USU Health Geography Lab Helps Secure First Place in XPRIZE Rainforest Competition
Team Limelight Rainforest took first place in the competition, bringing together a multidisciplinary group of researchers, engineers, and Indigenous scientists from 10 institutions including USU, Virginia Tech, the University of Florida, Colorado Mesa University, and a Canadian company, Outreach Robotics.
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| A member of the robotics teams assists in launching one of the canopy rafts in the XPRIZE Rainforest finals. (Courtesy photo) |
November 26, 2024 by Sharon Holland
The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) Health Geography and Disease Ecology Lab, led by Dr. Mohamed F. Sallam, played a pivotal role in securing first place in the prestigious XPRIZE Rainforest competition as part of team Limelight Rainforest. This global competition challenged participants to develop groundbreaking technologies for rapidly cataloging and conserving rainforest biodiversity—a vital component of ecological and global health.
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Dr. Mohamad Sallam (left) and one of the local guides in the Colombian Amazon take a moment while bouncing between rainforest canopies to have a closer look at sampling sites before the XPRIZE Finals. (Courtesy photo) |
The team’s success was underpinned by cutting-edge innovations developed by Dr. Sallam and his USU lab. They contributed advanced mosquito traps, insect-borne pathogen sampling systems, and assistance to the drone-operated methods using remote sensing methods. These technologies enabled the team to survey 100 hectares of tropical rainforest in just 24 hours, delivering a comprehensive biodiversity report within 48 hours—a process that traditionally takes years.
"This achievement demonstrates the power of interdisciplinary collaboration and USU’s commitment to solving complex global health challenges," said Dr. Sallam. "Our findings offer exciting new tools and potential venues for tracking Emerging Infectious Disease pathogens in inaccessible areas such as rainforest ecosystems."
During the competition, the USU lab's innovations included novel traps capable of capturing blood-engorged mosquitoes and identifying water bodies under the canopy using advanced remote sensing techniques. These contributions guided drones to safely deploy and retrieve sampling devices while avoiding obstacles, significantly enhancing the team’s ability to sample insect-borne pathogens and environmental DNA (eDNA) from the rainforest.
The Limelight team’s central innovation, the Canopy Raft, combined bioacoustic sensors, light traps, and robotic devices to collect data on thousands of species, including rare animals like jaguars and freshwater dolphins. This groundbreaking work culminated in a 362-page biodiversity analysis report submitted within the competition’s 48-hour deadline.
"Our contributions not only supported the Limelight team’s success but also open new AI venues that can be adapted for use in challenging environments, including military operations in remote and conflict zones and humanitarian missions," says Sallam, who developed remote sensing tools to easily operate the drone sampling strategy from USU during the finals.
The XPRIZE Rainforest competition emphasizes scalable solutions for biodiversity monitoring. Limelight Rainforest’s innovations condense years of traditional data collection into days, equipping researchers and Indigenous communities with transformative tools for managing biodiversity.
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| Team Limelight Rainforest holds an all-hands meeting with robotics, bioinformatics, entomology, and microbiology personnel, and consultants, in the finals before starting surveillance events. (Photo by Fernando Vaca) |
The $10 million prize will support further development and deployment of these technologies, ensuring their continued impact on conservation and global health. USU’s participation underscores its leadership in advancing science and health to serve the nation and global community.
"This accomplishment showcases the exceptional talent and ingenuity within our department," said Dr. James Mancuso, chair of USU's Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics. "Dr. Sallam’s work exemplifies how scientific innovation can address urgent global challenges while also creating practical applications for military and public health operations."
To view a video of the team’s work, visit https://youtu.be/zPu7HYLHQTU
