FrogPhone facts for kids

The FrogPhone is a machine that uses microphones to listen to frogs so scientists can study them and the places they live. It also has thermometers to measure how hot or cold it is in the air and water.

Scientists plan to place the FrogPhone machine in a swamp or other place where frogs live and then leave. The FrogPhone works off of two lithium batteries that are recharged by a solar panel. This way, the humans do not have to come back to change the batteries, so they do not disturb the plants or animals.

Scientists can use their cellular phones to call the FrogPhone and either listen to what is happening where the FrogPhone is at that time or make a recording to listen to later or to send to a database for other people. FrogPhone only works in places that have 3G/4G cell phone coverage, but scientists think it could be used with satellites in the future.

Invention

Australian scientists invented the FrogPhone in 2019. The team had members from the University of New South Wales at Canberra and the University of Canberra and they worked with the Australian Capital Territory, Region Frogwatch Program, and Australian National University. As of December 2019, FrogPhone has been tested but not used in the real world.