A new surveillance system specially designed for farmers has come to the fields of Hualien. At this time of year, melon farmers are zealously guarding their precious crop from thieves. For over-worked farmers, protecting fruit from burglars is just one more headache. Now engineers have designed a digital surveillance system that takes care of security.

A full and juicy watermelon is cut open with a crunch. The color and flavor of summer.

Hualien has the rich soil and balmy climate for growing watermelons. The price of the fruit is continuously climbing thanks to their excellent reputation. But that has attracted opportunists to the fields. Every year at harvest time, farmers are on the lookout for thieves.

Yang Huo-tu
Melon farmer
I work hard here for half the year, and in the last few days everybody has to really watch out. We’re afraid they’ll be stolen and we’ll lose it all.

Preventing theft across these broad swathes of melon fields is quite a task. Farmers sometimes sleep out in the fields to protect their harvest in the final weeks. Sometimes the neighbors mistake them for homeless people as they guard their fruit.

Yang Huo-tu
Melon farmer
Day after day I’m looking out at the melons to check no thieves are coming. The farmers next door thought my wife and I were vagrants out there.

Now students and teachers from National Dong Hwa University have come up with a plan to help farmers protect their crops. This new infrared fencing system uses renewable energy to monitor the fields. It alerts the farmer if someone enters.

The loud siren sounds when a person or vehicle enters the field, popping up as an alert on the farmer’s phone. Even away from the fields, they can keep an eye on the scene.

Pai Yi-hao
NDHU Energy Technology Center head
The special thing is we have installed what we’re calling a digital fence at the entrance. When workers come in, or vehicles go through, it automatically sends an alert.

Chen Tzu-chun
NDHU student
Normal security systems can’t be using in running farms. We’ve added the solar power and the uninterruptible power supply as well as a messaging system for the alerts.

Using the idea of a diaphragm in their surveillance camera system, the development team created this efficient solar-powered device. When farmers go to bed at night, they can turn it on to activate the anti-theft function.

Yang Huo-tu
Melon farmer
I feel much more relaxed. We can sleep at night. If thieves come in our alarm will sound.

Pai Yi-hao
NDHU Energy Technology Center head
Here in Hualien we have a lot of animal husbandry and farming –- not just watermelons but many different agricultural products and high-value crops. They can all go in this direction with their plans and infrastructure.

High-tech innovations like this one can help farmers get food to our tables and still get a proper night’s sleep.