Case
WeightLog
IoT solution for automatic monitoring and weight calculation on mink farms
WeightLog automates and performs autonomous weighing of mink. We have developed a system that is used as a control tool in mink production and will help to ensure higher animal welfare. With WeightLog, mink breeders are now able to monitor the weight of their mink and automatically control feeding.
- The case description
The goal of this IoT solution was, among other things, to ensure higher animal welfare in mink production. With thousands of mink on a farm and manual processes, it can be difficult to have full control over the conditions for all the mink. To guarantee the quality of the fur, it is important that the mink are weighed continuously. This is a time-consuming task for the mink farmers and can be stressful for the animals. If not done properly, it will result in a lower quality product. Therefore, it was essential to create an automatic process that would give mink farmers more time for other tasks and also enhance animal welfare among the mink.
Hours
Hours spent in total
Hedensted Gruppen A/S
Manufacturing company
Products for the fur industry
One of the largest suppliers in the industry
Danish family owned company
How we solved it
To address the issue, we developed an end-to-end IoT solution for Hedensted Group A/S and this is a good example of a classic IoT setup. The solution consists of a play tube which is hung in the mink's cage. When the mink crawls into the cage, they are weighed. Using our algorithm, the system will calculate once a day to differentiate the weight of two mink in the same cage. From the approximately 100,000 weighings recorded in a day, the system finds the most likely weight.
Our responsibilites
UI/UX design
System architecture
IoT development (Cloud backend and IoT-devices)
Software development (Web, App & Backend)
Operation and support
Technologies
The load cell in the weight is controlled by a microcontroller, which is an embedded system, and the data is sent to the cloud to Microsoft's IoT Hub for processing.
Each IoT device can be configured through the web portal and can automatically fetch and install firmware updates and configurations. Microsoft Azure's IoT Hub is used for two-way communication with each device. On each farm, a gateway is installed, which is a physical device that functions as an IoT device that communicates with Microsoft's Azure IoT Hub over the internet and with the individual devices over radio. The data is filtered and automatically linked to a specific animal, even though the cages contain multiple animals. The platform receives more than 12 GB of IoT data every day, which is processed in batches overnight.
Iterator IT has developed a web portal, app, and firmware for the IoT devices. In addition, we are responsible for hosting and automatic monitoring of the system status. As the product becomes increasingly popular, we are also responsible for the development of a more automated production process for the various devices in the system.
The results
Hedensted Gruppen A/S's clients are now able to continuously weigh their mink, allowing them to monitor their weight and adjust their feed accordingly. This allows them to utilize their time more efficiently while also maintaining happier animals.
The farmers can now manage statistics, forecasts, and access to data through a web portal and a smartphone app, making the data always readily accessible to them, regardless of their location on the farm.
Read more about the solution at Hedensted Gruppen A/S.
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