Sunday, August 26, 2012

The Automated Farm is the Future?

Is it another Mars rover? No, it is concept robots to further automate the farm. As the landscape of farming is changing to mega and commercial farms, the concern for labor intensity and equipment expense continues. USA farms are moving towards self sufficient barns that clean themselves and training the cows to milk themselves three times a day by robots. We still see the areas of feed mixing and self feeding as an area that is still moving forward but not quite up to where they need to be. I can see where the other areas of the farm work can go to the robotic technology. The present large farms rely on very large machinery, performing the field tasks. Getting the feed to the barn is the next area for robotics according to people in the European nations. Link to Farm Industry Robots

The De Laval system has the cows milking themselves three times a day. Farmers have long known that milking the cows three times a day, does increase the overall milk output of a cow. The problem has been that milking the cows three times a day is very labor intensive. Not anymore!  The De Laval Milking Robots: Link to the De Laval Robotic Milking Machine Video

Feeding cows made easier: Link to Feeding Cows Made Easier Video.
Robotic barn cleaners: Link to Robotic Cleaner Barns! 
Part of the self cleaning barn is the self cleaning barn scrapers: Video of the Self Cleaning Barn Scrapers.Link to Video of Self Cleaning Manure Systems

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Tape Technology Shows Up in Oylimpics Again!

Manufactures know that if they get athletes to wear their product in the Olympics it means literally millions of dollars in their pockets. From sunglasses to clothes to medical physical assistance products, we see them all. Sometimes the Olympics resemble NASCAR with the product label placements of company names and logos on the athletes. Is it real advantage or marketing? I think the answer is not just yes or no. Everyone has different physical challenges caused by the physical make up of their body. I find a certain sun glasses used by many athletes very helpful in the outdoors. My eyes seem less stressed after a day in the sun. Other people I know have tried them and were less impressed. In the past Olympics many athletes used the nasal tapes to give them advantages. Recent studies show that they are not as helpful as once thought. I can see if the athlete has smaller nasal entry passages they would allow for more volume to enter the body. I find it difficult to see how it might help everyone.

I do understand that  when a athlete is  pushing the limits of a body's capacity, injury happens. This 2012 Olympics has it's colored titanium tape used to help the concerned situations and body areas. Tape has often been used to support or position the tissue of concern. This tape is claiming to have Titanium technology embedded in the tape itself to provide additional healing capabilities by using a electrolysis assistance. Supporters of titanium's healing power believe that titanium can relax muscles, decompose lactic aid, improve mental concentration, promote blood circulation and subsequently eradicate tiredness. They also believe titanium aids in building stamina and physical strength.I questioned this myself, However my daughter suffers from shinsplints in soccer. Her and her teammates are claiming it helps allot. I wonder if it is more the support that the tape gives the tissue or is it electrolysis? Is it a placebo effect? Regardless this innovation works for now!
Tape stories to check out: Tape in the 2012 Olympics.
The "Mighty Metal" to checkout: Fad or Fiction.     

Does this technology work? Nasal Tape Of Past Olympics