MOBILE COMPUTING

Portable computers and smartphones are destined to widely populate farm

tractor cabs, pickups and offices in the future.
Apples iPhone (which now is available through Verizon as well as AT&T) and
smartphones using Googles Android operating system are becoming the cellular
communicators of choice for many farmers. Thats despite the reality that few of
the tens of thousands of phone applications are specific to agriculture.
Sales of tablet computers, like Apples iPad, are expected to grow dramatically.
Sales will be fueled by a raft of new touch-screen tablets introduced in early 2011
that run a customized version of Googles Android operating system. In coming
weeks and months, you can expect to see new Android tablets from Dell, Acer,
Asus, LG, Motorola, MSI, Samsung, Sharp, ZTE and others.
Ag-specific mobile computers continue to be based on the Windows operating
system. This allows them to run Windows-based software that dominates the
agriculture market. Ag Leader,Farm Works and SST have recently introduced new
Windows Mobile rugged handhelds with enhanced features, including more
powerful processors, GPS, high-resolution cameras and built-in wireless and
cellular communications capabilities. For even more computing horsepower, Farm
Works also offers the Yuma ruggedized tablet computer, which runs the full
Windows 7 operating system.

4G NETWORKS
Farmers frustrated by lack of access to higher-speed Internet services could
find themselves in the Internet fast lane in the next couple of years, because of
4G (fourth generation) cellular communications networks.
Although a variety of technologies will be harnessed, the new 4G networks will
be the most important in deploying high-speed Internet services in rural areas,
according to a network communications analyst.
Four G is the most promising technology for a ubiquitous high-speed Internet
experience at a reasonable price point, says Ken Rehbehn, an analyst for the
Boston-based Yankee Group, which tracks global connectivity trends. Typically, 4G
systems provide download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps),
compared to 1.5 Mbps, at most, for 3G systems.
The build-out of 4G networks by Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and others is just
getting under way. The early 4G introductions have been in urban areas. But
coverage will move out into rural areas as more aggressive cellular providers seek
a seamless coverage umbrella coast to coast.
Although it took years for 3G networks to proliferate in rural areas, the growth
of the 4G system will be faster, Rehbehn says. Thats because many cellular
providers for 4G services will use the 700-megahertz (MHz) radio spectrum, which
was formerly used to broadcast analog television signals. It has roughly twice the
reach of the radio spectrum used by earlier cellular communications networks.
This reduces deployment costs and speeds the build-out.
Verizon will lead the way in developing rural coverge, Rehbehn predicts. In
order to get a comprehensive roaming footprint across the U.S., Verizon will move
very quickly, he says. It may take into 2012 to get every nook and cranny built
out.
Fiber optic cable and higher-speed fixed wireless systems also will contribute
to higher speed Internet access in some rural areas, Reh-behn says. Satellite-
based Internet services are likely to be left behind.
Its expensive to launch a satellite, so costs to provide extra bandwidth are
high, Rehbehn says. That is a major impediment.

HIGHLY EFFICIENT ETHANOL PRODUCTION
Ethanol biorefineries operate in a constant state of change, states the
Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). With technologies such as fractionation and
biomass gasification, ethanol producers have greatly reduced the amount of fossil
fuel energy needed to produce ethanol and distillers grains.
When ethanol was first produced in the 1970s, the production process was
highly inefficient. More energy was used to produce ethanol than ethanol
produced when used. This negative energy factor has changed drastically so that,
today, it is now positive. According to POETs Erin Heupel, the ratio of energy
produced by ethanol compared to energy needed to make ethanol is 2.3 to 1.
Many ethanol plants also have cut their use of fresh water. The plants use
pretreated water from water treatment facilities or more efficient water
technologies. The RFA reports that, since 2001, ethanol producers have reduced
water requirements by 26%. Many plants use less than 3 gal. of water to produce
1 gal. of ethanol as well as distillers grains. POET is working to further reduce
water consumption to 2.33 gal./1 gal. of ethanol produced.





RFID TECHNOLOGY
Radio frequency identification, or RFID, has been widely used in livestock to
identify animals. But global futurist Jack Uldrich says use of the tagging
technology will expand to crops as the technology gets exponentially better,
faster and cheaper.
These are really small computer chips that will allow consumers to track
individual products from cradle to grave, he says. The futurist added that
consumers will want to know how farmers grow their corn and soybeans and
what inputs they are using to determine whether they are environmental
stewards. Consumers are going to have access to all of this information, Aldrich
says.
Iowa States Matt Darr says the hay-baling market has entered this arena.
AGCO, Case IH, and New Holland already promote the use of RFID tag technology
for their large square balers, both as a way to track bales and also as a way to
understand their physical properties such as weight and moisture level. He says
the same concept could be applied to grains once the infrastructure is
established.

