New Nikon AI Camera System Helps Farmers Detect Cow Births

Nikon, a firm that is widely known for its cameras, has pushed its technological skills into an unexpected domain. The company has developed a new camera system that makes use of artificial intelligence (AI) to inform farmers if a cow is about to give birth.

According to Kyodo News, the purpose of this technology is to simplify the process of monitoring pregnant cows, thereby supplying farmers with timely alerts and ultimately enhancing the efficiency of their operations.

Nikon Develops New Camera AI System for Cows

A security-style camera that is smoothly connected with an advanced artificial intelligence system is included in the system, which has a price tag of 900,000 yen per year ($6,200) for a farm that has approximately 100 cows. As a means of analyzing the movements of cows, these cameras powered by artificial intelligence will need to be deployed on farms.

The most important component of this technology is a specialized application for smartphones that acts as a channel via which notifications are sent out when a calf is getting close to being delivered. Not only does this make it possible for farmers to take a proactive approach, but it also considerably eliminates the need for regular physical checks, which is especially helpful during pregnancy and childbirth seasons that are extremely taxing.

In the fall of 2021, Nikon began the process of training artificial intelligence, carefully adjusting the system to ensure that it functions at its highest possible level. In the month of February 2023, the proof-of-concept experiments were carried out on four farms located in the southwestern region of Japan.

It has been established that the system is capable of identifying important indications that are displayed by pregnant cows around five hours prior to the beginning of labor. Among these symptoms include increased movement and the first stages of the amniotic sac being released from the calf.

In his presentation, a representative from Nikon named Kazuhiro Hirano gave some insights into the future goals of the system, indicating that the company wants to increase the capabilities of the system. The goal of Nikon is to combine features that can detect when a female cow is in heat and recognize other behavioral patterns that are significant to the general well-being of the cattle. In addition to forecasting the timing of labor, Nikon also intends to incorporate these qualities.

We have received an enormous amount of favorable feedback from those who participated in the trial phase, which highlights the practical applicability of the system. Keita Higuchi, a livestock farmer who took part in the experiment, stated his contentment with the support provided by the technology.

In light of the fact that his farm gives birth to roughly sixty calves every year, the system has proven to be an invaluable tool, as it has eliminated the requirement for many manual checks in the period leading up to the delivering ceremony.

Nikon’s Venture Into Agriculture

The firm has exhibited adaptability across a variety of industries, creating goods ranging from microscopes and X-ray systems to semiconductor systems and virtual production studios, as reported by Kyodo News. Although Nikon is primarily recognized for its competence in consumer cameras, the company has demonstrated its versatility across a variety of industries.

In addition to its foray into the agricultural sector, Nikon has addressed concerns regarding the inappropriate use of photographs generated by artificial intelligence by implementing cutting-edge electronic watermarking technology in order to avoid any problems.

The entry of Nikon into the agriculture sector is representative of a larger trend in which technology is being integrated into traditional industries in a seamless manner in order to improve operational efficiency.

The convergence of artificial intelligence and agriculture, as demonstrated by this cow-monitoring system, demonstrates the potential for novel solutions to address significant difficulties that have been present in the farming industry for a long time.