LepiSense

What is LepiSense?

LepiSense is a lightweight, miniaturised version of the AMI system, designed to make automated imaging of moths and butterflies more accessible, scalable, and easier to deploy.
Where AMI is built for high-volume, long-term global monitoring, LepiSense focuses on lower-cost, portable deployments that researchers and partners can use in more experimental or resource-limited settings.

The system builds on everything learned from AMI, while prioritising simplicity, rapid testing, and smaller-scale data collection.

Why LepiSense matters

Monitoring Lepidoptera is crucial for understanding environmental change, yet traditional surveys are often:

• labour intensive
• dependent on specialist expertise
• inconsistent across sites or observers

LepiSense offers a way to collect standardised, automated imagery without needing the full AMI infrastructure.

It is especially useful for:

• Pilot and feasibility studies
• Student or short-term research projects
• Low-budget monitoring scenarios
• Complementing larger AMI deployments with additional local sampling
• Testing models, workflows, and new AI classifiers before scaling up

As development continues, LepiSense will support integration with existing image classification pipelines and contribute to long-term biodiversity indicators.

Where LepiSense is being used

LepiSense is currently in an early testing phase, with pilot deployments planned or underway across UKCEH projects.
These include:

• small-scale test plots
• early feasibility deployments
• integration testing alongside AMI traps
• climate-controlled chamber testing for calibration

As the system matures, widespread field deployments will follow.

How the system works

Although still evolving, LepiSense follows the same core principles as AMI:

Lightweight hardware

• Compact imaging unit
• Low-power LEDs for attraction
• Small-form sensor housing
• Basic onboard computer for scheduling and logging
• Designed for portability and rapid field setup

Data collection

• Captures images of moths and other nocturnal insects
• Flexible sampling schedules
• Suited to short-term deployments and rapid prototyping
• Lower storage requirements than AMI

Analysis (current & future)

• Compatible with AMI-derived classification workflows
• Produces small, clean test datasets for model development
• Future versions may include:
  • on-device inference
  • improved synchronisation with AMI datasets
  • integration with cloud dashboards

Development goals

LepiSense aims to be:

• Affordable
• Robust
• Easy to transport and deploy
• Interoperable with AMI data pipelines
• Suitable for mass distribution in future student, partner, and citizen-science programmes

Images & media

Put images in:

docs/systems/lepisense/images/

Example:

Partners & collaborators

LepiSense is being developed by:

• UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH)

Additional research partners will be added as the system develops.

Get involved / learn more

Add contact details, documentation, and technical specifications here as LepiSense progresses.

Example outputs

• Image sequences of nocturnal Lepidoptera.
• Lightweight datasets for rapid testing and prototyping.
• Pilot-scale community composition summaries.