SOIL AND CROP SENSORS
More farm equipment today is being outfitted with smart sensors that can
read everything from plant health and water needs in the crop to nitrogen levels
in the soil. The sensors then enable on-the-go application of inputs based on real-
time field conditions.
The newest area of sensor use is in irrigation where the sensors measure
water needs. Sensors help optimize water use and avoid yield loss, according to
Viacheslav Adamchuk, ag engineer, McGill University.
New optical-sensing technologies for determining crop health include
Trimbles GreenSeeker, Topcons CropSpec, and Ag Leaders Opt-Rx. These
intelligent systems measure light reflectance from the crop that translates into
nitrogen levels. Electronic controllers connected to the sensors then signal
application systems to apply the correct amount of nitrogen the crop needs.
Sensor technology also is available to measure soil features like soil electrical
conductivity, ground elevation, organic matter content and even pH. For example,
Veris Technologies, Geonics and Dualem all make different types of soil sensors.


Another type of sensing system is satellite or aerial imaging, called remote
sensing. These satellites shoot images of key agricultural areas every three to four
days to note differences in crop health. Growers can then apply nutrients based
on a prescription from the satellite images.
Experts in this area expect an explosion in use of sensor technology in the next
five years once costs come down and farmers realize a return on investment.

ELECTRIC DRIVE SYSTEMS
Someday farmers will see tractors, sprayers and other farm vehicles generate
electric power to run auxiliaries and attachments. This move will occur as farm
vehicles become larger and more complex. It takes extra engine power to operate
all these extra features.
Electrification should start appearing after Tier 4 engines are fully developed
and introduced. Equipment manufacturers have invested large portions of
research and development budgets to meet the stringent EPA emissions
guidelines. That money will open up in a few years.
A few manufacturers already have completed work on electrification. AGCO
displayed a concept electric drive package on a RoGator last year at a farm show.
The 311-hp vehicle was equipped with a 650v electric generator that sent power
to electric wheel motors.
AGCO reports the prototype RoGator produces 30% more power to the ground
and a 20% savings in fuel with the electric generator and motors. Disadvantages
include extra weight from the generator and motors along with cost of the
components.
At a European farm show in 2007, John Deere showed a prototype tractor that
produced electricity. The 7530 E-Premium featured a crankshaft-driven electric
generator, which replaced the standard alternator. The generator was attached to
the engine flywheel to produce 20 kW of electricity. A few of the features
operated with electricity were air conditioning, engine cooling and air brakes.

PERVASIVE AUTOMATION
Reid Hamre, AGCO, uses the phrase pervasive automation to explain all the
new product features that reduce operator workload. Growers should expect
these types of automation to largely take over operation of equipment in the
future. The new automated features allow operators to do more jobs with less
strain and more accuracy because human error is eliminated.
Some of the features, according to Hamre, include GPS steering, GPS
headlands turning, conventional headlands programmable automation, automatic
balers, automation of operator control of combines and forage harvesters, and
automation of tractor operator functions like intelligent power management.
ISOBUS-ready tractors, balers, combines and implements that plug-and-play
with each other could be viewed as part of this, Hamre adds.
Barry Nelson with John Deere agrees: As new technology continues to move
forward in the ag industry, there will be more efforts to improve precision
guidance systems, telematics, digital information for operators in combines and
tractors, and an increase in overall digital management tools for large producers
such as JDLink.

HIGH-FLEX TIRES
Farm equipment is getting larger so farmers can cover more acres faster. But
this means more weight on the vehicles, which leads to soil compaction. Soil
compaction robs crop yields.
To tackle this problem, tire makers are developing new tire technologies to
transfer the weight across a larger area. As a result, tires today are up to 7.5 ft.
tall, 4 ft. wide and have more flexible sidewalls that can withstand heavier
weights than standard radials. The bigger the footprint, the tighter the pressure
applied to the ground. A good analogy of this concept is that a 100-lb. woman in
high-heeled shoes exerts more weight per square inch than a 200-lb. man in work
boots.
New tire technologies include increased flexion (IF), very high flexion (VF), and
radial plus (R+). Tires with these technologies can be run at 20 to 40% lower air
pressures than standard radial tires, which creates a longer footprint.

HYPER PRECISION
Precision agriculture technologies are becoming more robust and more
precise, ushering in an era of hyper precision.
The widespread adoption of RTK navigation systems is driving the hyper
precision era. This has occurred as the cost of RTK navigation systems continues
to fall and radio- and/or cellular-based correction networks have come online
practically everywhere in the Corn Belt.
With RTK navigation in hand, precise seeding and fertilizer applications have
become a reality. Manufacturers are introducing controllers, drives and shutoff
systems with ever-finer resolution and the ability to apply multiple products at
variable rates.
Controlled traffic systems, such as strip till, also become a reality. The same
goes for on-the-fly installation of drainage tile, and more.
Accuracy is addictive, says Matt Darr, Iowa State University precision ag
specialist. It unlocks a lot of new potential things that really add value back to
the farm.

