24/7 Monitoring of Grazing Livestock - to further develop and improve the virtual fencing system and test its efficacy within real-world environment

A multidisciplinary team of researchers at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), have been developing a prototype virtual fencing system, based on acoustics, to enable automated control of animal location. The acoustic operation of the system is a key feature; not only does it provide a reliable cue to modify livestock behaviour, it is considered much less harmful than electro-stimulation methods which are banned in parts of the UK.
This PhD studentship is part of a theme of work to expand the current achievements of the team, namely to further develop and improve the virtual fencing system and test its efficacy within real-world environments. Furthermore, the welfare of animals using the system should be monitored as part of the study to understand the long-term effects of acoustic based stimulus for controlling grazing location.
This studentship is funded by the Douglas Bomford Charitable Trust, with further support from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology at LJMU. The team are looking for a driven individual who preferably has a good background in either (or both) electronics or software development. A “can do” attitude is essential, as is a willingness to work with livestock, particularly sheep, for the purposes of experimental testing and research.
The student should have a good first degree (2:1 or greater) in a relevant discipline – these could include computer science or electronic engineering. This is not intended as an exhaustive list of possible backgrounds, so if you are unsure please get in touch with the supervision team who will be happy to discuss further.
Relevant REF2014 unit of assessment: UOA5, UOA6 and/or UOA13.