Abstract

This paper presents the development of an acoustic autonomous monitoring system specially designed for the study of the soundscape in wild areas. The system, denominated Sentinel, operates on a single board computer with micro-electro-mechanical systems microphones and a mobile communication board for data transmission. This design allows in situ calculation of indices and their transmission in real time for remote monitoring of natural soundscapes. Sentinel's versatility allows obtaining acoustic and bioacoustic indices that provide information on the spectral content, complexity, diversity, entropy and temporal dynamics of soundscapes. These indices allow remote monitoring of the biophonic, geophonic and anthropophonic components present in natural environments and how they evolve over time. Sentinel has been conceived as an open-source and low-cost tool, to facilitate equity in its access. The results of the tests carried out in Protected Areas in Northwest Argentina are presented.