.

Since joining UNF I have served as the faculty advisor for several projects involving the design

and construction of different robots. In March 2010, I accompanied a team of students who

constructed an autonomous solar powered robot that placed 8th at the IEEE Southeastcon

competition. In June 2010, I accompanied a team of students who constructed and autonomous

lawnmower. Their robot won first place in the static competition at the ION Autonomous

Lawnmower competition. I am currently advising an interdisciplinary group of students who are

designing a new autonomous lawnmower and I am the IEEE faculty advisor for a competition

team designing an autonomous search and rescue robot for the 2011 IEEE Southeastcon

competition.


Schedule

• The two professors and two UG students will have several meetings to design the robotic

camera and have a working design by January 2011.

• The camera will be constructed during February and March 2011.

• Field testing will occur in April 2011.

• Design adjustments will be completed by May 2011.

• Other selected students will be trained in the use of the device during May and beyond.

• The 138 adult burrows will be assessed for occupancy using the burrow camera. This

part of the project will continue into summer until all burrows are evaluated.


Literature Cited

Auffenberg, W., and R. Franz. 1982. The status and distribution of Gopher polyphemus. 95-126 In: R.B. Bury, (ed.). North American tortoises: conservation and ecology. United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife Research Report 12, pp. 95-126.

Breininger, D. R., Schmalzer, P.A., and Hinkle, C.R. 1991. Estimating occupancy of gopher

tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) burrows in coastal scrub and slash pine flatwoods. Journal of Herpetology 25:317-321.

Burke, R. 1989. Burrow-to-tortoise conversion factors: comparison of three gopher tortoise

survey techniques. Herpetological Review 20:92-94. Diemer, J. 1987. The status of the gopher tortoise in Florida. In: R. Odom, K. Riddleburger, and

J. Ozier, (eds.). Proceedings of the Third Southeastern Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Symposium. Georgia. Department of Natural Resources, Game and Fish Division. 3:72 – 83. Athens, GA.

Diemer, J.E. 1992. Home range and movement patterns of the tortoise Gopherus polyphemus in

northern Florida. J. Herpetol. 26: 158-165. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). 2007. Gopher tortoise management

plan. Tallahassee, 127 pp. Morris, A., Silver, D., Ferguson, D. and Thayer, S. 2005. Towards Topological Exploration of

Abandoned Mines. IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation. 2117-2123.

Siles, I. and Walker, I.D. 2009. Design, construction, and testing of a new class of mobile robots

for cave exploration. IEEE International Conference on Mechtronics. 1-6. Malaga Smith, R.B., T.D. Tuberville, A.L.Chambers, K.M. Herpich, and J.E. Berish. 2005. Gopher

tortoise burrow surveys: external characteristics, burrow cameras, and truth. Applied Herpetology 2:161-170.

Tuberville, T.D. and M.E. Dorcas. 2001. Winter survey of a gopher tortoise population in South

Carolina. Chelonian Conservation Biology. 4:182-186.


Budget and Narrative

1. Equipment

All of the equipment for this project will be used for the construction of the burrow

camera robot. Due to the fact that the robot will have to traverse a burrow, the robot will

be constructed using caterpillar tracks to allow for operation over rough terrain. The robot

will be equipped with a high-definition dome camera and will feed live video back to a

laptop computer through a tether. The equipment needed to construct the robot is as

follows:

HD Dome Camera $ 680.99 Caterpillar Tracks $ 215.50 Optically Encoded DC Motors $ 59.99 Controller keypad $ 49.99 Light Emitting Diodes $ 14.85 Paint $ 8.99 Ultrasonic range sensors $ 111.80 Printed circuit boards $ 99.00 NiMH Batteries $ 199.90 Miscellaneous parts (wire etc) $ 500.00 Total Equipment $2,000.00

2. Student Stipends (Including fringe benefits)

This project will employ two students. Kevin Nguyen (Electrical Engineering) will be

designing and constructing the burrow robot. Alexandra Legeza (Biology) will be

working to determine burrow occupancy using the robot. Each student will receive a

$1,000.00 stipend for their work.

Stipend $2,000.00

Total Budget Request $4,000.00


Joe Butler - Curriculum Vitae (Abbreviated)

GRANTS – EXTERNAL – Recent 2009-2010 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Twelve-month finding on a petition to list the gopher tortoise as Threatened or Endangered throughout its range. $10,000.00. 2006 - 2010 Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission Nongame Wildlife Program.

