Written by Lydia Turner
Roboscientific, a Cambridgeshire based biotech firm, have developed a device that can immediately identify a disease or virus in an enclosed space.
Currently in development the device automatically ‘sniffs’ the air in the barn for the presence of the digital fingerprint (made up from Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)) associated with a specific disease and will automatically notify the farmer, or their nominee via WiFi, Bluetooth or Text when disease is confirmed.
The device is currently being refined for use across chicken farms, vegetables and salad crops.
Roboscientific has also embarked on a feasibility study to see if it is possible to the sensing technology to monitor dairy cattle for sub-clinical ketosis, with feasibility studies having already been established on the ability to spot Para TB (Johnes Disease) and Bovine TB.
Plans are in place to produce an automatic monitoring device to check the condition of cows as they are being milked, and also monitor their methane emissions levels.
They are also looking at different viral diseases in pigs as well as the use of the device to detect COVID-19.
The device is not yet commercially available, with Roboscientific still rolling out the final trials to ensure the software is providing the necessary information a farmer needs.
You can follow updates here via the Roboscientific website.
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