mwplay888 Meet SwagBot, world’s first AI-powered cow
Updated:2024-12-16 05:58 Views:151
University of Sydney’s autonomous robot ‘SwagBotmwplay888’ moves around a field in Allynbrook, Australia, November 22, 2024. REUTERS/Cordelia Hsu
CANBERRA—With four wheels and a bright red paint job, SwagBot is not your average cow.
But researchers at the University of Sydney say this autonomous robot is on its way to becoming the world’s first “smart cow,” able to make cattle farming more efficient and environmentally friendly.
Article continues after this advertisementFirst launched in 2016 as a simple herding robot capable of traversing rugged terrain, SwagBot has been updated with sensors, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning systems.
FEATURED STORIES TECHNOLOGY Some breast cancer patients can avoid certain surgeries – studies TECHNOLOGY Japanese researchers test pioneering drug to regrow teeth TECHNOLOGY Meet SwagBot, world’s first AI-powered cowThe battery-powered SwagBot can now determine the health, type and density of pasture and monitor the health of livestock.
It then uses this information to autonomously herd cattle to the best pastures and move them before land is overgrazed and soil becomes degraded. It can also feed data back to farmers.
Article continues after this advertisement“Once the cattle are used to the robot, they will follow the robot around,” said University of Sydney professor of robotics and intelligent systems, Salah Sukkarieh, whose team made SwagBot.
Article continues after this advertisement Major beef exporter“You want to move the animals to the right part of the pasture where there is good protein, good carbs,” he said. “You want to be able to do that in a very fluid manner without fences.”
Article continues after this advertisementAustralia is one of the world’s biggest beef exporters, with around 30 million cattle spread across a vast landscape that is often dry and whose pastures can be poor.
READ: Adopt AI or perish
Article continues after this advertisementFarmers constantly assess how many animals their land can support but many have little control over where the animals graze within large enclosed areas. Overgrazing can lead to poorer soils that support less plant and animal life.
Seven & i – Japan’s biggest retailer – last month rejected an initial buyout offer from Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard (ACT), saying the $40 billion proposal undervalued its business and could face regulatory hurdles.
Part of growing trend“It (SwagBot) allows us to assess our paddocks in real time in a much more detailed way,” said Erin O’Neill, a part-time farmer who attended a recent demonstration of the robot in a field north of Sydney.
“That allows us to know what bits of pasture are most nutritious, particularly if you’ve got cattle like we do that are pregnant and therefore need a higher quality pasture to aid them through that pregnancy,” she said.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
SwagBot, which is still in development, is part of a growing trend in agriculture toward robotics that can make production more efficient and reduce reliance on workers in places such as Australia where hiring people in remote locations can be difficult.
TOPICS: AI, Robots, technology READ NEXT Ancient genes identify when humans and Neanderthals mixed and ... Up to 80% off HONOR gadgets, 0% interest on installment this 1... EDITORS' PICK Chinese General Hospital extends discounts to media employees Metro Manila water tariffs to rise in 2025 Playing through nightmare, La Salle ends up with dream Game 2 win Bianca Bustamante wraps up F1 Academy journey DENR needs to raise P100M to save these 6 species Millions of Stanley cups recalled in US over burn risk MOST READ Bar exam result 2024: 3,962 passed – Supreme Court LIVE UPDATES: Bar exam results 2024 Bar exam 2024 results: Top 10 performers Scores of bar topnotchers to be displayed, SC clarifies Follow @FMangosingINQ on Twitter --> View comments
