Wearable Devices in Veterinary Medicine: The Big Data or Digital Revolution in Animal Health
Wireless technology to track animal health has pushed frontiers, giving pet owners and vets life-altering insights. Incredible leaps by the Internet of Things (IoT) is playing a crucial role in gathering and analysing health statistics related to animal health. Veterinary wearable devices track locations, health issues, keeping records of various types of diseases, their progression, and analyse misbehaviour among pets and livestock.
Growing demand for real-time information, live tracking, and concern about the safety and security of animals and pets is expected to drive the global veterinary wearable devices market. The inclusion of superior functional components such as GPS-enabled devices, which plays on the sentiment of preventing pets from being lost is truly expected to garner the market a steady clientele.Wearable tech is a hot topic – and not just for humans. Just as wearables have become increasingly popular in the healthcare industry, they have also started to create quite the buzz in veterinary medicine and pet care.
This comes as no surprise as people today tend to spoil their pets more than ever before, loving and caring for them as if they were a member of the family. If humans can get fancy gadgets to improve their healthcare, it stands to reason that pets can do the same.This article will take a look at some of the current trends in wearable tech for animals, as well as future trends and precautions to take when dealing with the data risks that come with these new technologies.
Current Trends in Wearable Tech for Animals
Advances in technology have now made pet and animal care easier than ever. With some of the latest tech trends, pet owners and animal caregivers can more easily monitor their pet’s health, behaviors, eating habits, and location. Let’s take a look at some of the current wearable tech for animals that are trending.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Training
AI has been around for some time now, but it has only recently started gaining in popularity as advances in tech have made AI more accessible and accurate. Numerous industries use various kinds of AI-powered software and systems that use machine learning to make decisions and predictions that mimic human thought.
Now, a company is using this tech to create state-of-the-art, AI dog training systems. Although this tech is not wearable and is not available yet, it will be soon and is worth mentioning. It consists of an AI-powered treat dispenser that analyzes a dog’s movements and behaviors to determine whether it should be rewarded with a treat. It can recognize movements such as sitting and lying down. When the dog obeys a command, they get a treat.
Monitors and Biosensors
Wearable monitors and sensors are one of the most popular tech tools being used for pets and animals such as livestock. These monitors are equipped with biosensors that can track things like vitals, food intake, and activity levels. Wearable sensors for animal health management are quickly becoming commonplace due to their ease and helpfulness. Some of these wearables work like a general health monitor to help pet owners and their vets keep better track of the animal’s overall health, and some are meant to help with very specific things – like tracking exercise and food intake for weight management. Some biosensors and monitors are specifically being developed for livestock development to help farmers and animal caretakers keep better track of the health of their animals on a larger scale. This can help prevent disease and enhance overall animal welfare to ensure healthier livestock.
E-textiles
Purdue University has recently been working on wearable tech to help manage horse health. They have developed a horse blanket using an e-textile made with nanotechnology that can monitor a horse’s cardiac, muscular, and respiratory systems. This form of technology is making waves because it makes use of textiles and patterns that already exist. Then, it simply infuses them with technology to make them double as both a garment and a health monitor.
Ingestibles
Some sensors aren’t just worn on the outside but can be ingested to get an even more accurate analysis of what is going on internally. For example, some of the ingestibles are being used on cows to catch disease or anticipate heats, which allows for higher insemination success rates. Being able to obtain this kind of big data on animals is providing new insights and completely changing the world of animal care.
Location Trackers
Wearable tech with GPS tracking is another trend that is starting to gain traction with pet owners. Wearable ID tags, for example, can track a pet’s movements so the owner can know where they are at all times. This can also be used to keep track of livestock to prevent animals from getting lost when they have vast amounts of land to roam.
Future Trends in Wearable Tech
With wearable technology constantly advancing, the future of animal care will forever be changed. We are already seeing significant advances made in human health with wearables, such as predicting and preventing genetic disease, better vital monitoring, and even smart glasses improving eyesight. It’s only a matter of time before animal wearables become more advanced as well.Already, one company is working on a form of high-tech wearable that can interpret a dog’s brain waves to give pet owners a better idea of what their dog is thinking. Some even think we might be able to turn a dog’s bark into human speech.
