MLA
Artificial Intelligence
Using the power of Artificial Intelligence to tackle time-critical processes and increase productivity
Challenge
Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) is a service provider to the red meat industry, and they provide research to protect and promote the industry in Australia and international markets
To detect levels of harmful parasites in livestock, farmers collect samples, and distribute them for manual testing, a lengthy and inefficient process
MLA sought to streamline this laborious process through the development of a predictive smartphone app
Approach
Due to the lack of existing data, tools, and research publicly available in this area, an R&D project was conducted
A 3-stage plan was developed to leverage the power of Artificial Intelligence to tackle detection challenges through computer vision and Machine Learning
The plan encompassed the creation of parasite images, study of machine learning algorithms, training of neural networks and deployment of the technology
Outcomes
The technology developed enables farmers to identify and treat parasites in the field, saving time and increasing productivity
The app uses Machine Learning to detect the number and type of parasites from a photograph of the animals faeces, rather than a collection sample
Research has uncovered future avenues to explore, and technology can be developed further, with the ability to deploy via smartphones, dedicated appliances, laptops or the Cloud