University researchers are collaborating to build an AI-powered system intended to detect early signs of respiratory disease in cows, a leading cause of death that costs the cattle industry more than $1 billion per year. The system — which will be developed by Pennsylvania State University, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Delaware — consists of wearable sensors and robotic smart feeders that will observe how the cows breathe, eat, and their activity levels, Penn State said in a release. Deep learning AI will then track how the behaviors interact and determine what changes could help detect the disease in cows early.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, the project is an ambitious example of how AI, wearables, and robotics could be applied to improve an essential industry like farming. The researchers will need buy-in from farmers, who are increasingly tech-savvy when it comes to protecting their herd.