[Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration] Hyke Inc. Starts Field PoC of Bear Approach Deterrence System Using AI + Bear Spray with Gifu University and Hida City
Hyke Inc. will begin a PoC in Hida City on April 29, 2026, for "AIBeS", an automated system that detects bears using AI and sprays repellent to deter them.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 20:10
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 01:57 (14h 26m after Collected)
Hyke Inc. (Headquarters: Asahikawa City, Hokkaido; hereinafter "Hyke"), in collaboration with the Laboratory of Wildlife Resources, Gifu University, Tokai National Higher Education and Research System (hereinafter "Gifu University") and Hida City, Gifu Prefecture (hereinafter "Hida City"), will commence a field Proof of Concept (PoC) of the "AI Bear Spray AIBeS" system, which automatically sprays repellent based on bear detection via AI image recognition, starting April 29, 2026.
In this PoC, devices will be installed in target areas within Hida City to acquire and evaluate metrics regarding AI detection performance, device operability, the safety and reliability of automatic activation, and changes in bear behavior. Through industry-academia-government collaboration, we will verify the implementation feasibility toward realizing appropriate "zoning" (segregation) between human settlements and wildlife habitats while enhancing the transparency and objectivity of technical verification.
As a new option for bear countermeasures
In recent years, the appearance of bears has become a serious social issue in various regions, making the prevention of human casualties and ensuring the safety of residents an urgent task. On the other hand, conventional countermeasures heavily rely on human patrols and reporting responses, making continuous monitoring and rapid response difficult in night-time or remote areas.
Based on technologies cultivated through the development and provision of IoT automatic trail cameras and AI image analysis clouds for wildlife surveys, Hyke has developed the "AI Bear Spray AIBeS" as a system that seamlessly performs "detection/automatic shooting," "AI image analysis," "notification/condition setting," and "automatic spraying."
AIBeS is a system designed to deter bears from approaching dangerous areas by automatically detecting their approach and spraying repellent according to pre-set conditions. By letting bears learn that human settlements are "dangerous places," the system aims to promote the segregation of humans and wildlife.
Prototype of AI Bear Spray AIBeS device (Image courtesy: Gifu University)
Overview of PoC
Verification Theme
Field proof-of-concept evaluation of AI bear detection and automated repellent spraying system
Verification Items
- AI detection performance (false positive rate, detection latency, etc.)
- Device operability (uptime, communication success rate, maintenance load, etc.)
- Safety and reliability of automatic activation (malfunction rate, activation failure rate, etc.)
- Study of evaluation methods for repellent effectiveness based on bear behavioral changes (approach distance, stay duration, etc.)
Roles
Hyke Inc.
Provision of a complete set of devices, installation support, AI cloud operation, log acquisition and primary sorting, system improvement.
Gifu University
Evaluation design, analysis of acquired data, extraction of improvement requirements, compilation of research results.
Hida City
Coordination and cooperation regarding installation, collaboration with local sites, advice on operational aspects.
How "AIBeS" Works
AIBeS uses the Hyke Cam IoT automatic trail cameras installed on-site to capture images, which are then analyzed on the AI cloud Hyke Works to identify specified animal species such as bears, wild boars, and deer. When a target is identified, notifications are sent to the Hyke Works app, email, Slack/LINE, etc., and an activation command is sent from the cloud to the repellent spray device based on pre-set conditions.
Notification and spraying conditions can be flexibly configured according to operational policies, enabling operations tailored to on-site situations. This supports efficient and continuous countermeasures even in locations where constant monitoring is difficult.
Furthermore, as of April 2026, Hyke Cam and Hyke Works have a track record of implementation in 95 municipalities nationwide, and AIBeS is designed to be smoothly introduced as an extension for existing users.
Overall picture of the AI Bear Spray "AIBeS". By analyzing images detected by IoT cameras in the AI cloud, notifying upon bear detection, and automatically spraying repellent according to conditions, it aims to promote zoning between human settlements and wildlife habitats.
Future Developments
Based on the knowledge gained from this PoC, we will proceed to reduce false detections and malfunctions, optimize operational procedures, and develop configuration models corresponding to environmental conditions, aiming for the commercialization of AIBeS. We will continue to conduct verifications through collaboration with research institutions and local governments to realize highly effective wildlife countermeasures.
About Hyke Inc.
