ARNI – Firmware

Firmware update – new version 2.2.0 (02.03.2026)

Important information:

Please ensure that you update your ARNI to firmware version 2.2.0 before using it in the field in 2026!

When ARNI is updated from 2.0.9 to 2.2.0, it overwrites the LEPMON code and GPS coordinates. Please note the coordinates before the update and re-enter them in the menu after the update. When updating from 2.0.10 or newer, this information is retained, but should be checked.

New features

Error handling

  • Error 3 is displayed when the USB stick is removed during recording loop
  • Error 3 USB stick not found is not triggered immediately if ARNI mounts the stick late at start-up
  • Error 12 Visible LED dimmed and Error 7: power sensor removed from display and frequency count

Interface

  • Menu available in English and Spanish.
  • Display during restart.
  • Position pointer for time and coordinates is now only an ‘x’; leading dashes have been ommitted.
  • In the Interface, the ‘Right’ key can be used to go back for a correction during entry.
  • After entering the GPS coordinates, ARNI determines the country and province in which the entered coordinates are located. The user must confirm this or re-enter the coordinates. This information has no effect on the LEPMON code.

Data quality

  • Correction factor of the current sensor adjusted to 0.00494
  • ARNI automatically adjusts the exposure time and gain of the camera to make exposure corrections
  • Sanity check for photos taken. Grey conversion and proportion of black pixels is calculated
  • Log file with device run number
  • Gamma correction of the frames taken to brighten shadows (step by step, 1/3 of the frame at a time)

General

  • Spot LED only switched on when frame creation is commanded
  • If heating is selected: Activity only at the start of recording, not at the start of the pause until recording starts
  • LEMPNON code only from ASCII characters: Circles with Ä Ö Ü should be changed to A O U. ARNI requests users to do this.
  • When the Lepmon code is changed, it is applied after diagnosis. The folder and log are renamed, no new folder, no restart
  • Focusing aid determines exposure itself and provides feedback on which direction to focus
  • If the recording loop is interrupted, the images are stored in the old folder for that night after restarting. The log file creates an entry.
  • SD cards are interchangeable: the generation label is written to a separate JSON file in addition to the serialnumber.
  • Timestamp of the last Raspberry activity in FRam.
  • Every second hour during the recording loop, the USB stick is remounted to avoid asynchrony in the bus.
  • Daylight saving: clock change in spring and autumn.

Software Update

Firmware Release History

Version 2.1.1 (11/09/2025)

Important notes:

If ARNI is updated from 2.0.9 to 2.1.1, the update overwrites the LEPMON code and the GPS coordinates. Please note down the coordinates before the update and re-enter them in the menu after the update. When updating from 2.0.10 or newer to 2.1.1, this information is retained, but should still be checked.

Users whose district code contains an umlaut (Ä, Ö, Ü) and is three characters long should update from 2.1.0 to 2.1.1.
ARNIs with older software versions can be updated directly to 2.1.1.

What’s new

  • Fixes an issue where ARNI does not correctly read the district code when it consists of 3 letters and one of these letters is an umlaut (Ä, Ö, or Ü)
  • Replaces the term “Trap” in the CSV file, the log file, and other parts of the interface

Version 2.1.0 (05.09.2025)

Important note

When ARNI is updated from 2.0.9 to 2.1.0, it overwrites the LEPMON code and GPS coordinates. Please note the coordinates before the update and re-enter them in the menu after the update. When updating from 2.0.10 to 2.1.0, this information is retained but should be checked.

New features

  • “City” renamed to “District”
  • Districts/their vehicle registration codes added according to the ADAC reference list
  • Sunrise and sunset are calculated for the local time zone
  • The ARNI’s windshield heater can be activated via the input menu if required
  • ARNI learns to save power: The camera can be switched on and off via a separate USB Y-cable
  • Power supply type specified in the CSV table head
  • Illumination LED set to high during image capture to prevent flickering
  • Compatibility with first-generation ARNI

Version 2.0.10 (07.23.2025)

Important note

When updating from 2.0.9 to 2.0.10, the Lepmon code data (abbreviation for state and district code) and GPS coordinates will be overwritten. Please note the coordinates before updating and re-enter them in the menu after updating. (This step will not be necessary for future updates).
If the update is interrupted, i.e. ARNI does not restart automatically, please switch it off and switch it back on again after one minute. If “Version 2.0.10” is displayed in the start menu, the update has been successful. If 2.0.9 is displayed or ARNI no longer starts, please contact Dennis Böttger.

New features

  • A software error has been fixed that caused ARNI to restart before nightfall, creating two folders per night.
  • ARNI writes only one file per folder containing all checksums.
  • The images are saved as JPGs.
  • Sunrise and sunset times are calculated more accurately.
  • The Lepmon code can now be re-entered in the menu each time the GPS coordinates change. The hidden menu for this has been removed.
  • The power supply must be specified in the menu.
  • A bug has been fixed that caused the location selection to abort if Enter was pressed too early.
  • The USB stick can be irrevocably deleted on ARNI. This will permanently delete all folders, images, and files from previous recording runs that are still stored on the USB stick. Please do not delete the stick if the Lepmon code has been changed beforehand (i.e., the coding of the state and district).
  • After future updates (when updating from version 2.0.10 or higher), the coordinates and Lepmon code (abbreviation for federal state and district) do not need to be re-entered.
  • ARNI displays error 3 at startup if there is an error with the USB stick and allows it to be reinserted without forcing a restart.
  • District codes GAP, R, and MR have been added.

ARNI Generation 3 (black model)

All generations of ARNI are compatible with LepmonOS 2.1.1 and can be updated by the user. From March 2026, we will be supplying ARNI with the latest version of the software and hardware retrofit. If you encounter any problems during operation, please contact us.