Lemuel Siaw is a research associate at the DIPPER Lab, and he has developed a device called Herd Watch.
This device is made to track and monitor cattle.
Farmers in Ghana and other countries face many challenges when it comes to cattle farming, and Lemuel’s work is to solve some of these problems.
Herd Watch helps farmers track the location of their cattle, monitor their health, and solve issues related to cattle movement.
It can tell farmers where their cattle are, if they are sick, and even help find lost cattle.
The device uses modern technology like GPS and sensors to collect data about the animals.
It also sends this data to the farmers and herders, helping them make better decisions for their cattle.
The problem ‘Herd Watch’ is to solve
There are many problems that cattle farmers face.
One of the biggest issues is disputes between farmers and herders.
Sometimes, cattle get into a farmer’s field and destroy crops.
The farmer might complain, but the herder may say, “My cattle didn’t come onto your land.”
This creates conflict, and it is hard to prove who is right.
Farmers need proof that the cattle were on their land.
Herders also need proof that their cattle were not at fault.
That’s where Herd Watch comes in.
The device has a GPS tracker that records the cattle’s movements.
“If a farmer claims that the cattle were on their land, we can show them the data that tracks the cattle’s movement. This helps both the farmer and the herder find the truth.” Lemuel says.
This simple technology helps both sides solve disputes without getting into arguments.
By tracking the cattle’s location, Herd Watch makes it easy to know where the animals have been.
“The GPS gives the exact location of the cattle,” . “This means we can tell where the cattle were and when they were there.”
Herd Watch also helps farmers and herders keep track of the health of their cattle.
The device measures things like body temperature and heartbeat.
This information helps farmers and herders know if their cattle are sick.
If an animal is in trouble, the device can send an alert.
“If the cattle show signs of sickness, the system will let the herder or farmer know. That way, they can act quickly and get help for the animal.” says Lemuel.
For herders, this is a huge benefit.
They can keep track of their cattle’s health and know if something is wrong.
“It’s important to know if an animal is sick or lost. With Herd Watch, we can give the herders the information they need to take care of their cattle.”
Another challenge is keeping track of how many cattle a herder has.
Sometimes, herders lose track of their cattle, and it can take days or even weeks to find them. This is not just a problem for the herder, but also for the animals.
If a cattle is lost and not found quickly, it could suffer from hunger or injury.
Herd Watch helps solve this problem by tracking each animal.
If a cattle gets lost, the system can find it faster.
“If a cattle gets lost, we can use the GPS to find it quickly. That way, the herder doesn’t waste time looking for the animal, and the cattle are safe.”
The development of Herd Watch
Building a device like a Herd Watch is not easy.
Lemuel and his team had to design the device, test it, and make sure it worked well.
There were many challenges along the way, but Lemuel and his team never gave up.
The first challenge was getting the tools needed to build the device.
“In the beginning, we didn’t have all the tools we needed for prototyping. We only had a basic soldering station, and we needed more advanced equipment to build the device.
However, when Lemuel shared the idea with his colleagues at the DIPPER Lab, they showed interest and provided the support needed to continue.
“The university provided us with the tools we needed. Now we have everything we need to build and test the device. We received help from the university in ways that made it possible to continue our work.”
With the support of the university, Lemuel’s team was able to get better equipment, including 3D printers and other electronic tools.
These tools allowed the team to make prototypes and test them.
“Having access to these tools made a huge difference in our work. We could test our ideas faster and make changes when something didn’t work.”
The 3D printers allowed the team to create models of the device and see how it worked before making the final version.
They could test the prototypes in real-life conditions and make sure the device was reliable.
“Testing is important to see if the device will work well with real animals. We needed to make sure it could track the cattle accurately and monitor their health.” he explained.
While testing the device, Lemuel’s team also worked on improving the design.
They made sure that the device was not too heavy for the animals and that it wouldn’t cause discomfort.
They also made sure the data collected by the device was easy for farmers and herders to read.
“We wanted the information to be clear and easy to understand. If a herder or farmer is not familiar with technology, they should still be able to use the device without any problems.
The team also had to solve the problem of battery life.
The device needs to run for a long time without needing to be charged too often.
“We wanted to make sure that the battery could last for a long time, even when the device was tracking the cattle all day. It took time to find the right balance, but we eventually got it right.”
The future of Herd Watch
Lemuel and his team have made progress with Herd Watch, but there is still more to do.
The device is not yet perfect, but it has the potential to change the way farmers and herders track and care for their cattle.
One of the future plans for Herd Watch is to expand its use beyond Ghana.
Lemuel believes that Herd Watch can make a difference in farming.
It will provide accurate data about cattle health and location, helping farmers make better decisions.
The team is excited to continue their work and make improvements to Herd Watch.
“We are proud of what we have achieved so far, and we are excited about what the future holds. We hope that Herd Watch will help make cattle farming safer and more efficient for everyone involved.”
Herd Watch is still growing, but it has already proven itself to be a tool for farmers and herders.
The future looks bright for Lemuel and his team as they continue to work on improving the device and solving the problems faced by cattle farmers nationwide.
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