Hyke Inc. provides non-powered remote monitoring solutions combining the Hyke Cam IoT automatic trail camera and the AI image analysis cloud Hyke Works for fields such as wildlife surveys, wildlife damage countermeasures, and environmental surveys. We contribute to streamlining situational awareness in remote areas, improving monitoring accuracy, and reducing total costs.
Contact Information regarding this matter
Hyke Inc.
E-mail: info@hyke-store.com
Web: https://hyke.work/
In this PoC, devices will be installed in target areas within Hida City to acquire and evaluate metrics regarding AI detection performance, device operability, the safety and reliability of automatic activation, and changes in bear behavior. Through industry-academia-government collaboration, we will verify the implementation feasibility toward realizing appropriate "zoning" (segregation) between human settlements and wildlife habitats while enhancing the transparency and objectivity of technical verification.
As a new option for bear countermeasures
In recent years, the appearance of bears has become a serious social issue in various regions, making the prevention of human casualties and ensuring the safety of residents an urgent task. On the other hand, conventional countermeasures heavily rely on human patrols and reporting responses, making continuous monitoring and rapid response difficult in night-time or remote areas.
Based on technologies cultivated through the development and provision of IoT automatic trail cameras and AI image analysis clouds for wildlife surveys, Hyke has developed the "AI Bear Spray AIBeS" as a system that seamlessly performs "detection/automatic shooting," "AI image analysis," "notification/condition setting," and "automatic spraying."
AIBeS is a system designed to deter bears from approaching dangerous areas by automatically detecting their approach and spraying repellent according to pre-set conditions. By letting bears learn that human settlements are "dangerous places," the system aims to promote the segregation of humans and wildlife.
Prototype of AI Bear Spray AIBeS device (Image courtesy: Gifu University)
Overview of PoC
Verification Theme
Field proof-of-concept evaluation of AI bear detection and automated repellent spraying system
Verification Items
- AI detection performance (false positive rate, detection latency, etc.)
- Device operability (uptime, communication success rate, maintenance load, etc.)
- Safety and reliability of automatic activation (malfunction rate, activation failure rate, etc.)
- Study of evaluation methods for repellent effectiveness based on bear behavioral changes (approach distance, stay duration, etc.)
Roles
Hyke Inc.
Provision of a complete set of devices, installation support, AI cloud operation, log acquisition and primary sorting, system improvement.
Gifu University
Evaluation design, analysis of acquired data, extraction of improvement requirements, compilation of research results.
Hida City
Coordination and cooperation regarding installation, collaboration with local sites, advice on operational aspects.
How "AIBeS" Works
AIBeS uses the Hyke Cam IoT automatic trail cameras installed on-site to capture images, which are then analyzed on the AI cloud Hyke Works to identify specified animal species such as bears, wild boars, and deer. When a target is identified, notifications are sent to the Hyke Works app, email, Slack/LINE, etc., and an activation command is sent from the cloud to the repellent spray device based on pre-set conditions.
Notification and spraying conditions can be flexibly configured according to operational policies, enabling operations tailored to on-site situations. This supports efficient and continuous countermeasures even in locations where constant monitoring is difficult.
Furthermore, as of April 2026, Hyke Cam and Hyke Works have a track record of implementation in 95 municipalities nationwide, and AIBeS is designed to be smoothly introduced as an extension for existing users.
Overall picture of the AI Bear Spray "AIBeS". By analyzing images detected by IoT cameras in the AI cloud, notifying upon bear detection, and automatically spraying repellent according to conditions, it aims to promote zoning between human settlements and wildlife habitats.
Future Developments
Based on the knowledge gained from this PoC, we will proceed to reduce false detections and malfunctions, optimize operational procedures, and develop configuration models corresponding to environmental conditions, aiming for the commercialization of AIBeS. We will continue to conduct verifications through collaboration with research institutions and local governments to realize highly effective wildlife countermeasures.
About Hyke Inc.
Hyke Inc. provides non-powered remote monitoring solutions combining the Hyke Cam IoT automatic trail camera and the AI image analysis cloud Hyke Works for fields such as wildlife surveys, wildlife damage countermeasures, and environmental surveys. We contribute to streamlining situational awareness in remote areas, improving monitoring accuracy, and reducing total costs.
Contact Information regarding this matter
Hyke Inc.
E-mail: info@hyke-store.com
Web: https://hyke.work/