AT&T is using its 5G network to power a unique type of connected device specifically designed for dairy farmers.The hardware comes from smaXtec, which the company describes as a small smart sensor that a cow can swallow directly. The sensor will stay in the first stomach of the cow, where it will be responsible for monitoring the health of the animal and providing data to farmers.
Although the Internet of Things (IoT) system is most common in the home, the technology is being used by many other industries, such as monitoring when trash bins in cities need to be emptied, maintaining air quality monitoring, and detecting whether store inventory is insufficient, and so on. One of the most interesting examples of how to use IoT connectivity should be AT&T, smaxtec, and a group of dairy cows.
It is understood that SmaXtexc has designed a small tubular sensor that cows can swallow safely. When they reach the first stomach of the cow, the sensor will begin to collect data on key health indicators, including the cow’s movement, pH, body temperature and rumination. These data are transmitted to the farmer through AT&T’s Internet of Things connection platform, and the farmer obtains this information through mobile applications.
Smart technologies like these sensors give farmers the opportunity to intervene at the first time a potential disease appears in dairy cows, which may help avoid the use of antibiotics and prevent the spread of disease. Similarly, these sensors can also provide key details to help warn the rancher and ensure that any necessary medical assistance is provided hours to days before the cows are delivered.
According to smaXtec, in addition to mobile apps, farmers can also access their herd data through a web interface. The details are provided in a “near real-time” manner. This is just one example of the use of IoT technology in the agricultural industry; farmers are using similar hardware and connections to monitor soil conditions and pollution, such as to help prevent crop losses and optimize production.
AT&T’s John V. Slamecka said in a statement regarding the unique use of the company’s network:
“The Internet of Things applications that AT&T’s global network can achieve have never ceased to surprise me. In this case, the smart solution developed by smaXtec is transmitting its invaluable data from the cow’s body. It must be personally inspected and monitored. Animals can now be inspected remotely, which saves farmers time and money. This is a wonderful example of what customers can do when they take advantage of the scale of AT&T’s IoT connection.”