Bio-Inspirations - Melanophila Acuminata can Sense and Detect Forest Fires

Abstract

Abstract: Forest-fires are caused due to various factors including natural ones, such as hot lightning striking the ignitable trees, and human ones such as negligent use of fire or fire-causing products like cigarettes and explosives, disruptive machinery deployed within the forest, etc. The spread of these fires, however, is largely determined by parameters such as temperature, wind, relative humidity, and rain; unsurprisingly, the most prominent of these factors is the temperature. Detection of anomalies in the temperature can be a crucial indication towards the possibility of a fire, therefore enabling a potentially quicker response and minimising the loss of land and other resources, besides human life. A specific beetle called the Fire Beetle, or the melanophila acuminata, is known to have evolved with a collection of sensors which can detect IR radiation with remarkable sensitivity, even from long distances. These beetles can potentially sense the emergence of a fire from as long as a few miles away. Since early detection of forest-fires is a decisive step towards dealing with it, taking inspiration from melanophila acuminata can be a way of doing so.