This graduation project, conducted in collaboration with Agis Innovations, aimed to develop a cow localisation solution that could be integrated with existing ear sensors for cows. This addition was crucial as current cow localisation solutions were inaccurate, expensive, or not user-friendly. The inability to promptly locate cows can cause unnecessary pain for the animals and reduce farm efficiency. Moreover, timely cow localisation can reduce the need for fertility hormones and antibiotics.

The project was divided into two main aspects: technology and user interaction, allowing for separate evaluation and design optimisation. A comprehensive literature review on cow localisation technologies and the existing market revealed the need for a solution that is highly accurate, cost-effective, supports long battery life, and offers a long detection distance. No existing solutions met all these criteria. The technology analysis identified an unused, novel, and promising new distance measuring technology. User research highlighted the shift from small to large farms, requiring a larger, often low-literacy workforce. Literature and empirical data from farmer interviews and worker questionnaires pointed to low work engagement, particularly in cow localisation tasks. Consequently, two user evaluation criteria were established: intuitive user touchpoints and a user interface (UI) that enhances work engagement.

From the user perspective, analysing the complete workflow of cow localisation revealed three phases, each having different detection distances and accuracies. Integrating these phases provided a solution with both a long detection distance and high accuracy. Insights into farm workers’ engagement revealed unmet fundamental needs. By incorporating personal profiles, hands-on tutorials, and gamification features like leaderboards and rewards, the UI was designed to enhance workers’ sense of competence, recognition, and purpose. This improved engagement is anticipated to enhance cow care and increase productivity. The UI’s intuitiveness was based on the three localisation phases, with each phase having tailored visualisations to guide users towards the cows effectively.

In the technology aspect, the new technology was first evaluated through field testing and Python simulations to prototype localisation ideas. A physical prototype demonstrated the feasibility of locating a tag device, achieving an accuracy within 2 metres. This met the accuracy requirement, allowing users to identify cows easily. The limited use of routers kept costs low, while smart location update frequencies minimised power consumption, supporting long battery life.

Integrating the user and technology aspects addressed the research question. The localisation solution is feasible, requiring minimal hardware changes for Agis Innovations. It is viable, leveraging the latest technology with a user-centred development approach, and desirable, providing an essential tool for efficient herd management. This solution not only boosts productivity but also enhances cow wellbeing, aligning with the project’s ultimate goal of improving animal welfare.