Precision Agriculture

Precision agriculture is here and is in full bloom during this year’s early harvest. Precision agriculture is a predictive examination that is used to make smarter decisions. Precision agriculture is the gathering of information, the examination of information, drawing assumptions from the analysis, allocating a value to those conclusions and then, applying an action base on the value of the conclusions. All of the following examples optimize planting and harvesting.

Crop Production Monitoring

There are crop production monitoring reports that show the nutrients in the soil where the crop is growing. This can tell a farmer if and when they need to adjust their fertilizer inputs to meet the needs of the crops.



 

Soil Moisture Monitoring

There is also sensors called soil moisture monitoring. Water obviously plays a huge role in crop production. These sensors helps a farmer observe each irrigation even and whatever else happens in between. As the curve begins to flatten out, the farmer knows the crop is working tougher to remove more water. “Data is automatically collected and transmitted several times daily via wireless remote.”

 

                                                                                             Auto Steer and GPS Guidance

Yes tractors have auto steer and GPS guidance systems! It makes planting and harvesting a whole lot easier when you do not even have to drive the tractor. That way the farmer can focus on the heavy implements behind them and in front of them and instead of where they are going. There is also less down time when you are using GPS and auto steer. For an example, “foam markers on sprayers and planters can cost precious hours in the field when not operating correctly. GPS and auto steer can eliminate these things. In this video the tractor is literally driving itself.

There are many more technologies in precision agriculture that I did not have time to bring up. Here are some even more examples of precision agriculture technologies, the list is unlimited. By 2050, it’s expected that the world’s population will reach 9.2 billion people, 34 percent higher than today. Much of this growth will happen in developing countries like Brazil, which has the largest area in the world with arable land for agriculture. To keep up with rising populations and income growth, global food production must increase by 70 percent in order to be able to feed the world. So the question is “do you think precision agriculture can help optimize planting and harvesting this drastically? Is there anything else you think we could do?”

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Technology Making its Jump into NFL Stadium

By: Trent Sullivan (twitter: @trent3sullivan)

            On Sunday, September 14^th, Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco, home of the 49ers, made its grand opening. Although the 49ers fans might have walked away disappointed from the 28-20 lose to the Chicago Bears, it was the first time many fans got to experience the new “smart stadium.” The opening of Levi’s Stadium makes it the most technically advanced stadium in the world. The 70,000 people plus capacity stadium offers fans an experience unlike any other, which includes fans being able to connect to Wi-Fi and 4G networks. There is a smartphone and tablet app offered for fans and it really is what makes Levi’s Stadium different. The app has the ability to tell fans where to park based on where their seats are and the app can lead them to their seats once in the stadium. The app also allows fans to watch replays of the game, look at stats, and order food and drinks from their device and have it delivered to them or picked up in an express line. Another function of the app, and probably the best is that is can tell the fans where the nearest restroom is with the shortest lines. Al Guido, the 49es COO said, “The 49ers wanted to transform the in-stadium fan experience and make it possible to see the action live but still have the similar features that a fan has at home while watching the game on TV.”

            I think this is a great example of how awesome and misused technology has become today. The ability of the app being able to help fans with parking, finding their seats, ordering food, and finding the nearest restroom is great, but isn’t the point of going to the game to watch it live and get away from all of the technology? Fans could be spending so much time worrying about everything included in this experience that they will miss the live game right in front of them. Some of my best memories growing up were being out at the ball park or stadium with family and friends and now those memorable moments might be missed because of the advancement of technology. Do you think that this much technology use is too much for the fan experience and the simple enjoyment of watching a live professional sporting event?

http://time.com/3136272/levis-stadium-tech/

To Upgrade or Not?

      "’Today, we are launching the biggest advancement in the history of iPhone,’ Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said.” Obviously everyone has heard about the new iPhone 6 release on Tuesday of this week. Apple released two different versions of the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. Apple claims that this is a breakthrough and will revolutionize their technology.

Screen
      The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch screen and the iPhone 6 Plus will have a 5.5-inch display, larger than its current four-inch screen. Both of the new iPhone 6s will actually have a larger screen than its competitor, the Samsung Galaxy S5. The Samsung Galaxy S5 only has a 5.1-inch screen. “Apple's main smartphone rival Samsung Electronics Co. has pushed aggressively into larger-size smartphones, using the bigger screen as a key differentiator from the iPhone. For smartphones with screens of 5 inches or larger, Samsung is the leader, with 34 percent of the market, according to Canalys,” iPhone made their new phones with this statement in mind. Both iPhones also has the new Retina HD display. The iPhone 6 has 1334×750 resolution while the iPhone 6 Pus has 1920x1080 resolution.

Price
      With a two year contract the iPhone 6 will cost about $199 while the iPhone 6 Plus will cost about $299. “Apple pushed the price of its high-end iPhone higher, even as other manufacturers feel pricing pressure on smartphones. Apple's iPhone is already more expensive than nearly all of its competitors.” Even though the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus haven’t even been released to the market yet for pre-order, Walmart has already lowed the price by $20.

Under the Hood
     “The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have received new internals in the form of an A8 chip and M8 motion co-processor, providing desktop-class 64-bit processing power. The chip promises to be 25 percent faster and 50 percent more efficient than the A7, with a quoted 14 hours talk time on 3G for the iPhone 6 and a whopping 24 hours on 3G for the iPhone 6 Plus — more than double what Apple quoted for the iPhone 5S (10 hours).”

Actual Phone
      The new iPhone now has the ability to put the home screen into landscape perspective. Apple also put more keys on the keyboard including a copy, paste, and cut button. “The new chassis marks the other big difference: the most radical redesign the iPhone has seen since its inception. Rounded anodized aluminum, a slightly-protruding camera module, much larger volume buttons and a new sleep/wake button on the side of the device have been designed to ensure everything is within reach when you need it, despite the increased size.” The thickness of the iPhone 6 in unbelievable, it is only 7.1mm compared to the 7.6mm of the iPhone 5. 

The real Question…
      The real question is, will you upgrade to the new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus? With all of these improvements, which doesn’t even include the new wireless Apple payment system, how is it not convincing? Now we wait for the iPhone 7.
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Holographic Video: Futuristic tech is arriving faster than you think

Over the years we’ve seen video and CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) develop new ways to experience entertainment and in the most recent years something different emerged from a Coachella show, a musical performance by a hologram of deceased rapper 2pac. Different from anything consumers have ever experienced today, OTOY founder and CEO is revealing a new technology in the way we watch video. Creating a look into a virtual world using holographic strips connected to a grid to extend the scene volume, making every single pixel look like hologram and opens up the ability to navigate through a scene and look anywhere you want from any angle. Just like photo shop videos can be manipulated to have objects removed or added, making the possibilities for advancing this type of technology endless. The first application for OTOY's tech are most likely going to start for gaming, architectural walk-throughs and other situations that use CG worlds. It will also help develop movies without complex conversions because this system would give live action directors the ability to place the camera and choose focus and depth of field settings after capturing a scene. This future technology could possibly be out in 2015 and someday may get to the point where video screens replace windows, showing holographic views of central park or other such scenes.

http://variety.com/2014/digital/news/holographic-video-futuristic-tech-arriving-fast-1201281730/