Straight from the Scientist - Dr Peter Scarth

Here at Cibo Labs, we're already focused on harnessing advanced satellite technology and artificial intelligence specifically tailored for Australian conditions with our PastureKey service, helping you obtain accurate pasture measurements. To ensure we continue to lead the way and provide you with the very best tools, our Technical Director Dr Peter Scarth, recently attended a major international workshop. This event gathered global leaders in space technology and AI, including experts from ESA (the European Space Agency) and NASA. The workshop centred around powerful new Foundation Models and their potential to revolutionise our understanding of Earth from space.

Imagine a super-smart assistant for your property, one that's learned from analysing millions of satellite images of land from all around the world, not just your local area or even just Australia. This new generation of AI, often called 'Foundation Models,' is like giving your satellite images a PhD. They don't merely assess how green your pasture is; they comprehend the land much more deeply by cleverly combining various types of information at once – like different satellite views (what we see, and even views that can see through clouds), detailed weather data, and the shape and slope of your land.
 
What does this mean for your rangelands? It signifies the potential for more accurate information than ever on the vital aspects you manage every day: how much feed you (actually) have available for your stock (forage availability), the actual condition of your soil and pastures (land condition), precisely how much ground cover is protecting your valuable soil, and broader insights into the health of the local environment (biodiversity indicators). Ultimately, it’s about getting a clearer, more complete, and more reliable picture of your property to help you make smarter, more confident decisions for your business and the long-term health of your land.
 
It’s all part of our ongoing commitment to continuously improve our services and ensure you have the most accurate, reliable, and practical insights to manage your rangelands more profitably and sustainably. We're genuinely excited about the potential to bring this next level of paddock intelligence to Australian agriculture.
 
Dr Peter Scarth 

 

Stay tuned — more science updates from our team of scientists to come!

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