Curiously Code Meetup June 2024 - Machine Learning & Eco-Tech

Curiously Code Meetup - Community Talks | Machine Learning & Eco-Tech
Join us for a night of inspiring tech talks at our Curiously Code Meetup - Community Talks!

You can join us virtually / in-person on Thursday 20th June 2024 at 18:00:00 GMT.

In-Person: Generator Hub in Exeter, free food and drink provided.
Dial-In Virtually: https://meet.google.com/cyo-fkyo-npr

Event Schedule

5.50pm - Doors Open
6.00pm - 6.05pm - Welcome to Curiously Code (virtual + in person)

6.05pm - 6.25pm -
Machine Learning – An Introduction to Classification - Richard Warburton

As of late, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is hard to miss!

Large language models are rapidly changing how we work; developers are rapidly integrating AI functionality into products; and leveraging AI data scientists are finding new insights and patterns in data. This list is by no means exhaustive and as time progresses, more and more AI tools and techniques will be developed and deployed.
As coders…how many of us understand what the AI is doing and how it is going about its task?

Under the bonnet, AI is powered by machine learning (ML) algorithms. In this session, we will introduce the basic concepts of a machine learning model and look at one specific type of algorithm, classification. We will introduce key ML concepts such as training a model, as well as introduce an easily understandable algorithm, the K Nearest Neighbours Classifier.
The coding will be completed in Python and will use open data and libraries.

About Richard Warburton, Data Analysis & Scientist | Communicator | Skills Trainer

Richard is a data analyst & scientist with over 20 years experience gained in telecoms and financial market sectors. Richard specialises in:

• Helping people understand and analyse data
• Helping people understand complex processes
• Communicating insights and findings
• Driving data centric change and transformation programmes

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-m-warburton/

6.30pm - 6.55pm - Detecting Bat Roosts with Computer Vision Techniques - Will Rees

Many bats live in close proximity to humans, using buildings and other structures for roosting. The UK is home to 18 species of bat, all of which have experienced historic declines due to disturbances and habitat loss. It's crucial to find and protect these roosts to prevent further declines in bat populations. Night Vision Cameras (NVCs) can help locate bat roosts, monitor their populations, and provide insight into their behaviour. However, the use of NVCs is limited by the time needed to manually review the footage to find rare events, such as bats emerging from buildings, as bats typically emerge from their roosts at varying times.

This pilot project aimed to:
1. Create an efficient method for processing video footage to detect motion events.
2. Apply machine learning techniques to train a model that can accurately identify bats within the motion events.
3. Test the model’s performance in different settings and find ways to improve its accuracy.

The project builds on existing conservation tools and introduces new methods to improve bat monitoring using computer vision, aiming to make the process more efficient and effective.

About Will Rees, PhD Researcher at Exeter University | Freelance Ecologist

Will is currently completing a PhD in Environmental Intelligence at the University of Exeter. His research delves into the relationship between biodiversity and solar farms, aiming to optimise their siting and design to mitigate adverse impacts on landscape connectivity while maximising habitat benefits within solar landscapes. The research will employ AI techniques to enable landscape-scale and long-term ecological monitoring using both acoustic and video data. Will is also a freelance ecological consultant based in the South West with over 8 years of industry experience in projects ranging from large infrastructure developments, to smaller household, nature and heritage conservation schemes.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-rees-a14a60a1/

6.55pm - 7.15pm - Virtual & In-Person Networking
7.15pm onwards - Post-Event Hangout (Optional - In-Person)

Venue Accessibility
Please note that the venue, Generator Hub, is held at The Gallery, Kings Wharf, The Quay, Exeter, EX2 4AN. There are lifts inside the building, but there are a few steps down to the Generator space. There is an entrance by the car park (Watergate entrance, EX2 4DE). If you need any assistance, please let us know in advance and we can accommodate as much as we can.

By attending this event, you agree to our Code of Conduct. This Curiously Code Community Code of Conduct is available to view in PDF here.