Ear-Mounted Livestock Temperature Probe for Automated Health Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional livestock monitoring systems face challenges in efficiently monitoring large numbers of animals and are prone to human error, as many illnesses are visually undetectable and require experienced managers.
Innovation Solution
A livestock health monitoring system that includes a temperature probe and sensor attached to the animal's ear, with a rechargeable device capable of long-term monitoring and notification through visual, audible, or wireless alerts, reducing human error and enabling simultaneous monitoring of multiple animals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual inspection by livestock manager is used, then monitoring can be performed with simple equipment, but monitoring accuracy deteriorates due to human error and inexperience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/visual inspection system with an automated electronic monitoring system that uses temperature probes, sensors, and microcontrollers to detect health parameters. This substitution eliminates human error in visual inspection while providing objective, quantifiable measurements of livestock health status.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system enables self-service by automatically detecting temperature changes and health parameters without requiring continuous human intervention. The system autonomously monitors multiple animals, detects anomalies, and triggers alerts, reducing the need for experienced livestock managers to perform manual inspections.
2Productivity
If manual monitoring by livestock manager is used, then equipment cost is low, but productivity deteriorates when monitoring large numbers of livestock
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system is segmented into independent units, each equipped with its own temperature probe, sensor, and microcontroller. Multiple livestock can be monitored simultaneously using separate monitoring units, allowing the system to scale productivity by simply adding more segments rather than increasing the complexity of a centralized system.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system is designed with universal components that can monitor multiple parameters (temperature, health status) across different livestock types. The standardized design allows a single system architecture to serve multiple functions and monitor large numbers of animals without proportionally increasing operational complexity.
3Reliability
If visual inspection is used, then monitoring process is simple, but reliability deteriorates due to undetectable illnesses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces unreliable visual inspection with reliable electronic sensing that can detect internal physiological changes (temperature variations) that are invisible to the human eye. This substitution provides consistent, objective measurements that do not depend on the inspector's experience or attention, significantly improving detection reliability for subtle or early-stage illnesses.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively monitors animal health by reducing human error and allowing for real-time temperature threshold detection, providing alerts for potential health issues, thus improving the accuracy and efficiency of livestock health management.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature probe and sensor attached to the animal's ear
Data Source
AI summary
An animal wellness notification system includes an attachment body configured to securely engage with an ear of the animal; an elongated temperature probe secured to the attachment body and configured to extend within the ear of the animal; a housing secured to the attachment body; a power module electrically connect to and configured to provide power to (or recharge) at least one other element of the animal wellness notification system; a computer disposed within the housing and operably associated with the temperature probe; and a notification device in data communication with the computer, the notification device being configured to provide notice if a temperature of the animal goes beyond a determined.