Episode 005 - Sensors, Microcontrollers, and Automation in Smart Agriculture

The old parable of the country kid moving to the big city and leaving the farm behind is a timeless yarn of youth, ambition, and Hope. In recent years, that trope has become a reality. The number of farmers in the United States alone has been steadily dropping. The percentage of first-generation farmers is close to 78%. It can be a tough business. Climate cycles are becoming unpredictable and, as in many industries, one just can't find enough workers. That’s where integrated circuits come in. One farmer has the ability in today’s world to augment his efforts through sensors, drones, and microcontrollers to compete and run a farm with what might have required a handful of humans in the past. In fact, only about 1 in 4 young farmers still use the traditional methods passed down over the generations. The reason? Automation and the rise of Machine Learning. 

 

How could Microchip Technology help the farm of the future through automation?

 

Links from the episode:

 

 

Guests: 

Ross Satchell 

Toby Sinkinson