Wearable Tech Risks
It’s important to note that while these new forms of advanced technology are improving the lives of humans and pets, they also come with certain risks – primarily, data security risks. The basis of wearable tech is that it is capable of analyzing and sharing large amounts of data to make pet care and healthcare more efficient. Doing this, however, does put pet owners and veterinary offices at higher risk of having healthcare data exposed.
While wearable tech is something pet owners, animal caretakers, and veterinarians should be utilizing, it’s also important for them to be mindful of the security risks. If you are using a wearable monitor for your pet that shares data with your phone and your vet’s office, for example, you should make sure that the software is protected and is not leaving you vulnerable to a cyber-attack or data breach.
Wrapping Up
As a whole, wearable tech is not something to be afraid of. This technology can help you take better care of your pets and other animals to improve their lives and yours. For example, being able to spot health issues before they become a major problem can save you money and help you get your pet the care they need before it’s too late. With wearable tech, there is no telling what will eventually be possible for the future of animal healthcare. If it’s anything like what is already happening in human health, however, it will greatly improve our lives and the lives of our pets.
Identification and Tracking to Remain Sought After Features
The identification and tracking segment will lead the global veterinary wearable devices market followed by the medical diagnosis and treatment segment. In coming years, several pet owners are expected to microchip their pets to prevent loss should the animal wander away. These IoT-enabled pet wearable devices can be easily monitored through well-designed smartphone applications, giving the owners control over pet safety with instant alerts and mapping. In addition, identification and tracking also ensure record-keeping of information such as breed, sex, feeds, and pharmaceutical products used in raising the animals. Over a period of time, the data collected via these wearable devices serves as a useful understanding in treating the animal.
Veterinary wearable devices, equipped with RFID, are estimated to have the largest value share. However, the sensor segment is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. RFID technology is increasingly gaining popularity as it enables saving exotic and endangered wildlife animals, identifying lost pets, and pointing out medical records.On the other hand, sensors are highly effective in gaining information about various diseases and conditions an animal could be suffering on real-time basis for timely intervention. Heart-rate monitoring, temperature records, breathing patterns, and mapping motion are some of the basic readings sensors allow to ensure pets and animals receive immediate attention whenever required. Thus, these factors are expected to support the sensor segment demand during the forecast period.
Livestock Wearable Devices Garner as COVID-19 Serves as Reality-check
The livestock segment is expected to be the key end user of veterinary wearable devices as the spread of COVID-19 serves as a gruesome reminder that animal diseases pose a threat to human life as well. This is expected to drive the demand for biosensors in the livestock rearing industry, which is a formidable human achievement in tracking animal health.Equipped with advanced techniques such as detection of infectious diseases in cattle, ability to conduct serodiagnosis, and overall introduction of precision in animal farming to prevent further outbreak are likely to lure in a growing number of farmers to this segment.To the end consumer, the use of veterinary wearable devices in animal farming will offer information from birth to final processing of the product, making the supply chain as transparent as possible. The unwavering promise of clarity committed by these devices in assuring consumers safety going forth will boost the segment over the forecast period.
North America to Lead as Consumer Sentiment towards Pet Care Strengthens
Globally, North America is estimated to occupy the largest value share on the pie. In the U.S. presently 68% of the households have at least one pet. The market is expected to remain bullish throughout the forecast period as the consumers lean towards sophisticated pet care gadgets. This has led to higher adoption of veterinary wearable devices to understand and treat pets to ensure quick rehabilitation and a better lifestyle. However, Asia Pacific region is projected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Countries such as China and India are the largest producers and exporters of raw and processed meat and poultry products. This makes international safety certifications imperative, which is driving livestock farmers to adopt veterinary wearable devices to keep up with standards.The Asia Pacific veterinary devices market is also expected to receive a spur from millennials as the trend of pet adoption gains momentum.
