Nikon Discovers that an AI System for Cows Helps Farmers Monitor Pregnancies

Nikon, a company known for its cameras and imaging technology, has ventured into a new domain with an AI system for cows. The system can help farmers keep track of the pregnancies of their cows and notify them when a calf is about to be born, according to Kyodo News.

How does the Nikon AI system for cows work?

The system consists of a camera and AI software that analyzes the images of the cows. The camera is installed in the barn or the pasture where the cows are kept, and the AI software runs on a smartphone app that connects to the camera. The app sends an alert to the farmer when it detects signs of imminent labor in a cow, such as increased movement and the appearance of the amniotic sac.

The system costs 900,000 yen ($6,200) per year for a farm with around 100 cows. It is designed to reduce the workload of the farmers, who otherwise have to check on the pregnant cows frequently, especially during the busy birthing seasons.

How accurate is the Nikon AI system for cows?

Nikon started training the AI system in the fall of 2021, using data from various farms in Japan. The company then conducted proof-of-concept tests on four farms in southwestern Japan in February 2023. The results showed that the system was able to predict the birth of a calf about five hours in advance, with a high degree of accuracy.

One of the farmers who participated in the tests, Keita Higuchi, praised the system for its effectiveness. He said that he delivers about 60 calves per year and used to check on the mothers every few hours from around a month before they were due. “This system has been a great help,” he said.

Nikon’s Kazuhiro Hirano, who is in charge of the project, said that the company plans to improve the system further by adding more features. “We want to be able to also detect when a female cow is in heat and other behavioral patterns,” he said.

What else does Nikon do with AI?

Nikon is not only using AI system for cows, but also for other applications in the fields of microscopy, X-ray, semiconductor, robot vision, and virtual production. The company uses AI to enhance the quality and performance of its imaging products and services.

Nikon is also aware of the potential misuse of AI-generated images, such as deepfakes, and has developed a new electronic watermarking technology to combat it. The technology can embed invisible information into images that can verify their authenticity and origin. Nikon hopes that this technology can help prevent the spread of fake or manipulated images online.

• The article is about a new AI system for cows developed by Nikon, a company that is famous for its cameras and imaging technology.
• The AI system can help farmers monitor the pregnancies of their cows and alert them when a calf is about to be born, saving them time and labor.
• The AI system uses a camera and a smartphone app that analyzes the images of the cows and detects signs of imminent labor, such as increased movement and the appearance of the amniotic sac.
• The AI system costs 900,000 yen ($6,200) per year for a farm with around 100 cows. It was trained using data from various farms in Japan and tested on four farms in southwestern Japan in February 2023.
• The AI system was praised by one of the farmers who participated in the tests, Keita Higuchi, who said that it was a great help for him and his farm.
• Nikon plans to improve the AI system by adding more features, such as the ability to detect when a female cow is in heat and other behavioral patterns.
• Nikon is also using AI for other applications, such as microscopy, X-ray, semiconductor, robot vision, and virtual production. The company also developed a new electronic watermarking technology to prevent the misuse of fake or manipulated images online.