COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

CE308-INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Case Study 5-The CyberTracker & The

Protection of Computer Programs

SUBMITTED BY: LIBOR, JUBILYN G.

OSORIO, EVAN JAMES F.
PARCUTELA, EMMANUEL E.

SUBMITTED TO: DR. TOMAS GANIRON, JR.

 Background
⚫ A new innovation called CyberTracker,
provides a high method of tracking
animals in the field.
⚫ It protects some of the most endangered
animals in the animal kingdom.
⚫ This technology is being used in major
parks such as the Karoo National Reserve
in South Africa.
⚫ Kalahari Desert is the oldest inhabitants of
Southern Africa.
⚫ It has been the home of the Bushmen for
more than 20,000 years.
⚫ They considered to be the best trackers in
the world.
⚫ They can easily identify species of an
animal.
⚫
⚫ Louis Liebenberg, a South African
anthropologist, has highly skilled in
tracking and lived with Bushmen to
further master his skills.
⚫ In 1996, he teamed up with Justin
Steventon and Karel Benadie, they
developed the CyberTracker.
⚫ They used CyberTracker to record the
movements and behavior of a highly
endangered species.
⚫ CyberTracker a software that takes
animal tracking to the cyber-age.
⚫ It can be used on third party GPS-
enabled devices such as smart phones
and handheld computers for
recording observations of animal
movements quickly and easily.
⚫ It is very efficient in monitoring
wildlife, animal behavior and lifestyle
changes.
⚫ Using the CyberTracker, they collected data on
Lowland Gorillas showed the extent of mortality rate
due to the Ebola virus.
⚫ Liebenberg established an organization called the
CyberTracker Conservation (Conservation), as a non-
profit entity to disseminate the benefits of the
CyberTracker technology.
 Research and Development

⚫ Liebenberg and his organization put emphasis

on continuing research and development of the
CyberTracker software.
⚫ The CyberTracker Conservation believes that a
too wide R&D may prove inefficient and
therefore its activities focus on a limited
number of pilot projects.
⚫ The CyberTracker Conservation depends on the funds from other organizations. Like European
Commission.

⚫ The CyberTracker Monitoring Program, it was funded by the European Commission.

⚫ ¼ of the funding was spent in the R&D, while the rest was for implementing the program in about 60
projects in 15 African countries.
⚫ Liebenberg’s initiative to develop the CyberTracker
technology and the vision of his non-profit
Conservation is to promote the development of a
worldwide network for environmental monitoring.
⚫ CyberTracker is therefore available through
downloadable software that can be used in a handheld
device, such as smartphones or a PDA.
⚫ CyberTracker is registered as a trademark with
the United States Patents and Trademarks
Office (USPTO).
⚫ The trademark registration facilitates the
product’s promotion and ensure its authencity.
 Business Results
⚫ In 2010, more than 35,000 users have downloaded the
software. The CyberTracker Conservation’s site
receives more than 5,000 visitors per month from
around the world.
⚫ The impacts of CyberTracker on wildlife conservation
have been significant.
⚫ In Kruger National Park in South Africa, they uses 125
CyberTracker units.
⚫ Using the CyberTracker, an Ebola virus outbreak in 2003 and its impact on antelopes and Lowland
Gorillas were identified through the use of it.

⚫ It also contributes to educational and scientific research activities.

⚫ The Bushman communities benefit from this technology in several ways. It created employment
opportunities for them.
⚫ CyberTracker’s contribution in environmental monitoring and wildlife conserving was
recognized when Liebenberg was honored with the prestigious Rolex Award for Enterprise in
1998.

⚫ Rolex offers this award to individuals in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the
betterment of mankind.

⚫ From Kalahari Desert, Liebenberg’s CyberTracker has spread all over the world in wildlife
conservations.