Players Focus on Innovation to Stay Competitive
The final study also includes market analysis related to various players. The key pointers covered for each player primarily includes company overview, key strategies, recent developments, product USPs, financial analysis such as revenue contribution to the market and region, and detailed analysis about their product offerings.
Some of the major players considered in the report include Inovotec Animal Care, Whistle Labs, Inc., FitBark, Inc, Tractive, Vital Herd, Inc, PetPace, LLC, TekVet Technologies Co., Milkline, and Lamdagen Corporation and Garmin International.
The Big Data Revolution in Animal Health
‘Big data’ has been a hot buzzword in human healthcare for years. As computers and applications become more powerful, we’re able to analyse reams of data and discover new insights into disease. We’re monitoring, controlling and treating diseases more effectively than ever before.Until recently, this revolution was not as prominent in the animal health world. However, this is quickly changing. Here, we look at five ways big data is shaping the future of animal health.
- Satellite data predicting disease outbreaks
In late 2006, careful observation of satellite data by a team of researchers (including NASA and WHO) accurately predicted the outbreak of Rift Valley fever in East Africa.Areas with higher rainfall and denser green vegetation were identified as being at greater risk of the mosquito-borne disease. Paired with analysis of data spanning 60 years, the team uncovered a correlation between the El Nino weather system and outbreaks of the disease.
This allowed them to predict the 2006 outbreak, issuing warnings in September, before the first cases started to emerge two months later. This kind of analysis could buy governments and communities precious time in preparing for disease outbreaks and minimise the spread.
- Wearable devices preventing sickness in ranch animals
Wearable technologies are playing an increasing role in disease prevention by alerting farmers to the early warning signs of outbreaks.Tracking devices such as ear tags and biosensors can offer real-time data on an animal’s vital signs, as well as behaviour, movement and feeding and watering habits – all potential markers for disease.What’s more, these devices can be plugged into a database to offer instant access to an animal’s lineage, weight, health records and production history. It may be some time before we see this technology widely adopted, but advocates argue that it could save millions of cattle each year.
- The mobile technology paving the way to efficiency
New apps and devices promise to vastly improve the diagnosis, treatment and management of disease.One such app makes use of a bespoke stethoscope to wirelessly transmit an audio signal to confirm a diagnosis of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in eight seconds. The recording is analysed, before an appropriate treatment plan is generated.Other technology has the ability to analyse and enhance the reproductive capabilities of a herd or seek to understand the transmission paths of diseases. Meanwhile, farmers can share health data on virtual reporting platforms with production managers and veterinarians direct from the barn.
- Apps connecting communities to share disease reports
Smartphone technology has enabled farmers, health workers and veterinarians in Uganda to report early signs of outbreaks and improve their collective response to threats.Veterinary services and farmers can easily upload images and data to the app to share geo-referenced disease reports with the wider network.Piloted by The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and national veterinary authorities in Uganda, it’s hoped the tool will be used in other countries to encourage monitoring, to generate early warning alerts and ultimately improve the response to disease.
- Big data supporting sustainable agriculture
An article published by NASA describes how Australia’s rangelands “provide an opportunity to sustainably produce meat without contributing to deforestation” if properly managed. A ranch owner in northern Australia is already using NASA Earth observation data to manage water resources, keep his land healthy by preventing over-grazing, and monitor the success of his interventions to promote rangeland health.Elsewhere, researchers are using data from several NASA satellites to identify areas within the West African countries of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso with agricultural potential, and to estimate the amount of food available.
Pets and Wearable Tech
Wearable tech isn’t just for humans anymore. It’s become a rapidly growing opportunity for our pets too. One report predicts that wearable tech for pets will have a market share of around $3.5 billion by 2023.* What’s behind this growth and are these devices worth your consideration?
