Agricultural robot may be 'game changer' for crop growers, breeders.

A semiautonomous robot may soon be roaming agricultural fields gathering and transmitting real-time data about the growth and development of crops, information that crop breeders—and eventually farmers—can use to identify the genetic traits in plants likely to produce the greatest yields A team of scientists from the Carle R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at the University of Illinois is developing the robot in partnership with researchers from Cornell University and Signetron Inc. Inspired by the autonomous rovers used to search collapsed buildings and other dangerous environments, the agricultural robot is propelled on continuous tracks, or miniature tank treads, which enable it to navigate through dry or muddy fields. Researchers guide it using GPS and a laptop computer. continue

IoT as a solution for precision farming.

IoT as a solution for precision farming. Understanding a natural intelligence is the most systematic way of developing the internet of things. We know that each single-celled organism tries to survive. They usually follow the rule of “do the right thing at the right time.” In reality, IoT solves the same simple problem for communication points that agriculture intelligence has tried to solve for many years: precision farming. Different machines, animals and plants on different fields try to communicate with each other, as well different IoT devices. If we were to try to use IoT in a large scale in the agriculture industry, we would have to build a suitable large architecture. Low-energy networks can provide connectivity only on one site and often do not exist in remote areas. This means the communication with the combine on the field will be always insecure. Because of need for large-scale investigation and reduced maintenance efforts, cellular connectivity could be the right means of communication for modern farmers. Smart precision farming The United Nations predicts an increase in world population to over 11 billion by 2100. All of these people will have to be fed. Farmers face a set of challenges: an increasing worldwide demand for food, a changing continue

10 Common signs of stress in dogs.

Research shows that stress can affect a dog's health and longevity. According to one study: "There is evidence to suggest that the stress of living with a fear or anxiety disorder can have negative effects on health and lifespan in the domestic dog." An example: When your dog is under stress, his body releases an excessive amount of norepinephrine, the fight or flight hormone, which can alter gut bacteria and interfere with GI tract motility. Next thing you know, your dog has diarrhea, which just adds to his stress level (and yours), especially if he has an accident in the house. Some dogs primarily experience short-lived stress, but others deal with chronic stress. The more you know about what triggers your pet's stress, how he behaves when he feels stressed and what stress can do to his health, the better equipped you'll be to identify the signs and take action to minimize or eliminate stressors. According to the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) 2009 Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine, there are 10 common signs of stress in dogs: 1. Nose/lip licking 2. Yawning 3. Panting 4. Reduced or absent appetite 5. Diarrhea 6. Tail lowered or tucked 7. Ears pulled or pinned back 8. Cowering/crouched body posture and/or hiding 9. Trembling/shaking 10. Increased vocalizations — whining, howling or barking more

Fruit and veg: For a longer life eat 10-a-day.

Eating loads of fruit and vegetables - 10 portions a day - may give us longer lives, say researchers. The study, by Imperial College London, calculated such eating habits could prevent 7.8 million premature deaths each year. The team also identified specific fruit and veg that reduced the risk of cancer and heart disease.The analysis showed even small amounts had a health boon, but more is even better. A portion counts as 80g (3oz) of fruit or veg - the equivalent of a small banana, a pear or three heaped tablespoons of spinach or peas.The conclusions were made by pooling data on 95 separate studies, involving two million people's eating habits. Lower risks of cancer were linked to eating: 1) green veg (eg spinach).2) yellow veg (eg peppers) 3) cruciferous vegetables (eg cauliflower). Lower risks of heart disease and strokes were linked to eating...more

Fasting diet 'regenerates diabetic pancreas'.

Fasting diet 'regenerates diabetic pancreas' The pancreas can be triggered to regenerate itself through a type of fasting diet, say US researchers. Restoring the function of the organ - which helps control blood sugar levels reversed symptoms of diabetes in animal experiments. The study, published in the journal Cell, says the diet reboots the body. Experts said the findings were "potentially very exciting" as they could become a new treatment for the disease. People are advised not to try this without medical advice. In the experiments, mice were put on a modified form of the "fasting-mimicking diet". It is like the human form of the diet when people spend five days on a low calorie, low protein, low carbohydrate but high unsaturated-fat diet. It resembles a vegan diet with nuts and soups, but with around 800 to 1,100 calories a day. Then they have 25 days eating what they want - so overall it mimics periods of feast and famine.Previous research has suggested it can slow the pace of ageing. But animal experiments showed the diet regenerated a special type of cell in the pancreas called a beta cell. These are the cells that detect sugar in the blood and release the hormone insulin if it gets too high. Dr Valter Longo, from the University of Southern California, said: "Our conclusion is that by pushing the mice into an extreme state and then bringing them back - by starving them and then feeding them again - the cells in the pancreas are triggered to use some kind of developmental reprogramming that rebuilds the part of the organ that's no longer functioning." There were benefits in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes in the mouse experiments. Type 1 is caused by the immune system destroying beta cells and type 2 is largely caused by lifestyle and the body no longer responding to insulin. Further tests on tissue samples from people with type 1 diabetes produced similar effects. Dr Longo said: "Medically, these findings have the potential to be very important because we've shown - at least in mouse models - that you can use diet to reverse the symptoms of diabetes.more

Wired cages in poultry farms killing hens in India.

A new survey has revealed that Wired cages in poultry farms are killing hens in India. Small-wired cages being used in poultry farms are killing hens in India, according to a five-month-long survey conducted by Pune-based NGO Animal Equality. Taking note of the survey, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) plans to issue show-cause notices to poultry farms using such cages, known as battery cages..Each cage has a 67-sq inch space, which is less than a single sheet of paper measuring 94 sq inches. A survey of 20 poultry farms on the outskirts of Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra, Hyderabad and Haryana by between August and December 2016 revealed confining hens in such cages not only leads to a number of deaths, but also leaves them bleeding, with sores, cracked and deformed feet owing to the wired floor of the cages. Some of them were also found to be missing feathers and suffering from abrasions and skin irritations. continue

Marvel Games declares war on homogeneity.

Marvel Games' creative director Bill Rosemann used his DICE keynote to urge games companies to focus on inclusiveness and diversity. Like Jeff Kaplan's Overwatch keynote yesterday, Rosemann chose to use the DICE 2017 theme of "world building" as an opportunity to celebrate inclusivity. Taking Marvel's history of creating great superheroes as his central narrative, he called on developers to step up. "We can create worlds that affect others," he said. "When you go back to your studios and your teams and it's time to make decisions about the worlds you build, be like Spider-Man and realize the power we have and use it wisely. Be like Captain America and do the right thing." more