Bees are essential to nature and mankind. Honeybees pollinate around 80 percent of our domestic plants, generating an estimated 1.6 billion euros in economic value every year. But bees are dying at an alarming rate. According to a scientific study from 2017, the number of bees has declined by 75 percent over the past 30 years. We're using the IoT and sensors to help prevent bee deaths.
Smart home for bees
We're not just connecting your homes; we're connecting the bees', too. The campus at our Bonn headquarters now hosts two smart beehives – fully equipped with IoT technology and linked with Deutsche Telekom's machinery and sensor network (via NarrowBand IoT). Our smart sensors collect and transmit many data points from a beehive, such as its weight, which provides an indication of the fill level of the honeycombs. They also collect temperature and humidity information. The beekeeper gets all this data in his app, via the T-Systems cloud, and can monitor and assess the behavior and condition of his bee colonies remotely, at all times.
Spotting health problems earlier
The soundscape within the beehive is an important source of information. It provides cues about the bees' health. It, too, is measured and the information is transmitted to the beekeeper. If he notices any discrepancies, he can take targeted action. As a result, it is possible to react to potential problems quickly, yet at the same time avoid disturbing the bees unnecessarily.
A wealth of data
Our smart homes for bees aren't only in Bonn, either – the T-Systems Innovation Center in Munich also has two digital beehives that collect data and send it to Bonn. And a beekeeper in the greater Bonn area has also equipped her beehives with sensors. As a result, we can collect data from different locations and compare the values with one another. This is how digitalization is making an important contribution to ensuring the survival of the species.
Come and join our team!
Join the Digital Division at T-Systems and help us shape the IoT market together. We're looking for you: Top talents who develop and run new products, who enjoy working in an innovative environment, and who are just as enthusiastic as we are about turning ideas into solutions. We look forward to meeting you!
