In these short video tutorials you will follow one of our instructors to learn about Proximity Analyzers, and how to set up in EarthRanger admin.
Introduction to Proximity Analyzers
This video introduces the final part of a three-part series on analyzers, focusing on proximity analyzers. It explains the two types: feature proximity (tracking subjects near geographical features) and subject proximity (tracking closeness between subjects). The video outlines the learning objectives, including understanding how these analyzers work, configuring them in EarthRanger, and interpreting the data they generate.
Transcript:
Okay, here we go.
The third and might I say the final installment of our three-part series, looking at analyzers.
We've looked at geofences, we've looked at immobility, and now we're looking at proximity analyzers, which are split into two, being the field proximity and the subject proximity.
Now, the way in which we're going to run this. We're first going to look at the feature proximity analyzers, and then we're going to go from there into the subject proximity analyzers.
We'll first look at the theoretical functionality of how these analyzers should work. And how they present themselves on the EarthRanger front-end.
And then obviously we'll go into that administration side and get our hands into how we configure these different types of analyzers done with the feature and then the subject proximity.
Now, this is a different module within our instance or within our demo. We were looking at acquiring the basic skills that afford us the opportunity to understand and implement these proximity analyzers, right?
Because we use them to assist the movement and behavioral patterns of our tracked subjects, right?
So. Learning objectives. Understand the role of the feature in proximity analyzers, and they obviously go into the admin site and configure these two different types of analyzers and learn how to interpret the data from both of them, respectively.
Feature Proximity Analyzer
This video dives into feature proximity analyzers, which measure the closeness of tracked subjects to specific geographical features (points, lines, or polygons). It walks through the configuration process in EarthRanger, including naming the analyzer, selecting subject and feature groups, and setting proximity distances. Best practices, such as creating separate analyzers for different subject groups and linking notifications, are also discussed. The video concludes with a demonstration of how the analyzer appears on the EarthRanger front-end.
Transcript:
So let's start off with the feature Proximity Analyzer, and the core learning, which of is feature Proximity Analyzers to measure the closeness, to certain defined boundaries or spatial features.
Alright, so already there you can already tell that this is between a tracked asset and a geographical feature.
So this is what we're going to go into into the administration side. This is what this page looks like, but you'll see it in its format when we go into the admin side.
And then you have the, basically the process or the steps of how to go about configuring this. Looking at the third point, we will give it a name.
From the third point going down, we'll give it a name, we'll choose a subject group. And then we'll, We'll also define a feature group.
So remember like I said, this is with the proximity or the relationship, proximal relationship between a tracked asset as well as a geographical feature, which can be represented as a point or a line or a polygon within our EarthRanger instance.
Right, then you define the distance, so basically when do we want to be alerted? At what distance do we consider that specific subject to be with the proximity to that feature?
And then we basically, like I said, the feature group that we want to associate with the analyzer. Cool.
And then some best practices create a separate analyzer for each subject group. As we always mentioned, different subjects will behave differently. Will move differently right? And we'll have different types of temperaments.
So you want to make sure that depending on what your feature is, you want to set each individual subject group, a separate feature Proximity Analyzer, within your EarthRanger instance.
You don't want to clump them together because they behave differently and they may, they will relate to it differently.
Cool. And obviously, if we are not using an analyzer, we don't delete, we deactivate, so that if it cycles up again, then we always have the opportunity of reconfiguring the subject group and then just re-activate it and as always, the workflow is that an event gets generated, personnel gets alerted, and then they can follow up on the event source associating these analyzer event types, feature Proximity Analyzer event types with our events with a notification.
And alerts is always a good idea so that relevant personnel are notified when you know, a certain subject is within proximity to a specific feature of interest.
Cool. Then we'll drop there before we jump into the subject one. So let's go into the front-end and see how these would be presented in the front-end.
As you can see on Easter Island, we don't yet have a feature proximity, so we'll have to create one in order for us to see how it'll be listed under the Analyzers layer, right?
But unlike the immobility, but like the geofence, when we create or configure a immobility, an immobility feature proximity, it does have a layer represented so that you can jump to it, because it has a spacial representation so you can jump to the feature that has been linked to that specific feature Proximity Analyzer.
So, let's get into it, see how it looks in the admin, and then we'll come and validate. We'll come back into the front end and look at how we can interact with it from, you know, the UI point of view of the user.
On the administration side, as I always advise, block out the noise, pull out analyzers, block out all of the noise because we're just focusing on this one menu.
In the end here, your feature Proximity Analyzer will be the first option right there at the top, right? So you'll click on feature Proximity Analyzers and, as you can see, you're not.
And as you can see, on our demo instance, we don't have yet one of these configured, and that's what we're going to do now, so we'll see here “Add Feature Proximity Analyzer” and this is that page that you saw on the slide deck, that we're going to jump into and discuss, define different parameters that we have to configure in order for this to be functional.
