Project BEESWAX aims to optimally place beehives to improve pollination through three prototypes: BEESWAX I developed the initial concept in Matlab; BEESWAX II expanded functionality in Excel but was impractical; BEESWAX III simplified the model in Octave and is undergoing field tests, balancing beekeeping practices with honeybee foraging ranges. It is a collaboration between Simul Systems Ltd and the University of Essex to develop a practical solution using limited funding.

1. Saturday 26th July ‘14
Andy Lewis MSc FLS
Director
Simul Systems Ltd
andy@simulsys.demon.co.uk
20/08/2014 © Simul Systems Ltd 2014 1
Computational Intelligence
Unconference UK 2014

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Project BEESWAX is:
• A mathematical solution to a real-world issue:
the placement of beehives in the optimum
location to improve pollination
• a collaboration between a commercial
company and a University
• partially funded by the Technology Strategy
Board with an Innovation Voucher
• a multi-platform series of prototypes
• currently undergoing field trials in Kent
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BEESWAX has undergone three stages:
• BEESWAX I, the original prototype written by
the Department of Mathematical Sciences,
University of Essex
• BEESWAX II, a second prototype developed
by Simul Systems Ltd
• BEESWAX III, a commercially confidential
third prototype developed by Simul Systems
Ltd and currently undergoing field-testing in
Kent
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BEESWAX I
• based on the range of Honeybees
• can handle fields of irregular shape
• written in Matlab
• expensive to run for micro-SMEs
• limited functionality
• ported to Pi
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BEESWAX II
• Fully-fledged multi-functional design
• theoretical base
• written in Microsoft Excel
• better mathematical solution
• pragmatically infeasible
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51.1775
51.178
51.1785
51.179
51.1795
51.18
51.1805
0.757 0.7575 0.758 0.7585 0.759 0.7595 0.76
Latitude
Longitude
Beehives Field 1
Beehives Field 1

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BEESWAX III
• pragmatic output design
• developed using Matlab clone, Octave
• Cut-down mathematical content
• designed to facilitate beekeeping practices
• based on Honeybee foraging range
• in-test at an Orchard in Kent
• based on geometry rather than Integer
Programming
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Top lessons:
1. Use funding to get finite result, i.e. prototype
2. Be cooperative
3. Ensure you listen to implementers (i.e. beekeepers)
4. Be prepared to simplify – adapt to real world
5. Stay commercial

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Thanks for listening.
Here are some details:
Andy@simulsys.demon.co.uk
http://beeswax.me.uk
Simul Systems Ltd
Chelmsford Ops
Wickford
Essex
SS11 7AT