{"id":8811,"date":"2017-02-13T18:07:45","date_gmt":"2017-02-13T16:07:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lcm-content.web-email.at\/en\/?p=8811"},"modified":"2019-06-19T12:42:48","modified_gmt":"2019-06-19T11:42:48","slug":"smartbow-lcm-decode-ear-movements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lcm-content.web-email.at\/en\/smartbow-lcm-decode-ear-movements\/","title":{"rendered":"Smartbow & LCM decode ear movements"},"content":{"rendered":"

Weibern and Linz, Austria, December 2016 \u2013 Is a cow in heat, suffering from a stomach ache or might she become ill? The \u201cEartag\u201d developed by Smartbow and Linz Center of Mechatronics GmbH (LCM) provides all this information. Changes in the positions of animals and the movement of their ears were recorded, these data were compared with video recordings and then typical behaviour patterns were calculated using algorithms. Now, a special software does more than just record the animals\u2019 position. It also analyses their health. While Smartbow is taking over \u201centirely untapped, international markets\u201d with the intelligent ear tag, developers are already at work on additional features. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s easy for many systems to recognise when a calf is not at the trough or a cow is not at the milking parlour. But locating this individual calf or cow in a herd of multiple animals is quite the challenge,\u201d says Smartbow founder and CEO Wolfgang Auer. Auer recognised the psychological strain this places on farmers. In 2009, this software developer founded the company Smartbow in the attic of his private home in order to turn his vision of precise tracking into a marketable product. As a first step, Auer developed an extremely compact plastic housing to be used to store the electronic components required by his vision. Auer was unable to accomplish this task with the products that were on the market, so he turned to experts from LCM. \u201cIndustry colleagues had told me that LCM has a pool of experts that quickly develops close-to-production prototypes,\u201d says Auer. \u201cThe LCM Sensors & Communication team lead by Thomas Buchegger fully lived up to its reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pushing the limits, increasing performance<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first task for the LCM team was to miniaturise the electronics. This required pushing the tag design all the way to the limits set by the geometry and electrical principles. \u201cWe\u2019ve produced a prototype in which the space between the components is reduced to a minimum without limiting performance,\u201d explains LCM Project Manager Erwin Schimb\u00e4ck. Tracking ended up being just as much of a challenge. The tracking chips in the ear tag transmit blinks (short transmission pulses with timestamps and sensor data) to base stations attached in the stall or the field (anchors). \u201cThe algorithm we developed takes data from at least four anchors to calculate the exact position of the ear tag,\u201d explains Schimb\u00e4ck. However, despite the initial target service life of two years, the commercially available button cells installed in the ear tag depleted after a brief period of use.<\/p>\n

Extraneous tasks are eliminated<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe took many approaches to substantially reduce energy consumption,\u201d recalls Smartbow CEO Auer. \u201cOur own development team adapted the algorithm so it can function with less data. LCM reduced the activities of the chip to an absolute minimum and eliminated all extraneous tasks.\u201d As a result, the electronics are not activated until they are attached to the animal\u2019s ear. If the animal remains still, no data are transmitted. In general, the blink rate was reduced from one to two seconds and non-essential components remain off. \u201cOnly the real-time clock operates continuously,\u201d explains Erwin Schimb\u00e4ck.<\/p>\n

Self-learning fitness app for cows<\/strong><\/p>\n

In addition to position detection, the ear tag provides data about the health of the animal. This is done by an acceleration sensor, which registers ear movement. \u201cWhen an animal is eating, the ear moves differently than when it is drinking or chewing cud. If a calf is feeding from its mother, its ear moves differently as well,\u201d explains Wolfgang Auer. Smartbow engineers filmed the animals during these typical activities and compared these videos with the data from the acceleration sensor. From there, LCM developed an algorithm for detecting patterns, which continues to be developed by Smartbow on a regular basis using data from approximately 27,000 cattle with ear tags. The software records data such as a cow eating less, lying down less frequently, walking more and searching for something. \u201cThen the farmer receives information on his\/her computer or smartphone stating that this cow is in heat, should be fertilised and where she\u2019s currently located,\u201d says Auer, explaining a typical notification. Even life-threatening ketoses and broken bones are quickly detected and can be treated immediately.<\/p>\n

A successful young company in a traditional industry<\/strong><\/p>\n

Smartbow is mixing it up in a traditional industry with its ear tag. \u201cWe\u2019re definitely the newest company,\u201d says Wolfgang Auer. Most of our competitors have been in the market for decades. In spite of this, or perhaps because of it, business is going well. With a current total of 35 employees, Smartbow generates annual revenues of 35 million euros, and the share of exports is approximately 98 percent. \u201cRussia and the United States in particular have proven to be excellent markets for us,\u201d says Auer. In general, many markets are completely untapped. \u201cIn many countries, only two to three percent of companies have a similar system,\u201d says Auer. In developed markets such as Holland or Denmark, half of all farmers already rely on tracking and monitoring. \u201cFor us, these are easier markets because there is less of a need to explain the product,\u201d says Auer, whose ear tag often replaces systems that are attached to the legs of animals and do not provide much more data than a pedometer.<\/p>\n

A pioneering role thanks to a development partnership<\/strong><\/p>\n

In contrast to other products, LCM CEO Gerald Schatz sees great potential in the ear tag, which weighs a mere 20 grams. \u201cThere are still many options for improving the performance, precision and intelligence of the entire system.\u201d In addition to more sensors that detect information in the ear tag, such as climate data, and anchors that automatically calibrate or help share some of the computing load, other technologies are being thoroughly tested. \u201cOf course, this development work is based on user feedback. The economic success of our customers is the sole objective of our development work, so the farmers set the agenda,\u201d explains Gerald Schatz. The Innovation Award given to Eartag Life by the Deutsche Landwirtschaftsgesellschaft (German Agricultural Society) in November underscores the success of the collaboration between Smartbow and LCM. \u201cWe surprised the global market with an innovation that benefits both farmers and their livestock,\u201d explains Wolfgang Auer. \u201cWe earned this pioneering role through our close development partnership with LCM. There\u2019s no doubt that we\u2019ll continue to collaborate with LCM because we want to remain a global driver of innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n

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