Survey of the distribution and population status of the Ornate Diamondback Terrapin in the Big Bend Region of Florida. $35,956.00.

2006 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/The Nature Conservancy. Betz-Tiger Point Preserve Assessment and Restoration Plan. (CO-PI with Dan Moon and Kelly Smith. $34,745.00.

2004 - 2005 North American Snake Institute. Raccoon removal as a management tool for Diamondback Terrapin nesting and hatching success. $20,838.00.

2003 - 2005 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Effectiveness of bycatch reduction devices on crab pots at reducing capture and mortality of Diamondback Terrapins. $51,733.00.

2003 - 2004 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The Effectiveness of Bycatch Reduction Devices on Crab Pots at Reducing Capture and Mortality of Diamondback Terrapins. $20,413.00.

GRANTS – INTERNAL – Recent (Summer Scholarship Awards in Appendix) 2000-2010 UNF TLO. Restoration of gopher tortoise habitat on the UNF campus. $5000.00 Supported 6 UGs and 2 Graduate Students (GS). 2010 Student Summer Research Award – Reproductive success of UNF tortoises. $2000.00 Supported one UG. 2009 Dean’s Undergraduate Research Assistantship – Habitat restoration to enhance a gopher tortoise population on the UNF campus. $3000.00 Supported one UG. 2009 Environmental Center Seed Grant - Habitat restoration techniques to enhance a gopher tortoise population on the UNF campus. $2000.00 Supported one GS. 2009 Student Summer Research Award – Dietary preferences of gopher tortoises on the UNF Campus. $2000.00 Supported one UG. 2008-2009 UNF TLO. Populations studies of the gopher tortoises on the UNF campus.

$4500.00. PRESENTATIONS – Recent (Students in italics) 2010 Living on the edge: diamondback terrapins in Florida. J. A. Butler and G. L. Heinrich. Annual Meeting of the Turtle Survival Alliance and IUCN. Orlando, August 19. 2010 Survey of the distribution and population status of ornate diamondback terrapins in the Big Bend region of Florida. Butler, J.A. and G.L. Heinrich. Florida Regional Meeting of the Diamondback Terrapin Working Group, Davie, FL, February 6. 2009 Diamondback terrapins: problems and solutions. Invited presentation to faculty and students of Valdosta State University. October 22. 2008 Survey of Hatching Success of the Gopher Tortoise at Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State

Park in Northeast Florida for the 2007 Nesting Season. (Co-author and presenter Megan Jimenez. 72nd Meeting/Florida Academy of Sciences. Jacksonville. March 14. (Poster).

2008 Correction Factor for Tortoises at Pumpkin Hill State Park. (Co-author/ presenter S. Palevsky). 72nd Meeting/Florida Academy of Sciences. Jacksonville. March 14.


2007 Preliminary Results of a Survey of the Distribution and Population Status of the Ornate Diamondback Terrapin in the Big Bend Region of Florida. (Co-author G. L. Heinrich). Fourth Symposium on the Ecology, Status, and Conservation of the Diamondback Terrapin. Millersville, MD August 10-12.

2007 Home Range of the Carolina Diamondback Terrapin in Northeastern Florida. Fourth Symposium on the Ecology, Status, and conservation of the Diamondback Terrapin. (Co-authors C. Cox and E. Munscher). Millersville, MD August 10-12. (Poster)

2007 Survey of a Gopher Tortoise Population in Florida’s Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park for Exposure and Presence of URTD. (Co-author and presenter M. Marcum). 29th Meeting of the Gopher Tortoise Council. Milton. FL. October 13.

2007 Experimental Restoration in Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve State Park for Management of Gopherus polyphemus. (Co-author and presenter Katya Schuster). 29th Meeting of the Gopher Tortoise Council. Milton. FL. October 13.

2006 Effectiveness of Bycatch Reduction Devices on Crab Pots at Reducing Diamondback Terrapin Capture and Mortality. (Co-author G. L. Heinrich, presenter). Defenders of Wildlife: Habitats, Challenges and Opportunities. St. Petersburg, November 12 – 15.

