To monitor wildlife across remote conservation areas, field teams deploy sensor networks deep in rugged terrain where reliable connectivity is difficult to maintain. These monitoring stations collect data from tracking devices and environmental sensors and send it back to researchers for analysis. Supporting this kind of field deployment requires a compact and dependable gateway system that can operate reliably in harsh outdoor conditions. Premio’s ultra-compact fanless gateway computer helped make this possible by enabling consistent visibility into animal movement and habitat conditions without frequent site visits.
Challenges
- Wildlife telemetry from multiple sensors needed stronger edge processing at remote monitoring stations
- Field enclosures provided very limited space for computing hardware
- Camera traps and environmental sensors required broader interface connectivity within one system
- Remote conservation terrain made wireless and cellular communication difficult to maintain
- Outdoor deployments faced wide temperature swings and required rugged UL certified reliability
Solution
- Premio’s ultra-compact fanless gateway computer (DCO-1000-ASL)
- Intel Atom x7835RE processor supporting edge aggregation of wildlife telemetry and sensor data
- Compact 150 x 105 x 50 mm form factor suited for space constrained field monitoring enclosures
- Comprehensive I/O for integrating camera traps sensor nodes and telemetry equipment
- Built in WiFi and 5G connectivity for communication across remote conservation terrain
- Wide minus 40 to 55 degrees Celsius operating range with MIL-STD-810H durability and UL certification for outdoor deployment stability
Benefits
- Long-term deployment stability with Intel embedded processor lifecycle support of up to ten years
- Responsive engineering support from the Los Angeles headquarters team, backed by ISO certified manufacturing and quality standards
Company Overview
The company supports outdoor technology development by connecting product teams with engineering expertise and field-testing resources. Its work includes helping build equipment used for environmental monitoring and conservation projects in demanding conditions. It continues to support the development of next-generation outdoor technologies that improve how field data is collected, shared, and applied in future conservation efforts.
The Challenges
Multi-Sensor Telemetry Required Stronger Edge Processing
Wildlife monitoring stations in remote conservation areas collected data from tracking collars, camera traps, and environmental sensors at the same time. To keep these systems running efficiently in areas with limited connectivity, some data needed to be handled locally before transmission. This created the need for a more capable edge processor that could manage multiple incoming data sources reliably in the field.
Limited Space Inside Field Monitoring Enclosures
To support wildlife tracking across remote conservation areas, monitoring stations were installed inside compact outdoor enclosures powered by solar or remote energy systems. These enclosures already housed radios, storage devices, and sensor interfaces, leaving very little room for additional computing hardware.
Broader Interface Support for Sensor Integration
Each monitoring station connected to multiple devices, including camera traps, telemetry receivers, and environmental sensors. Bringing all of these systems together required a gateway with flexible interface support. Without it, additional converters or secondary hardware would have made deployments harder to manage in the field.
Maintaining Connectivity Across Remote Conservation Terrain
Monitoring stations were often placed across rugged conservation areas where network coverage was limited or unreliable. Sending data back to researchers depended on stable wireless and cellular connections from these remote locations. When connections became unstable, tracking information could be delayed or fail to reach monitoring teams in time.
Reliable Operation in Harsh Outdoor Conditions
Equipment deployed across conservation areas remained exposed to changing temperatures and demanding environmental conditions throughout the year. For this reason, the gateway platform needed to operate reliably in remote locations where maintenance visits were difficult. These installations also called for UL certified systems to support safe long-term deployment.
The Solution
Premio’s ultra-compact fanless gateway computer (DCO-1000-ASL)
After evaluating several options, the team selected Premio’s DCO-1000-ASL as the gateway for their remote wildlife monitoring stations. Powered by the Intel x7835RE processor with support for up to 32GB of DDR5 memory, the solution provided the performance needed to manage telemetry from multiple field sensors. Its ultra-compact and rugged design, along with support for DIN rail and wall mounting, made it well suited for installation inside outdoor monitoring enclosures across conservation areas.
Edge Processing with Intel Atom x7835RE Processor
The Intel Atom x7835RE processor provided the performance needed to manage data from multiple tracking devices and environmental sensors at each monitoring location. Its eight cores and up to 3.6 GHz turbo frequency supported this workload while maintaining a low 12W TDP for power constrained field deployments. This allowed data to be handled locally and kept monitoring stations responsive even in areas with limited connectivity.
Compact Form Factor for Field Monitoring Enclosures
With a compact 150 × 105 × 50 mm footprint, the system fit easily inside space constrained monitoring enclosures deployed across conservation terrain. This made it possible to install the gateway alongside radios, storage devices, and sensor interfaces already present in each station.
Flexible Integration Through Comprehensive I/O
The DCO-1000-ASL provided multiple LAN ports for connecting camera traps and other networked equipment at each monitoring station. Serial COM and optional CAN interfaces made it possible to work with telemetry receivers and environmental sensors already used in the field. USB and digital I/O connections also made it easier to add supporting devices as monitoring requirements changed over time.
Reliable Communication with Built-In WiFi and 5G Connectivity
WiFi connectivity, supported through the M.2 E key, allowed each monitoring station to communicate with nearby sensors and field equipment. At the same time, 5G connectivity through the M.2 B key enabled data to be transmitted reliably from remote conservation areas back to researchers. Together, these wireless links helped maintain steady visibility into wildlife activity across distributed monitoring locations.
Rugged Operation Across Harsh Outdoor Conditions
Operating across temperatures from minus 40 to 55 degrees Celsius, the DCO-1000-ASL remained reliable in exposed conservation environments throughout the year. Its MIL-STD-810H durability helped maintain stable performance despite vibration and changing weather conditions in the field. UL certification also ensured the gateway could be deployed with confidence across remote monitoring locations.
The Benefits
Long-Term Deployment Stability
Support for Intel embedded processor lifecycle availability of up to ten years helped ensure the monitoring infrastructure could remain in service without frequent hardware redesigns. This provided greater planning confidence for long term conservation deployments operating across remote locations.
Accessible Engineering Support and Certified Manufacturing
Engineering support from the Los Angeles headquarters provided direct technical assistance during evaluation and deployment. Combined with ISO certified manufacturing standards, this helped ensure consistent product quality and dependable long-term operation in the field.
Conclusion
By deploying the DCO-1000-ASL across remote conservation monitoring stations, the team improved how wildlife telemetry was collected and transmitted from the field. The gateway made it easier to connect distributed sensors while maintaining reliable communication in rugged outdoor environments. This approach supported more efficient monitoring workflows and helped strengthen long-term environmental observation efforts. To learn more about the DCO-1000-ASL, contact our product experts at sales@premioinc.com.