hive

A bee hive monitoring system that makes beekeeping easier and keeps bees healthy.

protecting the planet

Humans + Bees

Many people recognize the importance of bees but still don’t feel comfortable in their presence. People are afraid of bees and bee keeping lacks accessibility for the average person.

Biodiversity + Pollinators

The bees are dying due to land development, pesticide use, the introduction of invasive species, and extremes in weather due to climate change. Bees are vital to our ecosystems and preserving biodiversity.

What are the pain points of beekeeping?

  • 1. prepare

    To interact with the hive, wearing a beekeeping suit is essential.

    Pain points: Inconvenient

  • 2. approach

    Beekeepers thoughtfully approach the hive to avoid disturbing the bees.

    Pain points: Anxiety of being close to bees, bees sting when stressed

  • 3. interact

    By using a smoker, the beekeeper is able to calm the bees. The smoke masks their natural alarm signals.

    Pain points: Smokers are unreliable because they go out easily

  • 4. examine

    To check the health of the hive and see how much honey the bees have produced, the hive frames are removed.

    Pain points: Disturbs the hive, high potential for disease if not checked regularly

  • 5. harvest

    To harvest the honey, the wax is scraped from the panels and spun. Honey is only harvested once or twice per year.

    Pain points: Time consuming and messy

  • enjoy

    Once the honey is harvested, it can be tasted and jarred.

user-centered design

Target Consumer | Upper/Middle Class Households, Eco-conscious Individuals

My goal was to make it easier for the average person to help preserve biodiversity in their surroundings. Because pollinators play such a crucial role in this, I ideated with the intention of making beekeeping more accessible.

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Beekeeping Made Easy

If more people were beekeepers, the population of pollinators would increase. People would also learn more about bees and their importance. With Hive, anyone can be a beekeeper.

beekeeping system

  • Bioacoustics

    Studying and monitoring the sounds produced by bees, such as buzzing, wing beats, and specific colony communication signals.

    • Stress Detection: Changes in frequency or patterns of buzzing can indicate stress, disease, or lack of resources.

    • Queen Presence: The absence or change in certain sounds can signal the loss of the queen or her decreased activity.

    • Swarming Behavior: Specific sounds can indicate preparation for swarming.

    • Temperature Monitoring: Buzzing intensity and frequency often correlate with the hive's internal temperature, which is critical for brood development.

    Vibrations

    Measuring the vibrations produced within the hive, often caused by bee movement and activity.

    • Colony Strength: Consistent vibrations can indicate a robust colony, while erratic or weak vibrations may signal health issues.

    • Pest Detection: Vibrational changes can detect the presence of pests like Varroa mites or hive beetles.

    • Environmental Stressors: Vibrations can reflect responses to external threats such as pesticides or predators.

  • Frame Sensors

    The sensors monitor the health of each box of the hive. The sensors sit between the hive frames and track the internal temperature, vibrations and bioacoustics.

    Apiary Hub

    A hive health hub that connects to the internal sensors. The hub is a hive-mounted sensor that tracks the external temperature and bioacoustics. It is the base of the system that collects the data and connects to an app via bluetooth.

    Hive App

    The Hive device connects to an app via bluetooth, allowing for the health of the hives to be monitored without having to suit up and check them manually.

Bioacoustic monitoring

anyone can be a beekeeper