PUBLICATIONS – Recent (Also see Literature Cited) Butler, J.A. and G.L. Heinrich. 2010. Survey of the distribution and population status of the Ornate

Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota) in the Big Bend Region of Florida. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Nongame Wildlife Report # NG06-021. Tallahassee, FL.

Butler, J. A. and G. L. Heinrich. 2007. The effectiveness of bycatch reduction devices on crab pots at reducing capture and mortality of diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) in Florida. Estuaries and Coasts 30:1-7.

Butler, J. A., G. L. Heinrich, and R. A. Seigel. 2006. Third workshop on the ecology, status and conservation of diamondback terrapins: results and recommendations. Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 5:331-334.

Butler, J.A., R. A. Seigel, and B. Mealey. 2006. Malaclemys terrapin – Diamondback Terrapin. In: Meylan, P.A. (Ed.) Biology and Conservation of Florida Turtles. Chelonian Research Monographs No. 3, pp. 279 - 295.

Butler, J.A., C. Broadhurst, M. Green and Z. Mullin. 2004. Nesting, nest predation, and hatchling emergence of the Carolina diamondback terrapin, Malaclemys terrapin centrata, in northeastern Florida. American Midland Naturalist 152:145-155

Butler, J.A. 2001. Nesting biology of the sea turtles of St. Kitts, West Indies. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 4:191-196.

Butler, J.A. and S. Sowell. 1996. Survivorship and predation of hatchling and yearling gopher tortoises, Gopherus polyphemus. Journal of Herpetology. 30:455-458.

Butler, J.A. and T.W. Hull. 1996. Reproduction of the tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus, in northeastern Florida. Journal of Herpetology. 30:14-18.

Butler, J.A., R.D. Bowman, T.W. Hull, and S. Sowell. 1995. Movements and home range of hatchling and yearling gopher tortoises, Gopherus polyphemus. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 1:173-180.


Alan Harris – Curriculum Vitae (Abbreviated) Education Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Oklahoma, 2005 M.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Oklahoma, 2002 B.S., Engineering Physics, University of Central Oklahoma, 1999 Experience 2007 to Present Assistant Professor UNF Jacksonville, Florida Teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses in electrical engineering. Courses taught include Electronic Circuits I&II, Optical Fiber Communications, Optical Systems and Networks, Digital Design, Electric Circuits Lab, Introduction to Electric Machines, Introduction to Power Systems and Independent Studies. 2006 - 2007 Visiting to Assistant Professor UNF Jacksonville, Florida Teaching of undergraduate level courses in electrical engineering. Courses taught include Electronic Circuits II, Electrical Circuits Lab, Introduction to Electric Machines and Optical Fiber Communications. 2005-2006 Research Scientist & Adjunct Instructor–U. of Oklahoma Tulsa, Oklahoma Taught Electronic Circuits. Research activity on passive optical networks, hybrid wireless / free-space optical communications. 2006 Adjunct Faculty – U. of Central Oklahoma Edmond, Oklahoma . Taught Engineering Experimentation and General Physics Awards Electrical Engineering Professor of the Year 2006/2007 Electrical Engineering Professor of the Year 2007/2008 Recent Publications Christopher J. Brown and Alan Harris, “The Proposed University of North Florida Environmental Hydrology Living Laboratory – An Ideal Framework for Active Learning,” Review of Higher Education and Self-Learning, May 2010.

Alan Harris, James J. Sluss, Jr.., Hazem H. Refai and Peter G. LoPresti, “Free-space optical wavelength diversity scheme for fog mitigation in a ground-to-unmanned-aerial-vehicle communications link,” Optical Engineering, vol. 45, no. 8, pp. 86001-12.


Christopher J. Brown and Alan Harris, “Providing a Dependable Peak Demand Supply and Generating Green Energy for Small Water Supply systems Using Aquifer, Storage and Recovery (ASR) Wells,” AWWA Annual Conference, June 20-24, 2010, Chicago, IL.

Christopher J. Brown and Alan Harris, “The Proposed University of North Florida Environmental Hydrology Living Laboratory – An Ideal Framework for Active Learning,” Intellectbase International Consortium Academic Conference, Decemter 17-19, 2009, Las Vegas, NV.

