Croptimistic Technology, based at Naicam, Sask., has been awarded a U.S. patent for their proprietary SWAT Box technology.
The SWAT Box is an autonomous soil electrical conductivity and elevation mapping hardware system. It collects the data used to create SWAT maps, a variable rate zone management system.
“Our team was successful in developing an easy-to-use soil mapping system for our SWAT Maps partner network,” says Derek Rude, vice president of research and development at Croptimistic Technology. “It’s a flexible solution, it can be mounted to trucks, ATVs, and even agricultural equipment for economical soil data collection.”
A key feature is the automation; no user interaction is required and as soon as the sensor starts moving, data is automatically logged and uploaded to the SWAT Records server, where the soil data is used as a critical layer for the creation of SWAT management zone maps, explains Rude.
Stuart Hassall, senior developer, says the company wanted to make the field mapping process as simple, low maintenance, and flexible as possible.
“That’s why we developed the SWAT Box, a system that can quickly and easily connect to any field capable vehicle. The data collected can be monitored in real-time using any device with a web browser and it automatically syncs to the cloud for processing, allowing the operator to focus on the task at hand,” says Hassall.
The SWAT Box is the first step of the Soil, Water, and Topography (SWAT) mapping process and is the second patent Croptimistic has been awarded to date.
Related:
- Soil School: Using predictive soil mapping to inform better soil management
- Agronomy Geeks, Ep. 14: Cory Willness
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