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We talk to countless growers that struggle with connectivity while out and about on their farms.  And while innov8.ag is an ag data-focused company, we know that connectivity is critical to not only collecting data to enable new scenarios, but enabling growers to ACCESS the data contextually while on the go.

 

In August, the innov8.ag team had the opportunity to work with our close partners at Microsoft on a global hackathon project where we addressed the dilemma of growers not having enough connectivity to operate their farm/orchard operation at full potential. Whether it be connecting with irrigation leads to view/discuss a water main blowout, calling team members while growers are in-canopy to let someone know that they forgot to spray row C, or being able to see sensor data - soil moisture, imagery,  data from a sensor. Growers more often than not, simply just don't have enough wireless connectivity to complete these kinds of tasks. To learn more about our connectivity hackathon project with Microsoft, please take a moment to view our recent blog "Connectivity for Farmers"

 

With technology becoming more and more dependent upon the exchange of data over wireless connections (even something as simple as a text message) there's an increasing need to build infrastructure where that connectivity is lacking. This need to build network infrastructures is far more prevalent and difficult to do in industries like agriculture due to wide open spaces w/ limited population - which is how carriers typically justify network investment.  Sadly, this creates a tremendous disservice for growers as the cost to install infrastructure such as fixed wireless systems or mesh networks, is often times extremely cost prohibitive for most sized farms. As any industry works where the larger corporations are the first to break through on what seems like insurmountable obstacles, so too do larger farms that have more resources to invest in implementing connectivity for new scenarios such as equipment automation. But in reality, this may disadvantage small farms that already have insane amounts of pressure from rising costs and diminishing returns. So the balance is finding breakthroughs that can help both large & smaller farms alike.

 

So what's different about 5G and edge computing?  5G of course brings higher speeds, enables new scenarios inclusive of Private LTE & CBRS (enabling growers to potentially supplement "mobile connectivity dead zones"), while edge computing brings high-CPU/GPU processing closer to the user/equipment for processing lots of imagery/video...without having to move the data all the way up to the cloud for processing.

 

5g Food Resiliency Project:

innov8.ag was privileged to be invited to be a startup member of the "5G Open Innovation Lab" alongside Intel, T-Mobile, NASA, Microsoft, Amdocs, Dell, and VMware, where we will explore and test the viability of bringing affordable connectivity to a lacking industry and community. We see a tremendous amount of value in helping one of the largest industries in the world to get appropriate amounts of service to increase productivity and profitability.

 

On Feb. 2nd, 2021 innov8.ag, alongside its partnership with the 5G Open Innovation Lab announced the opening of it's First Application Development Field Lab for the agricultural industry. The goal of this operation is to provide access to real-time data for food resiliency and supply chain logistics. The Food Resiliency Project, an economic development initiative funded by a grant through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), establishes a virtual and physical space for Snohomish County to bring together food growers, and distributors with technology companies to collaboratively develop new capabilities that will improve the resiliency of Snohomish County’s agriculture sector and minimize future food service disruptions for consumers and regional agribusiness.

 

About the Lab: 

The 5G Open Innovation Lab is a global ecosystem of developers, start-ups, enterprises, academia and government institutions working together with start-ups to fuel the development of new 5G & edge compute capabilities, use cases and market categories that will transform the way we work, live and play, both now and in the future. By being funded by Intel, T-Mobile, NASA, Microsoft, Amdocs, Dell, and VMware this Lab provides developers at all stages unparalleled access to open platforms, enterprises and markets needed to create, test and deploy new use cases and innovations for 5G w/ edge computing. Overall, the use cases will cover industries like Manufacturing, Energy Utility, Retail, Agriculture, Transport & Logistics, Media & Entertainment, Autonomous Vehicles, and lastly Space & Satellites.