Iowa Patent of the Month – February 2025
SwineTech, Inc. has developed a groundbreaking system to revolutionize the farrowing process, reducing stillbirths and improving the health of sows and piglets. Using artificial intelligence and advanced imaging, this system provides real-time monitoring and alerts, ensuring timely intervention when complications arise.
Traditional stillbirth detection methods rely on thermal imaging or edge detection, both of which have limitations in accuracy. SwineTech’s solution integrates high-resolution image capture, biometric sensors, and AI-driven analysis to track the birthing process with unprecedented precision. The system identifies when a birth is in progress, measures the time between deliveries, and detects delays that may indicate a problem. If a birth interval exceeds a safe threshold, an alert is triggered, allowing farm personnel to take immediate action.
Unlike conventional systems, SwineTech’s technology also utilizes UV illumination and fluorescence-enhancing filters, making it easier to detect critical biological details such as placenta expulsion. The AI module cross-references visual data with vibratory signals from the sow, refining its confidence level in determining when assistance is needed.
This innovation is not just about preventing losses—it’s about efficiency, sustainability, and improving animal welfare. By ensuring timely intervention, the system minimizes the number of piglets lost due to birth complications, maximizing litter viability and farm productivity. SwineTech’s advanced monitoring system represents a significant leap forward for the livestock industry, setting a new standard for farrowing management.
Are you developing new technology for an existing application? Did you know your development work could be eligible for the R&D Tax Credit and you can receive up to 14% back on your expenses? Even if your development isn’t successful your work may still qualify for R&D credits (i.e. you don’t need to have a patent to qualify). To find out more, please contact a Swanson Reed R&D Specialist today or check out our free online eligibility test.
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The Research & Experimentation Tax Credit (or R&D Tax Credit), is a general business tax credit under Internal Revenue Code section 41 for companies that incur research and development (R&D) costs in the United States. The credits are a tax incentive for performing qualified research in the United States, resulting in a credit to a tax return. For the first three years of R&D claims, 6% of the total qualified research expenses (QRE) form the gross credit. In the 4th year of claims and beyond, a base amount is calculated, and an adjusted expense line is multiplied times 14%. Click here to learn more.
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