Alan Harris, Mouhammad Al Akkoumi and James J. Sluss, Jr., “A comparison of passive optical network security,” Data Mining, Intrusion Detection, Information Security and Assurance, and Data Networks Security 2009, edited by Belur V. Dasarthy, Proceedings of SPIE, Vol. 7334, Orlando, FL, April 2009.

Mouhammad Al Akkoumi, Alan Harris, Robert C. Huck, and James J. Sluss Jr., “Challenges facing mobile free-space optical communications,” Atmospheric Propagation VI, edited by linda M. Wasiczko Thomas and G. Charmaine Gilbreath, Proceedings of SPIE, Vol. 7324, Orlando, FL, April 2009.

C. Pearson, T. Giuma, and A. Harris, “Transparent Connectivity for Embedded System Design,” Third International Multi-Conference on Computing in the Global Information Technology, Athens, Greece, July 2008. Alan Harris and Tayeb A. Giuma, “Divergence and Power Variations in Mobile Free-Space Optical Communications,” Accepted for publication at ICONS 2008, Cancun, Mexico.

Mouhammad K. Al Akkoumi, Alan Harris, James J. Sluss, Jr., Robert C. Huck, and Tayeb A. Giuma, “Performance of a wavelength-diversified FSO tracking algorithm for real-time battlefield communications,” SPIE Photonics West, 2008 P. Bhagawat, W. Wang, M. Uppal, G. Choi, X. Zixiang, M. Yeary, and A. Harris, “An FPGA Implementation of a Dirty Paper Precoder,” IEEE International Conference on Communications, Scotland, 2007, pp. 2761-2766 Alan Harris, Andres Sierra, Stamatios V. Kartalopoulos, and James J. Sluss, Jr., “Security Enhancements in Novel Passive Optical Networks,” IEEE ICC Computer and Communications Network Security Symposium, Scotland, 2007, pp. 1399-1403. Alan Harris, Mouhammad K. Al Akkoumi, Fares N. Beainy, Robert C. Huck, Pramode K. Verma, and Hazem H. Refai, “Hybrid Networks: Free Space Optics to Balloon Mounted Wireless LAN for Remote Emergency Operations,” The Seventh IASTED International Conference on Wireless and Optical Communications. Alan Harris and Tayeb A. Giuma, “Minimization of Acquisition Time in a Wavelength Diversified FSO Link between Mobile Platforms,” SPIE Defense and Security Symposium, Orlando, 2007.


Student Profile – Alexandra Legeza Alexandra A. Legeza

5020 Palm Valley Road, Ponte Vedra Beach Florida, 32082 [email protected]

904-610-1303

Objective: To gain experience relative to the field of Biology while networking with peers. Obtain a Ph.D. in Biological Science: Ecology.

. Education Expected Bachelor of Biological Sciences, University of North Florida Spring 2011 GPA: 3.65, 3.91 Upper level Associate of Arts Degree, Florida State College at Jacksonville May 2008 GPA: 3.80 Computer Proficient in: Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, Microsoft XP, Vista, Skills Windows 7 Research Reproductive Success of Gopherus polyphemus at UNF: Study on the reproductive success

of the local population of gopher tortoises on the campus of UNF. Follow-up to research conducted by Joseph Butler, Ph.D., UNF Professor of Biology over the last 20 years.

Waterway Restoration and Evaluation: Research Assistant to Dale Casamatta, Ph.D.,

Department of Biology at UNF. Locate small waterways and evaluate the current plant systems and stream health as they drain into primary water sources. Introduce plants to act as biological filters for pollutants. (limited research due to prolonged winter).

Employment Sawgrass Marriott Hotel & Resort, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

August 2006 - Present Retail Clerk Telephone Switchboard operation, processing and logging of all guest

requests and hotel issues guest assistance, product ordering and purchasing, cashiering, store upkeep, customer service.

