Innovation awards finalist: AgriGuardian aims to reduce farm fatalities

AgriGuardian is an IoT device designed to reduce farm fatalities across all age groups, but especially in the most vulnerable cohorts of those aged under 16 and over 65.

The system has three main features: alert or danger zone warnings, proximity warnings and anchoring. Protected users (typically a child or older person) are connected to the system via a smartphone or smart watch and each protected user has designated “guardians” who are also connected to the app. If a user strays into an alert zone unsupervised, their guardians are notified and all notifications require a response.

Proximity warnings are alerts for when farmers are using machinery. If a protected user gets too close (within 20 metres), a loud alarm is activated while the anchoring feature works by virtually tethering a vulnerable user to a guardian. If they move too far away (beyond 10 metres), the guardian is alerted.

“Farming is unique in that the dangers often move,” says AgriGuardian co-founder James Power.

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“Secondly, the main causes of injury and fatalities on farms are accidents with machinery, drowning, slurry gases and falls. In many cases it was not knowing the whereabouts of a vulnerable individual that was the problem. Our system effectively puts an electronic safety bubble around protected users while the anchoring feature ensures that even the most curious individual can’t stray too far.”

AgriGuardian is an Irish Times Innovation awards finalist in the New Frontiers category sponsored by UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.