A Growing Market
The growth of this market is being driven by a few different factors. One is the accessibility of the technology needed to make it work. Many of these devices are tied into apps that run on our iPhones, Androids, or tablets, which are pretty much always in our reach these days. We are also becoming more aware and accepting of wearable tech for people, such as Fitbit, the Apple Watch, and GoPro cameras.Another reason is that we are closer to our pets than ever before. They have truly become an integral part of our families. Along with this strong bond comes an interest in finding new ways to connect with our furry friends and give them the best lives possible, which is what many of these devices promise to do.
Pet GPS Trackers
Like wearable tech for people, a large part of this market for pets is focused on tracking location and promoting fitness. For instance, Whistle combines GPS technology with activity monitoring in a special on-collar device. It works with an app, which lets you check your pet’s location and set activity goals. You can also establish a geo-fenced area and get an alert if your pet goes outside of this zone.While Whistle and their competitors can help you keep tabs on your pet, they should never take the place of a microchip. Microchipping is an important way to help make sure your pet is returned home safely if they ever get lost. Since it is implanted under the skin, it can’t come off or be removed like a device attached to your pet’s collar.
Pet Health Monitors
As a veterinarian, the kinds of wearable tech for pets that I find most interesting are ones that can have a substantial positive impact on a pet’s health. One such device is called PetPace, which has a Smart Bio-Sensing Collar that monitors a pet’s temperature, pulse, respiration, heart rate variability (HRV), activity level, position, and calories burned. This collar works together with a 24/7 Health Monitoring Service and an app that allows you to check on your pet anytime.The PetPace Health Monitoring System sends notifications and alerts about changes in your pet’s vital signs directly to your smartphone. For instance, it can alert you to changes in temperature or difficulty breathing. This allows you to detect potential problems early, so you can get your pet medical care sooner, which can make a difference in the outcome.In addition, the PetPace Health Monitoring Service can share and send data alerts to your veterinarian at the first sign of trouble. It can also provide your pet’s doctor with valuable vital signs and activity history to better identify potential health issues.
Advantages for Pet Parents
Our pets can’t tell us what is going on with them, but PetPace can give you a better understanding of how they are feeling. For instance, it can detect a rapid heart rate, which could indicate pain, stress, or an underlying illness. PetPace can be particularly useful for older pets or those with health conditions that need close monitoring, like a heart arrhythmia or hypothyroidism.It can also help put a first time pet parent’s mind at ease. For example, if you took your young pup out for a brisk walk on a hot day, you might be worried that the heat and activity were too much for them. You can look for visible signs of a problem, but you might still have concerns. With PetPace, you can check for early symptoms of heatstroke, like an elevated body temperature or heart rate.Of course, a pet health monitor should never take the place of your veterinarian. However, it can be a useful tool to help you and your pet’s doctor provide your pet with the best care possible.
Benefits for Veterinary Practices
PetPace can help veterinary practices care for their pet patients by continuously monitoring their vital signs. It provides data that can be used to inform treatment plans and alert the medical team to problems that require immediate intervention. It can be useful for pets who are recovering from surgery or receiving care for an injury or illness. It also provides an easy and non-invasive way to take a pet’s temperature and check vitals during a veterinary visit. All the veterinarian has to do is put on the collar.
Onboard Cameras
Unlike health monitors and location trackers, some wearable tech for pets is mostly for fun. One example of this is the GoPro Fetch, which is designed by the company who made the GoPro. GoPro Fetch has a harness and a small camera that can be mounted on your pet’s chest or back to capture different angles. While it might be interesting to see the world from your dog’s perspective, there aren’t any real benefits for your pet—unless perhaps you and your pup are looking to become YouTube celebrities.
If you use a GoPro Fetch or similar product, please keep your dog’s comfort and safety in mind. Never force your dog to wear the harness or a camera if they don’t like the idea. You should also never use the harness to walk your dog since it was not designed for this purpose. Additionally, always supervise your dog when they are wearing it since the harness or camera could slip off and cause an injury.Whether or not any of these devices is worth the cost is up to you. One thing for sure is that wearable tech for pets is here to stay and will continue to be an interesting market to watch.Veterinary wearable devices are wireless technology enabled hardware and software devices which transmits medical data or relevant data to the wellness of an animal or pet. Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, Gyroscope enabled hardware create the device itself. These wireless technologies aid connect with the smartphone and other web-enabled devices generating a wearable ecosystem. This ecosystem sometimes known as the “internet of things” or “internet of everything” allows the transmission of data, which is beneficial to the wearer or end user because of the analytics that can be generated via the wearable.