Posters/ A preliminary review of the reproductive success of the gopher tortoise (Gopherus Presentation polyphemus) at the University of North Florida, Natural Sciences Poster Session, 17

September 2010. Honors/Awards Academic Affairs Student Summer Research Award 2010 & Memberships Transformational Learning Opportunity Scholarship Summer 2010 Dean’s List President’s List Member, Student Government; Representative 1 (2008) - FSCJ Member, Phi Theta Kappa Member, Sigma Alpha Lambda Hobbies & Interests Kayaking, Fishing, Hiking, Travel, Reading, Music, Animal Rescue


Student Profile – Kevin Nguyen Objective Obtain a research position designing robotics for real world applications. Education 2011 BS Electrical Engineering (5/11), Minor in Mathematics, University of North Florida, GPA 3.32 Engineering and Computer Skills C/ C++ - software programming language VHDL/Verilog – digital logic design Texas Instruments MSP430/CC430 microprocessor Windows XP/Vista/7 - operating system Multisim – analog/digital circuit design Freescale HCS12C microprocessor PSPICE – analog circuit design MATLAB –digital image processing Microsoft Visual Studio – software design Java – software programming language CodeWarrior – HCS12C microcode development in C Xilinx ISE – digital circuit development with VHDL XESS XSA-3S1000 - Field Programmable Gate Array Sure Electronics DC -SS09 – 3-axis low-g accelerometer IAR Embedded Workbench IDE – TI MSP430 microcode development in C Experience -Embedded system design of a Heart Rate Variability monitor to detect potential fatal heart conditions as

specified by Dr Boris Golosarsky. The medical instrument utilizes a modified TI eZ430 Chronos wireless watch and the TI EM-CC430F6137-900 to simulate a patient’s heart rate variability.

-Embedded system design of an Intelligent Rock Core Analyzer to create a panoramic view of a rock sample as specified. This system utilizes the ATmega8 microcontroller to control a KH56JM2 stepper motor and drive a rotating platform while controlling the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III to take pictures. MATLAB was used to automatically crop, correlate, and stitch the photos together.

-Embedded system design of an Intelligent Position Detector utilizing the TI MSP430F449 microprocessor and the Sure Electronics DC-SS009 3-axis accelerometer.

-Robotic Arm Design: Used the XESS XSA-3S1000 FPGA to generate varying duty cycle signals allowing DIP switches to control the motion of a robotic arm with three degrees of freedom.

-Embedded system design of an Intelligent Speedometer utilizing the Freescale HCS12C microprocessor, infrared LEDs and phototransistors.

-Wireless Robot Design: Utilized the Freescale HCS12C microprocessor and a GLOLAB TM1V/RM1V wireless transceiver to control two DC motors that provide a differential drive system.

Other Member, Pi Mu Epsilon Math Honor Society. High School Honor Roll. Instruments: Bass Guitar, Guitar, Piano, Drums. Dean’s List, University of North Florida(2x). Florida Bright Futures Academic Scholarship. Student Member, Florida Engineering Society. Student Member, Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineering (IEEE). Vice President, Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineering (IEEE) UNF Chapter. Employment History Banquet Associate Sawgrass Marriott 7/07 – Current Research Assistant University of North Florida 9/10 – Current Cook Lulu's Waterfront Grille 10/04 – 6/06


Appendix A – Joe Butler Previous Awards

Award 1.

Summer Research Proposal Award Year: 1991

Summer Research Proposal Award Topic: Radio Telemetry Study of Hatchling

Gopher Tortoises.

Summer Research Proposal Award Outcome: I published one paper in 1995 and two in

1996 which were all projects that had commenced in the summer of 1991 as a result of the

Award. In addition I gave presentations on that work at national conferences in 1992 (2), 1993,

1994, and 1995. Further, that was the first experience I had using radio-telemetry which has

been a cornerstone to much of my subsequent research. I likely would not have received my

second grant from FFWCC had I not had significant experience with this technique.

Award 2.


Summer Research Proposal Award Topic: Quantifying Raccoon Predation on

Diamondback Terrapin Nests

Summer Research Proposal Award Outcome: One student received a Natural Sciences

Student Summer Stipend and two others arranged Independent Studies courses to work on this

project. We trapped and radio collared 8 raccoons and located and monitored 30 terrapin nests

from 1 May through 31 October. We collected data on terrapin nest predation and hatching, and

on raccoon movements, home ranges, and preferred refugia. This project was the basis for

Senior Seminar for all three students, and one presented the results at the Meeting of the Florida

Academy of Sciences in March 2002.


Award 3.