Analyzer name, so let's say we want to say this is Lions, right? So the scenario here is that we are trying to track the probability of our lions, our tracked lions within our park coming within proximity to our grazing land, or grazing paddock, basically, so that we can very quickly, circumvent the situation of predation if ever, that would be the case, right?
So, you have lions and then subject group. So obviously, in this instance, the subject group will have to be that all of the subjec groups, all of the lions that we have the trackers on within our organization, or within our park. So, I'll click the drop down.
If we don't have defined subject group, but like, as we always say, you have the opportunity to create it directly from this page, without having to go through to the subject menu item and the observations.
And then, remember, as I always say, that EarthRanger will always give you a tool tip of what it is that you're configuring. So you will start with the name, it'll say it's a unique name for the analyzer. Analyzer, the subject group is, this analyzer applies to subjects within this group, and in the proximity distance, which is in meters, is a proximity event will only occur when a subject pops.
A subject's path passes within the distance of a designated spatial feature. A subject path is drawn using a straight line between reported position.
Alright, so right now we say 500 meters, so that means that the line is positive. So just think of it like this. This is a single point, right?
So there's a farn pedic or a grazing polygon. Just think of it as a circle and it has these kind of spikes around it, these lines around it, right? And these lines go about 500 meters from each, from the boundary.
So if a subject comes within 500 meters of where those lines end, then that will be considered a subject being proximal to that specific area of interest or that specific polygon of interest.
Right? So again, different types of subjects, you always want to make sure that you apply the parameters according to what type of subject it is.
Before anything escalates. So the default is 500, and will leave the default as is. Let's assume that this works for lines. Consider how they move at night, or how they move during the day.
In the Active, as we mentioned, either you deactivate it, or you-activate it, but don't delete it in case you want to recycle it at a later stage.
And now the second part of it, so the first part there at the top, is just focused on your subjects in the distance. And then you have your special feature, right? So you have a few feature groups in here. Alternatively what you can do if you don't already have one in there, you can say Add
Now that means whenever those lines come with an proximity to the grazing land, 500m. An event will get generated in the system.
And you'll be notified about it if you have a little notifications linked, which we always advise you to do as far as analyzers are concerned because the events of interest, right, system generated events of interest.
Then you'll say Save. And you would have configured your feature Proximity Analyzer, which would look like that, chosen the name, and which subject group is being monitored for this feature Proximity Analyzer.
Now on the front end, let's see how this looks. So if I just refresh this. Okay, so if I expand analyzers. You'll see now I have geofence analyzer and I have this feature Proximity Analyzer, right?
Which shows me that I'm tracking lions and if I jump to it. I should land on the feature which I've placed in Zimbabwe. So you'll see there Zambia. It shows you that it's, feature Proximity Analyzer tracking the lions.
And if you click on the gear, I'll take it to the administration side of where you configured it. Right? So you have that ability to jump between the front end and the back end, as long as you're logged in to the back end, then you'll jump onto the configuration page of that same page.
So, I'll just close that. Cool. So, that's Feature Proximity Analyzers Remember, when a feature comes within a pre-defined distance, or when a subject comes within a predefined distance of a feature, an event will get triggered.
And if there is an Alert Notification linked, to that specific event type, which we always advise that you do, you'll receive a notification about it.
Subject Proximity Analyzer
This video focuses on subject proximity analyzers, which measure the closeness of two subjects within a defined distance and time frame. It explains the configuration process, including selecting two subject groups, setting proximity distance and time parameters, and activating the analyzer. The video highlights best practices, such as linking alerts and notifications, and demonstrates how proximity events are displayed on the EarthRanger front-end. It concludes with a reminder to reach out to EarthRanger support for further assistance.
Transcript:
So the core learning for Subject Proximity Analyzers measures the closeness of two Subjects within a specific radius and defined time frame.
So, unlike the feature proximity, which is has distance, this one also has a time parameter to it because, you know, it's two Subjects withing closeness of proximity to one another.
Cool. So this is what the page will look like on the admin side and we'll jump into that and get into it.
And this is the steps that we got in to follow. If you go in from point number four there, give it a name, which is arbitrary.
Then in here, unlike the Subject, the feature proximity will actually choose two Subject groups. Because we are tracking Subjects against one another, the proximity of two Subjects against one another.
And then we'll define the distance and then. in all to define the time parameter as I said, it's both distance and time.
And then we'll choose, well, obviously we'll save it and basically we would have configured it and then we'll validate how it looks like in the front end.
And then best practices, again, Alerts and notifications for alert events is quite advisable. It's always best practice to always link them in to alerts and notifications so that you can be notified when they are available.
If it's no longer used, just deactivate it, don't delete it so that you can recycle it later by reconfiguring your Subject groups and making sure that it works.
Cool beans. Alright, then in the front end, we already know we don't already have one in there, So we'll skip that for now, We'll go into the administration side and we'll actually configure Subject Proximity Analyzers.