MARKET DYNAMICS- GLOBAL VETERINARY WEARABLE DEVICES MARKET
The mounting interest in animal safety and well-being and constant developments in portal mapping with smart device infiltration is anticipated to boost the GPS-permitted veterinary wearable devices market. Wearable technology is altering the lives of both animals and their owners. The use of mobile applications and wearable technology, from GPS tracking devices to RFID implants, in the veterinary industry provides innovative security and security alternatives for owners and their animals.
VETERINARY WEARABLE DEVICES MARKET SEGMENTAL OVERVIEW
The study analyses Global Veterinary Wearable Devices market based on application, technology and geography. The market finds application in Identification & Tracking, Safety & Security, Behavior Monitoring & Control and Medical Diagnosis & Treatment. GPS, RFID, Sensors are some of the major technologies used for veterinary wearable devices market. Geographically, the study is comprised of the key countries of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World.
VETERINARY WEARABLE DEVICES MARKET BY APPLICATION
The market finds application in Identification & Tracking, Safety & Security, Behavior Monitoring & Control and Medical Diagnosis & Treatment. Animal identification refers to keeping track on individual farm animals or groups of farm animals so that they can be easily tracked from their birth through the marketing chain. At a minimum, information is collected and stored regarding the animal’s place and date of birth, the name and address of the owner, the date and location of movements between the animal’s origin and its place of slaughter, and the date and location of slaughter. More elaborate animal ID systems include information on the sex, breed, and parentage of an animal, the names of all feeds and pharmaceuticals used in raising the animal, and the movement of specific animal products from the processing plant to the retail consumer. Thus, identification and tracking segment is likely to dominate the market.
VETERINARY WEARABLE DEVICES MARKET BY TECHNOLOGY
GPS, RFID, Sensors are some of the major technologies used for veterinary wearable devices market. In addition, IoT technology is anticipated to play a vital role in transmitting crucial information about animal health metrics to owners and veterinarians. Over the coming years, the amalgamation of mobile applications, data analytics technology, and wearable devices can be a suitable choice for value-based care. The players operating in the market are also offering cloud-based data analytics services along with wearable devices. Data analytics provide clinical information gathered with the help of real-time direct observation, and can be used to aid veterinarians to efficiently diagnose health problems and treat animals.
VETERINARY WEARABLE DEVICES MARKET BY GEOGRAPHY
Geographically, the study is comprised of the key countries of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. North America was the leading market for the Veterinary Wearable Devices owing to the fast adoption of technological advancement and high penetration of activity and fitness monitoring devices for pets together with rising awareness of pet health. However, Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest growing region lead by China, India, Japan, and South Korea and are likely to contribute significantly during the forecast period. Factors such as increasing awareness related to pet fitness and health and rise in the adoption of companion animals in emerging economies such as India and Australia are expected to drive the regional market growth.
GLOBAL VETERINARY WEARABLE DEVICES MARKET-KEY PLAYERS
The major players involved in this market are Fitbark, Inc., Garmin Intetnational, Inc., Inovotec Animal Care, Lamdagen Corporation, Milkline, PetPace, LLC, Tractice, TekVet Technologies Co., Vital Herd, Inc., Whistle Labs, Inc. and among others.
PET WEARABLE MARKET
More companies in the technology industry are now seeking to diversify into pet gear or pet wearables. As per the American Pet Products Association, globally, approximately US$ 60 Bn is spent on pets annually. A number of gadgets, such as Wi-Fi-connected cameras allowing the remote monitoring of pets and various wearable trackers, are gaining traction. Thus, rising awareness about the identification and tracking, remote monitoring, behavior control, and monitoring of pets are predicted to propel the demand for pet wearables.