SCR/EGR ENGINES
Tractors and other farm vehicles are well on their way to becoming smokeless.
Engine manufacturers have had to redesign the diesel engine to comply with the
governments Interim Tier 4 (iT4) emissions regulations. The rules call for drastic
cuts in particulate matter, also known as soot, and oxides of nitrogen or smog,
which can lead to acid rain.
As a result, manufacturers have invested substantial engineering time and
money into engine design. Farmers are now seeing some impressive benefits
from these Tier 4 engines, such as reduced maintenance intervals, better fuel
efficiencies, and more efficient use of power, on top of pristine exhaust. The
drawback is a higher cost from 4 to 9% more than the price of Tier 3 engines. In
addition, farmers will see the tractors and other diesel-powered vehicles change
in design to allow for the additional components, such as a jumbo muffler and an
extra tank for blue liquid.
One of two new engine technologies is used to meet the iT4 rules: Exhaust Gas
Recirculation (EGR) or Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). Both technologies will
likely be needed to meet the near-zero emission levels called for in 2014, when
Tier 4 Final goes into effect.

BUS TECHNOLOGY
Ten years ago, it wasnt uncommon to have up to five displays in a tractor cab
with a stream of wires hanging out the back window connecting the tractor to the
implements it controlled. Today, those monitors have morphed into one screen
called a virtual terminal. The wires have combined to form one big cable called a
binary unit system (BUS) that plugs into any brand of implement.
The enabling technology is called ISOBUS, a communication protocol based on
the agricultural electronics standards ISO 11783 and Controller Area Network or
CANBUS technology.
CANBUS provides a medium for everything to connect together, explains
David Kuhnel, engineer with Dickey-john. ISOBUS provides the language and
protocols for information to be exchanged on the BUS so that you have
connectivity between tractor and implement.
Farm machinery makers agreed to implement this protocol in 2001.
ISOBUS has been quite successful in achieving its initial goals, states Matt
Darr, ag engineer, Iowa State University. The virtual terminal is available from
many manufacturers and has enhanced tractor and implement compatibility. For
example, you can hook a Deere air cart to a Case IH tractor, or a TeeJet spray
controller to a Deere tractor.
For producers, this is a huge step forward, he continues. Youre not going to
get charged an extra $5,000 for a display when it is likely that you have everything
you already need.

AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES
Guidance assistance and autosteer have had a major impact on the
agricultural industry, states Ian Yule, Massey University, New Zealand. Within
15 years, we have gone from a simple lightbar indicator to fully automated
control of tractors and implements.
Autonomous or robotic vehicles could be the next big change in controlled
steering technology. Gradually, ag equipment manufacturers are showing peeks
at their work on robotic equipment.
For example, several years ago, John Deere released a photo of its robotic
prototype tractor. This past summer, Deere demonstrated a robotic utility vehicle
designed for the U.S. military. The robotic UV is equipped with Deeres off-the-
shelf ag guidance components. It can be controlled remotely or operated
autonomously through software that helps it detect obstacles and either move
around them or go another way.
Recently, AGCO and Topcon announced they are working together on
technology for autonomous vehicles. At Ag Connect Expo, the companies
discussed their early research and displayed a device called LiDar that can be used
with an autonomous farm vehicle. See video at Farm Industry News .
Other ag engineers at universities and manufacturers have worked for years
on technology to operate equipment without a human operator. Although many
problems (like cost) currently prevent this technology from reaching a farmers
field, breakthroughs in design are bound to happen.

AUTOMATED GRAIN OFF-LOADING
Navigation systems that automatically guide grain carts alongside combines to
improve on-the-go cart filling may be just around the corner. The same concept
also could soon be in play with forage-harvesting systems.
These systems will make it easier to fill a grain cart or wagon automatically,
says John Fulton, a precision agriculture specialist at Auburn University. I think a
10 to 15% improvement in harvest efficiency through improved off-loading is
achievable. It may be even higher for some folks. Improved efficiency on that
scale could have a tremendous impact financially.
Fulton says tethered systems probably will be driven by the controller and
navigation system on the combine or forage harvester. The systems are likely to
use GPS/GNSS navigation to align the cart and control its ground speed relative to
the harvester. Integrated sonic and/or visual sensors would be used to monitor
the cart or wagon to assure efficient filling.
It can be hard for an operator to both drive and watch the entire loading
process of the cart or wagon, Fulton says. Remote video camera systems can
definitely help out, but the operator must still drive and make decisions. With an
automated system, the operator doesnt have to make all those judgments. As a
result, its more likely that cart or wagon capacity will be fully used and that
slowdowns during off-loading will be minimized.
Its unclear when these integrated harvest navigation systems will be
introduced, but Fulton says that research is well under way. I would suspect
most every large self-propelled forage-harvesting equipment and combine
manufacturer is working on this type of automated solution, says Fulton, who
has seen prototypes at European farm shows.

AEROPONICS
Aeroponics is a much more modern method than hydroponics, and it involves
the growing of plants in air and only using mist. The mist is what transmits the
nutrients, and there is no medium involved in hydroponics. There are many
benefits to aeroponics and the most obvious of these is the increased aeration of
the crop. Without a medium, there is also less risk of the plant developing a
pathogenic disease.

AEROPONICS HIGH-FLEX TIRES