Iowa Patent of the Month – May 2022

Technology is meant to make our lives easier, and ag tech is no different. Sensors, automation, and tracking tools are excellent additions to any farm to optimize a growth season. Ag Leader Technology has been working on developing these technologies to connect a whole operation from equipment to monitoring and data analysis. As part of this system, they have designed a set of vision-based stalk sensors which detect and track plant stalk growth during harvest seasons.

These sensors are equipped with cameras, placed near each corn head or harvesting row. This way, each of the incoming plant stalks pass through the field of view of the camera. The images are transferred to a processing unit which analyzes the change in stalks over time. A set of image processing algorithms are used to identify and mark where a plant is visible, allowing the system to count the number of stalks that have passed through the field of view, measure stalk size, and provide information to the farmer.

Ag Leader has spent 25 years building this range of technology, developing precision technology to the market. Better tracking means better precision.

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.

Who We Are:

Swanson Reed is one of the U.S.’ largest Specialist R&D tax advisory firms. We manage all facets of the R&D tax credit program, from claim preparation and audit compliance to claim disputes.

Swanson Reed regularly hosts free webinars and provides free IRS CE and CPE credits for CPAs. For more information please visit us at www.swansonreed.com/webinars or contact your usual Swanson Reed representative.

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