The upcoming revolution in wearable technology for pets will be medical diagnosis. This will include innovations and devices within animal medical care such as cooling, ultrasound, heating, and drug delivery.
This report evaluates the global pet wearable market and presents information and revenue estimations till 2024. The study encapsulates the leading players, market trends, supply chain trends, and future strategies in the global pet wearable market. An extensive market assessment across the key geographies of Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW) has also been presented. The size of the market is evaluated on the basis of revenue generation through the sales figures of all the mentioned product segments within this report.
Pet Wearable Market: Drivers and Restraints
Rising awareness about behavior monitoring, identification and tracking, remote monitoring and control of pets is poised to drive the pet wearable market in the coming years. In addition, increasing expenditure on and demand for medical diagnostics for animals is predicted to propel the development of this market. Furthermore, the Internet of things (IoT) will have a positive impact on medical treatments and diagnosis of pets.
However, factors such as the high consumption of power and design constraints may inhibit the demand for pet wearables in the coming years. Furthermore, the short durability of batteries and difficulties in complying with strict government regulations may also impede the growth of the market.
Pet Wearable Market: Technological and Application Insights
On the basis of technology, the global market can be segmented into GPS, RFID, and sensors. Of these, on the basis of revenue, RFID-based pet wearable devices are likely to represent a major share of the market in the forecast period. RFIDs help in storing data by using electromagnetic forces and then communicate the same data for interpretation by another device. Thus, this technology helps track real-time information for the purpose of medical diagnostics.On the other hand, GPS-based pet wearable devices have also gained traction in the past few years. GPS providers have entered into strategic alliances with the manufacturers of mobile phones, application developers, and stores to expand the utilization of GPS within new application areas. The reasons for the dominance of GPS-based pet wearable devices are the rising adoption of smartphones, development of real-time positioning, and the increasing mapping portals globally.
By application, the pet wearable market can be segmented into behavior monitoring and control, identification and tracking, facilitation, medical diagnosis and treatment, and safety and security. Among these, by revenue, the identification and tracking applications constituted a significant share of the market in the past. On the other hand, the medical diagnosis and treatment segment is also predicted to exhibit a high growth rate from 2016 to 2024.
Pet Wearable Market: Regional and Competitive Outlook
Geographically, on the basis of revenue, the North America pet wearable market represented a strong growth rate in the past. This was due to the increasing proliferation of activity and fitness monitoring devices, telecommunication technologies, and an established wireless infrastructure here. The Asia Pacific pet wearable market also represented a substantial share and is predicted to experience rapid growth in the forecast period due to the increasing penetration of IoT within the veterinary industry of this region.
In the forecasting horizon, the count of device manufacturers is predicted to increase to more than 500 (worldwide) owing to the unprecedented development of the global pet wearable market. The companies operating in this market are Whistle Labs Inc, PetPace LLC, i4C Innovations, DeLaval, Fitbark, Dairymaster, IceRobotics, Konectera, GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft, Loc8tor, Motorola, Nedap, Tractive, and Ridogulous Labs Inc.
The future of farming: IoT wearables and data in animal care
IoT can create a whole world of magic for the healthcare sector, including medical and consumer wearables, data aggregation and analytics, and predictive systems that help entire nations avoid lifestyle-related illness and other diseases.
IoT in veterinary care
We could take all the knowledge and technologies known in human healthcare and apply them to veterinary care. However, at the moment, animal care lags behind the curve.
Veterinary care uses clever machines, such as CT and MRI scanners, but there is an untapped opportunity in making medical devices intelligent by applying IoT connectivity. Veterinary facilities could use the data gathered from medical hardware for analytics. By applying machine learning (ML) and AI, veterinary services can create insights that help professionals provide more accurate diagnostics and predictions and make veterinary care more efficient and available.Of course, there are several differences to human healthcare that go beyond the obvious biological factors. Veterinary care has one significant advantage compared to human healthcare: a lower regulation bar that allows for more advanced data collection. There is no GDPR. Without strict regulations, veterinary care facilities can test new ideas and analytics more easily because animals don’t need to “opt-in.”
