Bangalore :
The next time you find your favourite plants infested with pests or diseased, don’t lose heart. Technology will come to your rescue.
Electronic Solutions Against Agricultural Pests (e-SAP), an innovative tablet device, promises to be of much help in the field of agriculture. It helps people get instant information about the kind of pest that’s ruining the plants, with suggestions on how to fight it.
“The hand-held device is easy to use. Even a layman can navigate to find the problem in his crop. A single tablet costs Rs 25,000. Prices are likely to come down if there’s a large-scale demand,” said Nageshwar Rao of Tene Agricultural Solutions, Bangalore. The company provided a platform called Triptolemus for University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Raichur to design the tablet and hold its copyright.
The device works on a web-based application system, which facilitates flow of information from the grower to the farm scientist at the click of a button. It also has a voice-based application that guides the farmer in the local dialect. The tablet can also recommend so lutions based on geography and agro-climatic con ditions of the area where the crop is being grown.
Just a click away: As soon as you notice a pest in your garden or farm, capture images of the same using the device. “e-SAP captures high-quality images of pests and their symptoms, and then guides the user on how to identify them. It also provides instant solutions on how to get rid of them,” explained Rao.
Following its first successful trial in Raichur, Tene Agricultural Solutions and UAS, Raichur have entered into an MOU to make e-SAP available to the larger market. “We have sent a proposal to the government to implement this solution in other states too,” said Rao.
The other two prominent agriculture universities of Karnataka – Bangalore and Shimoga have decided to promote the green tab among farmers.
source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Tech> Tech News> Hardware> Tablet / by Manu Aiyappa, TNN / November 18th, 2013