Summer Research Proposal Award Topic: Assessing Diamondback Terrapin

Populations in Three Northeastern

Florida Counties

Summer Research Proposal Award Outcome: In January 2002 I learned that I would

receive a grant from Florida Sea Grant College Fund. During the field season I collected data

described in this document and presented it at the Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of

America in August. I also submitted grant proposals to the National Fish and Wildlife

Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to continue this research.

Both of these proposals were successful as described below.

Award 4.


Summer Research Proposal Award Topic: Effectiveness of Excluder Devices

on Crab Pots at Reducing Capture

and Mortality of Diamondback

Terrapins in Tampa Bay.

Summer Research Proposal Award Outcome: During this year I was awarded grants from

both the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration for a total of over $70,000.00 and a guarantee of project funding through 2005. I

collected data in two counties in Tampa Bay, analyzed the data, presented at the Museum of

Science and History, and prepared a Final Report for Florida Sea Grant. Eventually, the results

of this were published (Butler and Heinrich 2007 see vitae).


Award 5.


Summer Research Proposal Award Topic: Effectiveness of Excluder Devices

on Crab Pots at Reducing Capture

and Mortality of Diamondback

Terrapins in the Florida Panhandle.

Summer Research Proposal Award Outcome: During this year most of the project was

supported by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for $51,733.00.

That grant funded that study through 2005. I collected data Wakulla and Levy counties as

planned, analyzed the data, and prepared an Annual Report for NOAA. This work was presented

at the Third Workshop on the Ecology, Status and Conservation of Diamondback Terrapins, a

conference that I hosted in Jacksonville in September 2004. Eventually, the results of this were

published (Butler and Heinrich 2007 see vitae). That year I also received an external award of

$20,838.00 toward the raccoon removal project proposed for spring and summer 2005.

Award 6


Summer Research Proposal Award Topic: Raccoon Removal as a Management

Tool for Diamondback Terrapin

Nesting and Hatching Success

Summer Research Proposal Award Outcome: My first masters student did his thesis on

this project and graduated in December 2007. While a graduate student, in addition to collecting

the data and writing a thesis on this topic, he presented aspects of this project at the Society for

the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles in 2006, the Southeastern Estuarine Research Symposium


in 2007, and the Symposium on the Ecology and Status of Diamondback Terrapins in 2007.

Together we have a draft manuscript which we plan to send for review by the end of this

semester.

Award 7

Environmental Center Seed Grant: 2008

Topic: Habitat restoration techniques to

enhance gopher tortoise population

on the UNF campus

Outcome: Three partial burns of the tortoise habitat were done during the year. We began

assessment of vegetation by evaluating six 100 m transects on a bimonthly basis. We have also

located and marked 220 burrows at this point. We have trapped, measured and marked 38

tortoises. We located and monitored one nest which hatched in September. Two students

presented posters on this study at the UNF STARS event, and my graduate student and one

undergraduate presented at the Gopher Tortoise Council meeting.

Award 8


Summer Research Proposal Award Topic: Habitat Restoration Techniques to

Enhance a Gopher Tortoise

Population on the UNF Campus

Summer Research Proposal Award Outcome: My tortoise team has located, marked and

GPSed over 300 tortoise burrows at our campus site. This allows us to estimate the population at

about 145 individuals of which 85 should be adults. So far we have trapped 118 tortoises and 47


of those are adults. They located one nest in 2009 and four in 2010. Our vegetation analysis will

not be complete until the end of summer 2011. At that time one graduate student will use much

of the data for an M.S. thesis and will co-publish papers with the UG students. Three UG

students presented posters of our work at the UNF STARS Symposium and one presented his

work at the Annual Meeting of the Gopher Tortoise Council in Gainesville.


Appendix B – Alan Harris Previous Awards

Award 1.

Environmental Center Seed Grant: 2007

Topic: Remote Monitoring of Sinkhole

Development in Dry Retention Ponds to

Mitigate Potential Groundwater Pollution

Co-investigators: Nick Hudyma, Tayeb Giuma and Dean

Krusienski

Outcome: Both the interim and final reports for this funding were reported to the UNF

Environmental Center. The project determined that RFID sensors are not yet sufficiently robust

to monitor sinkhole development and movement.

Documents

Determining Gopher Tortoise Burrow Occupancy … Gopher Tortoise Burrow Occupancy Using a Robotic Camera By Joseph A. Butler, Department of Biology And Alan Harris, Department of Electrical