Sensing of objects

A sensor unit comprising a sensor configured to detect a change in fringe capacitance responsive to at least one of a target animal and a target pest via mutual capacitance sensing and a housing including a power source, at least one microprocessor, a non-volatile memory, a transceiver, a clock, and a connector operatively connected to the sensor, the sensor including:

• a plurality of conductors including two electrically conductive un-grounded conductors and an electrically conductive sensor conductor, the sensor conductor arranged between the two un-grounded conductors defining a triplet;
• and
• an un-grounded conductive substrate on which the plurality of conductors are supported, the un-grounded conductive substrate electrically isolated from the plurality of conductors via an electrical insulator acting as one of a shield and a guard;
• wherein the sensor conductor is a transmit electrode and the two un-grounded conductors are each a receive electrode;
• and
• wherein each conductor of the plurality of conductors has a width and a thickness, and is disposed spaced apart from the other conductors of the plurality of conductors and the un-grounded conductive substrate by a distance such that a directional fringe field responsive to the at least one of the target animal and the target pest is generatable.

A system comprising a plurality of sensors disposed in one of a mesh topology and a wireless network, the plurality of sensors respectively including:

• a plurality of conductors including two electrically conductive un-grounded conductors and an electrically conductive sensor conductor, the sensor conductor arranged between the two un-grounded conductors defining a triplet;
• and
• an un-grounded conductive substrate on which the plurality of conductors are supported, the un-grounded conductive substrate electrically isolated from the plurality of conductors via an electrical insulator acting as one of a shield and a guard;
• wherein the sensor conductor is a transmit electrode and the two un-grounded conductors are each a receive electrode;
• and
• wherein each conductor of the plurality of conductors has a width and a thickness, and is disposed spaced apart from the other conductors of the plurality of conductors and the un-grounded conductive substrate by a distance such that a directional fringe field responsive to the at least one of the target animal and the target pest is generatable.