Agriculture is an essential and dynamic industry but it comes with significant safety challenges. Each year across the EU, the agriculture and forestry sectors face risks that impact the lives of thousands. However, groundbreaking technological advancements in artificial intelligence can help to mitigate the risks. With innovative AI cameras leading the way, safety on farms is improving dramatically, protecting lives and preventing injuries. Let’s explore how the technology is already making a positive difference in the agricultural world.
Farming is big business across Europe, particularly in Germany where half of the national territory is given over to agricultural use. According to the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, around one million people produce goods worth approximately €50 billion per year in nearly 270,000 agricultural enterprises.
Alongside this, Germany’s Federal Motor Authority (KBA) states that there are approximately 450,000 agricultural vehicles registered in the country, including the forestry and fishing sectors – making it a huge source of revenue for the region.
The agricultural sector is a cornerstone of the economy, where innovation has its place. However, with such high levels of activity, safety on farms remains a top priority. Ensuring the safety of commercial agricultural vehicles and machinery is a key focus for the industry. Recent events, such as a narrowly avoided incident in Lower Bavaria, highlight the importance of ongoing efforts to protect lives and maintain a safe working environment.
Media reported a close call that took place on a family farm near Falkenburg which demonstrates the importance of reliable safety solutions. A farmer and his apprentice were busy operating a loader, collecting animal feed in the loader bucket and driving it into the barn. They had got into a good rhythm, repeatedly driving backwards and forwards and were fully focused on their work.
Just as the loader was reversing again, the two-year-old daughter of the farmer came running round the corner. She’s not even a meter tall and was directly in the driver’s blind spot, unseen from both the rearview and side view mirrors.
Fortunately for this farmer and his apprentice, an AI camera mounted on the back of the farm loader, programmed to recognize people as soon as they come into its vision, detected the little girl and instantly sounded the alarm, alerting the driver to her image on the in-cab camera display. He immediately stopped the loader, and a terrible collision was averted.
The farmer and his wife were hugely relieved that they had invested in the purchase of an AI camera. It’s not a cheap option, but you can’t put a price on the life of a child.
It wasn’t until later, when I slept on it, that I really realized what could have happened. I’m glad I had the camera.
Every year, fatal accidents occur on farms because people are run over by heavy machinery. According to the agricultural trade association in Germany, SVLFG, there were twelve deaths last year alone.
And those are just the people who are insured with us, the number of unreported cases is much higher because children and older people who are no longer working are not included in these statistics.
Fechter personally estimates that in Bavaria alone, several children die every year because they are run over by machines.
AI Cameras
Artificial intelligence cameras are one of the new pieces of technology at the forefront of helping to prevent collisions and save lives.
AI cameras are a new generation of active blind-spot detection. Using AI, cameras can detect and recognize pedestrians within a pre-defined detection zone and reliably warn the driver visually and/or audibly in time to prevent a collision. An AI camera will also substantially reduce the possibility of a false positive warning, as algorithms train it to recognize human beings and not get confused with street furniture, trees or other distractions. Neither will it recognize animals, which is essential on a farm to prevent alerts being activated every time a sheep or a cow comes into view.
Many blind spots occur due to the enormous distance between the driver and the front of the vehicle because of the sheer size of agricultural machines, or because of the large number of attachments fitted to them such as sprayers or seed drills. It’s particularly dangerous when a farmer must drive on a main road to get between fields or back to the farm. Leaving a blind junction with such a large vehicle is an extremely dangerous maneuver as they must drive 3.5 meters into the road before other vehicles become visible. Regulations stipulate that camera monitor systems must be attached to the vehicle if an attachment is used, or if the distance from the center of the steering wheel to the front of the vehicle is 3.5 meters or more.
Brigade’s Cross Traffic Monitoring Camera System is an ideal solution for these regulations. It now has added AI features and consists of:
- 2 front AI cameras with people detection
- A robust aluminium housing
- Optional: 2 monitors or a split-screen monitor
It is tested by DLG (according to part A) and fulfills the requirements of VkBl. 23/2016, recommendation no. 180. The system is extremely robust to withstand the turbulence of farm driving.
Front of Vehicle
Brigade’s product portfolio for the front of farm vehicles also includes:
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A 7” AHD LCD Monitor with two camera inputs, on-screen distance and vertical line markers |
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A digital wireless connection system that is CVBS, AHD 720P and 1080P compatible |
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An AHD eyeball camera with day/night sensor and lens swivel and rotation adjustment |
Rear of Vehicle
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An AHD eyeball camera with day/night sensor and lens swivel and rotation adjustment |
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A self-adjusting medium-duty alarm with multi-frequency broadband sound |
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A wide dynamic range rear view camera with improved detail in shadows and five infrared LEDS for ultra-low light performance |
360° Cameras with AI Technology
Additionally, Brigade’s 360-degree high-definition four-camera system – Backeye®360 AI Intelligent detection – is enhanced by state-of-the-art AI technology to identify humans and effectively eliminate all blind spots. Providing a comprehensive view of the surrounding area in a single image, Backeye®360 AI audibly and visually alerts the driver when a person is detected using artificial intelligence, eliminating blind spots and actively saving lives.
Why Brigade?
Our mission since 1976 has been to prevent collisions and save lives. All our vehicle safety products are certified to ISO9001:2015 and our principal manufacturing facilities are certified to IATS 16949:2016.
Why not get in touch and find out more about how we can help to keep your farm, family and workers safe.
