A handful of firms brought ag tech products to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this past week.
The ag-focused exhibitors at CES seemed focused on unlocking the potential of artificial intelligence and data aggregation in farm tech, vehicle automation and electrification, and using technology to enable more sustainable production.
Here’s a quick roundup of how ag was on display at CES:
Bobcat AT450X enabled by Agtonomy Articulating Utility Tractor. Autonomous and electrified operation are at the heart of the concept. What really makes that heart tick, though, is an intuitive mobile app that unlocks and simplifies the tasking and management of these space-age looking tractors. The giant swappable rear-mounted battery pack is another key feature, as the concept autonomously returns to the farm shop and swaps out a drained battery for a fresh one before returning to its tasks.
Infinitum Aircore Mobility Liquid Cooled Engine Tech. By swapping the iron core design common in most motors today with a rotating layer of solid “stators” (they look like circular plastic circuit boards), Infinitum has reimagined a more efficient, longer lasting, smarter and lighter engine. Aircore is commercialized and available today, and Chief Strategy Officer Bhavnesh Patel says the company is working with an undisclosed Midwest-based ag equipment manufacturer to get the smart motors into corn country. They also make great irrigation pump motors, Patel says.
John Deere Tech Stack for Cotton Growers. At CES, John Deere’s focus was threefold: a practical application of advanced technology at each stage of the cotton production cycle (most if not all would also apply to corn and soybean farming); the application of said technology to truly enable smarter, faster decision making; and a continued focus on showing the tech world that ag technology enables sustainable production. The remotely drivable tractor display drew the most interest among the tech set media crowd that covers CES. John Deere also showcased an interactive “weeds in the field” LED floor in their See & Spray display, and plugged a “get paid for my sustainability practices” Easy Button into its Operations Center mobile app.
Kubota Agri Concept Electric Vehicle Utility Tractor. Besides its sleek factor, the electrified concept tractor has a suite of smart farming tech on board. It offers fully autonomous operation – which seems to be the box to check with any new EV tractor intro – as well as the ability to connect, or swarm, multiple tractors into a unified field task crushing force. In addition to the ability to autonomously return to base and fast charge, Kubota leadership claims it has charge times down to a lighting quick 10% to 80% full in just 6 minutes, which is big for productivity and uptime. The concept shown at CES was more of a specialty crop/utility tractor, but perhaps the concept has legs for row crop someday?