However, medical coding doesn’t have standardized protocols. Applying all we know about IoT in healthcare to veterinary medicine would require more effort than human care, especially for complex AI and natural language processing.Lastly, remember that animals can’t speak, so the impact of technology on helping them can be profound.
Increasing wellbeing and productivity on animal farms
Have you ever thought of measuring a cow’s daily steps or electrocardiogram? And why would you?
The welfare of animals on livestock farms has been a trending topic in the last few years for environmental and humanitarian reasons. Farmers must follow a whole set of regulations.Small-scale farming has also taken off in recent years. Purchasing meat from local farms and butchers has become increasingly popular among consumers to combat environmental issues, support the economy and as a result of the pandemic.
However, anyone who has ever watched the documentary series Clarkson’s Farm will know that any animal farming is not a smooth ride. The costs of both machinery and veterinary care are high. Over a fifth of U.K. farms failed to make positive Farm Business Income in 2019 and 2020.
So how can IoT help?
Let’s say farmers want to monitor and control the quality of milk. They can use hardware wearables and connected devices physically attached to animals to measure various relevant parameters, such as their movement, temperature, medical parameters and food intake. The farmers can then collect the data for processing and create AI systems to improve the wellbeing of any livestock, increase product quality and productivity. By monitoring the conditions and analyzing data, we can understand better which factors cause a change. We can learn, for example, that a certain food component is affecting the animal’s temperature, its wellbeing and eventually, the milk quality.
While not widely used, IoT in agriculture is not entirely new. Scientists have already used ML to predict sleep stages and even cattle fertility as part of precision agriculture.
IoT in animal healthcare framework
In practical terms, the IoT in an animal healthcare framework should consist of a wearable device, a data aggregation device and a data center. It’s important to remember that connecting each sensor directly to unreliable broadband internet in an open space wouldn’t be a clever idea. Connecting numerous sensor devices to the cloud is neither power nor cost efficient. Instead, users can look to build a local wireless network, integrating Bluetooth Low-Energy or LoRa for maximum efficiency and low cost-infrastructure.
The data transfer unit communicates the sensed data to the data center via a gateway of wireless communication medium. In the data center unit, data received from the gateway is used to create analysis and visualizations that allow users to view real-time conditions of animal health. The data is stored in the cloud for future use and analytics.
It’s worth mentioning that today, IoT hardware is much more accessible than 10 years ago. There are more off-the-shelf products available and custom-build is also easier. Using IoT in animal healthcare is no longer a sci-fi story.
Remote diagnostics
Another use case for IoT technology in agriculture and animal care could lie with remote care and diagnostics for hard-to-access locations and urgent incidents. By allowing a medical professional to access data and diagnostics remotely from wearable hardware, animals can receive immediate help and improvement of their condition. Farmers save time and resources that they would have otherwise spent on veterinary visits.
IoT-based remote diagnostics could also improve pets’ medical care. Telemedicine is already a booming market, with startups such as Dogsee.me offering remote services and diagnostic. Enabling professionals’ access to real-time medical data would take the quality of care up to the next level. IoT combined with teleservices also offers the potential to bring costs down and make services not only more accurate but also more widely available.
The IoT-fueled future of smart farming
Animal healthcare can only unlock the full power of IoT if data analytics and AI are applied. Suppose we collect data from wearables across farms, analyze this data and use ML and AI. In that case, we can create data-driven insights and build models that work at collective levels and allow for both prediction and prevention.
The sky is the limit. Echocardiograms, temperature and motion data could be captured and fed into an AI algorithm to detect diseases and urgent cases. Computer vision would extract specific movement patterns that suggest disease and illness to prevent serious cases, thanks to early diagnostics. Incorporating a variety of technologies and using them for stream analytics can make insights even more powerful.
Today, we can create digital twins for farms, using real-world data to build simulations and, most importantly, predictions.Technology can help farmers — no matter the scale of their business — predict challenges, improve animal productivity and well-being and increase profitability, which will benefit both consumers and the wider economy.
