Differential pest sensor

A detector for use in a pest sensing system, the detector comprising first and second sensing circuits, each comprising:

• a first electrode connected to a first track running along a longitudinal direction;
• a second electrode connected to a second track running substantially parallel to the first track;
• and
• sensing tracks in the form of a set of fingers located between the first and second tracks, a first set of the fingers being connected to the first track only and reaching towards the second track, and a second set of the fingers being connected to the second track only and reaching towards the first track, the first and second sets of fingers being interdigitated with each other and separated from each other such that pest activity can be detected via a reduction in the impedance between the two sets of interdigitated fingers, measured via the first and second electrodes, wherein at least a portion of each finger runs in a direction that has at least some component that is in the longitudinal direction.

A pest sensing system comprising a pest sensor and a detector for use in the pest sensing system, wherein:

• the detector comprises first and second sensing circuits, each comprising:
• a first electrode connected to a first track running along a longitudinal direction;
• a second electrode connected to a second track running substantially parallel to the first track;
• and
• sensing tracks in the form of a set of fingers located between the first and second tracks, a first set of the fingers being connected to the first track only and reaching towards the second track, and a second set of the fingers being connected to the second track only and reaching towards the first track, the first and second sets of fingers being interdigitated with each other and separated from each other such that pest activity can be detected via a reduction in the impedance between the two sets of interdigitated fingers, measured via the first and second electrodes;
• and
• the pest sensor comprises a processor configured to:
• receive a first signal indicative of a first impedance across the first sensing circuit;
• receive a second signal indicative of a second impedance across the second sensing circuit;
• and
• in response to detecting that one of the first or second signals differs from the other by more than a predefined difference threshold, output an indication of pest activity.

A detector for use in a pest sensing system, the detector comprising:

• first and second sensing circuits, each comprising:
• a first electrode connected to a first track running along a longitudinal direction;
• a second electrode connected to a second track running substantially parallel to the first track;
• and
• sensing tracks in the form of a set of fingers located between the first and second tracks, a first set of the fingers being connected to the first track only and reaching towards the second track, and a second set of the fingers being connected to the second track only and reaching towards the first track, the first and second sets of fingers being interdigitated with each other and separated from each other such that pest activity can be detected via a reduction in the impedance between the two sets of interdigitated fingers, measured via the first and second electrodes;
• and
• a set of channels formed over at least one of the first and second sensing circuits and running along the transverse direction to direct pests to pass over the at least one of the first and second sensing circuits.

A detector for use in a pest sensing system, the detector comprising first and second sensing circuits, each comprising:

• a first electrode connected to a first track running along a longitudinal direction;
• a second electrode connected to a second track running substantially parallel to the first track;
• and
• sensing tracks in the form of a set of fingers located between the first and second tracks, a first set of the fingers being connected to the first track only and reaching towards the second track, and a second set of the fingers being connected to the second track only and reaching towards the first track, the first and second sets of fingers being interdigitated with each other and separated from each other such that pest activity can be detected via a reduction in the impedance between,
• wherein the second track of the first sensing circuit is connected to the second track of the second sensing circuit to form a combined central track running along the longitudinal direction.

A detector for use in a pest sensing system, the detector comprising:

• first and second sensing circuits, each comprising:
• a first electrode connected to a first track running along a longitudinal direction;
• a second electrode connected to a second track running substantially parallel to the first track;
• and
• sensing tracks in the form of a set of fingers located between the first and second tracks, a first set of the fingers being connected to the first track only and reaching towards the second track, and a second set of the fingers being connected to the second track only and reaching towards the first track, the first and second sets of fingers being interdigitated with each other and separated from each other such that pest activity can be detected via a reduction in the impedance between;
• and
• a breakage detection circuit comprising one or more conductive loops connected between a pair of electrodes such that breakage or disconnection of the detector can be detected via a change in loop resistance measured across the pair of electrodes.