Al Momen Pranta, a postgraduate student at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), has developed a low-cost, AI-powered system to combat heat stress in livestock and poultry farms.
The innovation uses real-time data from environmental sensors and IoT (Internet of Things) technology to monitor temperature and humidity, helping to protect animal welfare and boost farm productivity
Due to abrupt changes in the environment, the issue of heat stress has gotten worse, and the majority of farms lack any contemporary systems that would alert them in advance when an animal is in danger.
The youthful researcher has opened up a fresh avenue for the prospect of making this current system’s concept a reality.
Pranta, a postgraduate student in BAU’s Department of Animal Science, has used cutting-edge technology to resolve this issue.
His research has been directed by Department of Animal Science Professor Rakibul Islam Khan. Additionally, the department’s assistant professor, SM Ariful Islam, has assisted in integrating the technology into the university’s internal farm.
An automated “Sensor-based Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Farm Monitoring and Heat Stress Management Technology” has been developed by the study team.
Sensor-based Artificial Intelligence-based Farm Monitoring and Heat Stress Management Technology is an automated decision-making system, according to Pranta.
With the use of this technology, sensors positioned around the farm gather data on temperature and humidity on a regular basis and transmit it online to a cloud platform.
After that, this data is fed into an analysis model powered by artificial intelligence. The Temperature-Humidity-Index (THI) calculation is the analytical model’s job. THI is a figure that represents the animal’s body’s overall state and accounts for both temperature and humidity.
This allows the model to display the animal’s status in four stages: “safe,” “alert,” “risky,” and “highly risky.”
The model automatically switches the fan on or off based on the animal’s condition.
The fan can be operated without the farmer being physically there. AI makes the decisions on when to turn on and off the fan.
A system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze all of this environmental data and automatically post a summary of the judgments made on a website has been developed.
The data is kept on the website so that farmers may view the status of their animals at any time and know when to take appropriate action.
The most significant feature of the entire system, according to researcher Pranta, is that its initial launch costs just Taka 2,500. He went on to say that cloud and maintenance fees would eventually run around Taka 1,000 annually.
After launch, it will operate without human assistance for the following seven days.
Farmers will only use the internet to view the animals’ status and act promptly. For farmers, this will be an affordable and practical answer.
Regarding the potential of the technology, Prof Dr. Rakibul Islam Khan said, “This technology is not just an innovation, it is an important step in farm management. Through this, the farmer’s labor will be reduced, costs will be reduced, and electricity will be saved with proper use. The complications caused by heat stress in the animal’s body due to lack of information, negligence or delay can be controlled in advance through this technology. We are very optimistic about the effective future of the technology.”
However, the research does not stop here.
Researcher Al Momen Pranta said that the future of research is broader.
In the future, sensors for carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia will be added. The quality of the animal’s surroundings and breathing can then be
examined, he stated, adding: “Gradually, this can take the form of a completely artificial intelligence-based precision livestock farming system.”
Pranta desires that no farmer remain defenseless. “Cow illness and heat-related deaths should no longer be a concern for farmers. They ought to be able to anticipate the cow’s condition and take the appropriate action. By employing reasonably priced technology, he hopes to improve the nation’s agricultural landscape,” he continued.