What is IoTAH?
Internet of Things in Animal Healthcare (IoTAH) is an emerging technology that has the potential to revolutionize the way we care for our animals. IoTAH uses sensors and other devices to collect data about an animal’s health and environment, which can be used to improve their welfare. For example, IoTAH can be used to monitor an animal’s temperature, activity levels, and heart rate. This information can be used to identify health problems early and prevent them from becoming more serious. IoTAH also has the potential to make our farms more efficient by reducing the need for manual labour and increasing the accuracy of information about our animals.
The potential of IoTAH in the animal sector
The potential of IoT in animal healthcare is excellent. IoTAH has the potential to improve the health and welfare of animals by providing real-time data that can be used to make decisions about the care of animals. IoTAH can also help to reduce the cost of animal healthcare by reducing the need for expensive diagnostic tests and procedures. IoTAH is also expected to reduce the cost of food production by improving animal health and reducing the need for antibiotics. Still, it has not been proven effective yet in all species. IoTAH has been shown to improve in cattles general health by 18%, but it is not clear whether decreased antibiotic use improves animal health and welfare. IoTAH requires a large amount of effort and money to implement effectively.
How IoTAH is being used in animal healthcare today
The internet of things (IoT) is increasingly being used in animal healthcare, from tracking cows’ movements to monitoring their health. The use of IoT in animal healthcare can improve the efficiency of farms and the quality of care for animals. IoT-enabled devices can be used to track the location of animals, as well as their activity and health. This information can be used to optimize farm managemenoptimizeprove animal welfare. For example, if a cow is not moving much, it could be an indication that the animal is sick and in need of medical attention. In addition to tracking individual animals, IoT can also be used to monitor environmental conditions on farms. This information can help farmers adjust their husbandry practices to improve the health and welfare of their animals.
The challenges of implementing IoTAH in the animal healthcare
Animal healthcare is an essential part of keeping our furry friends healthy and happy. However, as with any rapidly developing technology, there are some challenges that come along with implementing IoTAH in animal healthcare. One challenge is the lack of standardisation among dstanda, and thisionn make it difficult for different devices to communicate with each other and share data. Another challenge is the cost of these devices and their associated infrastructure. While the benefits of IoTAH may eventually outweigh the costs, animal healthcare providers need to be mindful of their budget when considering implementing this technology. Finally, another challenge related to IoTAH is data security. Because these devices collect and store sensitive information about animals and their owners, it’s essential to make sure that this data is well-protected from theft or hacking.
The future of IoTAH in the animal healthcare
The internet of things in animal healthcare, or IoTAH, is a technology that is rapidly gaining popularity in the veterinary industry. IoTAH allows veterinarians to remotely monitor the health of their patients and make treatment decisions based on real-time data. This technology has the potential to revolutionise the way wrevolutionizer animals, and it is already having a positive impact on animal welfare. There are many potential applications for IoTAH in animal healthcare. For example, IoTAH can be used to monitor an animal’s vital signs, such as heart rate and body temperature. This information can be used to detect early signs of illness and disease, and it can also be used to monitor the progress of treatment. IoTAH can also be used to track an animal’s activity levels and behaviour, which can be helpful in diagnosing conditions such as pain or stress.
IoTAH is a new and exciting field that is just beginning to be explored
IoTAH has the potential to revolutionise the way werevolutionize animal companions by providing real-time data and insights that can help us make better decisions about their health and well-being. In 5 to 10 years, veterinary medicine will have a whole different look through the eyes of data than we have now. When we look at IoT, eventually we will have a collar or device that accurately measures and constantly surveys patient activity, appetite, gait, respiration rate, and many other important data points that can assist pet parents before medical conditions progress to emergencies. It is truly exciting to think about how we can combine IoT devices with big data techniques, for it will most certainly lead to new ways of diagnosing. These are topics the veterinary industry needs to see.In addition, IoTAH can help usto understand the needs of our animals betters and provide them with tailored care that meets their individual needs.
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