How the BBCs R&D team developed open source machine-learning framework network YOLO (You Only Look Once) for the BBCs Autumnwatch
By Philip Stevens
Published: October 22, 2020
How the BBC's R&D team developed open source machine-learning framework network YOLO (You Only Look Once) for the BBC's Autumnwatch
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin> How the BBC's R&D team developed open source machine-learning framework network YOLO (You Only Look Once) for the BBC's Autumnwatch
https://www.tvbeurope.com/production-post/bird-watching-without-binoculars title=Share via Email class=share-email>
One of the major problems with making natural history programmes is the fact that the stars' will not take direction from the production team. Try getting a badger to appear on cue, or a bird to feed its young when the programme goes live, and you will appreciate the difficulty. And yet it is these principal characters that the audience wants to see. And the viewers are interested - programmes such as the BBC's Springwatch and Autumnwatch prove the point.
So-called camera traps have, of course, been around for some time. Basically, these are fitted with motion sensors that enable the camera to start shooting when action is detected. However, that action might be a tree moving in the background - and that could mean a memory card filled with brilliant shots of branches moving to and fro - but little sign of wildlife.
Beyond that, many hours are needed for checking through the footage from upwards of 30 Springwatch cameras to determine what could and could not be used.
Using technology To make the work of natural history production teams a little easier, the BBC's Research and Development team has been working on a solution. And it involves Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). Trials took place during the 2019 Springwatch and Autumnwatch productions, with the technology being used more fully for this year's programming.
We became involved in this project when a natural history producer approached us some time ago, explains Robert Dawes, senior research engineer, BBC R&D. He asked us to look into AI technology to see how we could improve the performance of those sensors and use these resources more effectively.
Dawes continues, We did some initial Artificial Intelligence work using computer vision processing techniques. This involved building a rig that had a camera attached to a small Raspberry Pi computer. This computer monitored continuously the camera's output and enabled us to determine when birds or animals appeared in shot. By using the computer vision techniques, we were able to filter out unwanted triggers such as moving trees. But because ML was not involved, it still did not tell us what kind of animal or bird was there.
Obviously, more was needed and when the R&D team became involved with the Springwatch operation it provided the opportunity they had been looking for. By cabling the local remote wildlife cameras to the OB unit, power was immediately available. This opened up possibilities for using higher-powered computer technology to help with the monitoring purposes.
We wanted to create a system of tools that will keep an eye on the multiple cameras at the same time. This needed to be quite sophisticated and required a method to trigger recordings. This was not only helpful for the live programme production teams, but also for the digital output that allows viewers at home to watch cameras 24 hours a day.
As it turned out, the solution that Dawes and his team devised not only worked for the BBC cameras, but for those operated by third party wildlife teams - such as the RSBP (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) across the United Kingdom - to which the broadcaster has access. Our answer removes the need for someone to be monitoring all these cameras on a continual basis.
So, how does it work? Dawes explains that an open source machine-learning framework network called YOLO (You Only Look Once) was employed. This technology enables the system to recognise objects. For example, if it is used in an office, it can be taught to identify a chair, a monitor, a fridge or a person. In the natural history application, we can teach it to recognise different types of creatures and then put a box around that object. Once that box is in place, it is possible to track where that animal, bird or whatever wanders around the screen.
To enable the system to learn' about the animals, multiple stills of the creatures in question are fed into the computer. These still can run into many thousands as it is important for the system to recognise the subject from many different angles. The computer uses the images to train a system known as a neural network , loosely modelled on the structure of the brain, to recognise what those kind of objects look like. This is a good example of Machine Learning. When the system sees' an object that it recognises as being an animal, it tracks that creature in real time on live video. The set-up means that it will be a creature that is being tracked rather than something else that is moving within the camera's view. In other words, producers can advance from knowing something has happened in the scene' to a creature has moved in the scene'.
In each case, it takes up to three days to import all this basic data to train the neural network. One benefit is that all this can be carried out on a powerful domestic PC - it doesn't require a million-dollar system, emphasises Dawes. It also means it is easy to change the images the system needs to recognise as and when the circumstances change. Clearly, if that process took six months, the system would not be viable.
Creating the data The technology also generates data about the actions so t
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Zero in on one that says yes (and no)
Andy Marken May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image courtesy of Deposit Photos
For content creators the most difficu...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
29/05/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
29/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality
Kate Luvis May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...
29/05/2026
Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
Latino Film Institute Fellows Screen Their Short Films at the Egyptian Theatre
The Inclusion Fellowship and Spark Animation Grant uplifts 15 ...
29/05/2026
GLOOKAST LAUNCHES CINNAFILM TACHYON PLUGIN FOR MEDIA PRODUCER AND MEDIA SERVICES
This release first appeared here.
Visit our Tachyon product page or contact...
29/05/2026
May 29 2026, 09:00 (PDT) Dolby and rednote Bring More Immersive Storytelling to...
29/05/2026
Something fundamental has shifted in how people consume media. Audiences aren't abandoning television or radio content; they're just expanding how, wher...
29/05/2026
Youtube exclusive special drops today
Watch now
UKTV today announces another e...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
The Official Trailer of Physical 100 Italy, on Netflix From Se...
How the BBCs R&D team developed open source machine-learning framework network YOLO (You Only Look Once) for the BBCs Autumnwatch
