Turkish engineers launch 'smart coop' initiative: Epidemics will be prevented with robots

ÇOMÜ Faculty of Agriculture faculty members visited villages and listened to the concerns of poultry farmers. One of the most pressing concerns was the inability to detect diseases in a timely manner. Developed for this purpose, "BroBot" operates fully autonomously within the poultry house 24/7, scanning every square meter and providing real-time mapping.

The robot monitors data like temperature using onboard sensors and instantly notifies the farm owner, keeper, or veterinarian when it detects problem animals. Furthermore, "BroBot" not only diagnoses diseases but can also apply local pesticides to affected areas and remove dead chickens from the coop using its own system.

The project's primary goal is to increase production efficiency while maintaining flock health. According to the announcement, this system is expected to increase productivity by 3-4 tons per poultry house.

In his statement, YÖK President Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar emphasized the responsibility of universities to develop solutions for their regions and emphasized the importance of innovative applications based on digital technologies in agriculture. Özvar stated that such projects will increase Türkiye's global competitiveness.

ÇOMÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Cüneyt Erenoğlu also emphasized that the "BroBot" can remove sick and dead animals from the environment within minutes without human intervention. Erenoğlu explained that the system uses 3D LIDAR and thermal camera technologies and identifies problematic animals based on their body temperature. He added, "We will continue to develop new solutions and invite our producers to apply to our universities."

Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Arda Aydın stated that the project process was conducted through direct communication with producers. Aydın explained that, unlike its international counterparts, BroBot not only detects sick animals but can also physically remove them from the environment.

This innovative project is considered a promising step towards the future of artificial intelligence and robotic applications in agriculture.