So again, just pull out analyzers. Right? And then in here, you go into your Subject Proximity Analyzers, which is that penultimate one on that menu. The second last one, click on Subject Proximity Analyzers.
And we already have one in here, but we'll create our own, so we'll say add Subject Proximity Analyzer.
And then from here we'll give it a name, Let's say we want to be notified when the same lions, when the two different lions come again in proximity with one another, right?
Lions, Subject group 1, I’ll say lions. And Subject group 2 will be Now we have the original lions, and we have re-introduced lions, which are the lions of Mwati, or that come from Mwati.
And we want to make sure that there's proper integration, or basically we just want to see how they relate and interact with one another.
Right? So we want to be notified when they come with in proximity with one other. Obviously within the prides, they are tracked individuals, right?
So you always have to make sure that these are tracked, uh, wildlife that are in these Subject groups. Even if it's in a pride, you call it, a male or a few females, but it has to be collard individuals that are added into these Subject groups for this to be functional.
Right? So in the proximity distance, here we'll say 100 meters. Again, there's a tool tip, which says the proximity event will only occur when either Subjects are within a distance of the other Subject. Right? A Subject's path is drawn using a straight line between reported positions.
So when they're within 100 meters of one another, or their observation points are within 100 meters of one another. So if you think I do know that observation point. as a point, basically, and then you have those lines surrounding it, and those lines, when they're drawn, they're 100 meters from one another.
That'll trigger a proximity event. Well, not yet, because then there's a time parameter. Right? So, also, if they are within 100 meters, but it's not within the same amount of time that we have said, then obviously that'll miss the threshold or the configuration as we have said.
So, proximity time is an hour. Right? So If a certain amount of points are within a certain distance of one another and multiple of them are in that time range or that time frame, are within proximity to this one another, then only a proximity event gets triggered
And then active is when you deactivate it or activate it. So you have lions, lions, which are the different Subject groups, right? Or lions, you can rename it to Lions (Mwati)
And, there you have it. So you have your analyzer name, Subject group. Even if you're tracking one individual Subject, or two individual Subjects, right? Let's say they don't belong to a pride, you can just reintroduce the male, or two males, but they come from two different areas.
You have to add those into a Subject group. There's no way you can link an individual Subject without it being in a Subject group to a Subject Proximity Analyzer, right?
So you add, even if it's a single Subject, you add that Subject into the Subject group, right? Then define the proximity distance, again, based on the type of Subjects that they are, then you want to make sure that you adjust that accordingly in terms of proximity distance as well as the time, right?
Where you can set the hours and the minutes. And then active or deactivate. You can give it as active for now and then you'll Save.
Now you have the Lions (Mwati) and Subject group one, which is the first one is the lion's original lion's, and then the second one is the lions from Mwati.
And then in the front-end. We refresh. This is what it looks like, say, if I go to analyzers.
While. It's loading. I'd also like you to notice that, uh, two Subject groups that we just created now, which is the lines of Mwati and now that we're never created, which is the lines also exist as active Subject groups within the system.
Right. So you have your lions of Mwati. Yeah. If you hold lions with the original lions, it is listed as layers, as map layers, Subject group map layers within the system.
Right. So this is the proximity one that we created. The first one will be shown by the yellow line, and the central percent word would be there. Just to show you what our Subject to Subject proximity one looks like.
Right. So, just like the immobility analyzer, it doesn't have a layer under the analyzers group. It just presents as events when they get created, when so in their system. It detects, based on the parameters that we've configured, that a Subject proximity has occurred, then an event will get created on the feed as well as on the map.
And then, if you have an alert notification linked to it, certain personnel will be notified about it.
So if I jump to this, just to show you what it looks like on the map. You'll see it has these two little circles and it's kind of like network oscillations to show you that this was a Proximity Analyzer right?
I'll show you Subject Proximity event. If you open it. It'll show you that it is generated by the EarthRanger system, Subject name one. Horton was proximal to Najin. This was the location, that's the location.
That's how much, that's the speed at which each individual- Basically, on the left, you have one Subject, on the right, you have information about another Subject, and you have all of these different information, or pieces of information I listed about them, right?
So you'll have proximity distance in meters, total fix count, So you have all of this, and remember you have the two locations, then you can, basically have an opportunity to go in either observe, or intervene, if necessary, if it's maybe like predation or anything of sorts that may be happening based on the generation of the Subject Proximity Analyzer.
And basically that is how it goes configuring a Subject analyzer and how it looks in the front end. And as always, as we say, if you have any questions regarding any of these analyzes, especially as far as it comes to the distances and the time thresholds, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team, support@earthranger.com
We also have a lot of personnel and people within the EarthRanger community itself, Who is always willing to help and advise on best practices.
So if you have any questions, or if you'd like more information about these, reach out to our team, who will assist you accordingly, or will get you in touch with somebody who will be able to assist you from a professional point of view, as they have more context and understanding about how to apply these in a contextual manner.
So yeah, until then, it's support.earthranger.com. See you in the next one.