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Research Projects

Applied research at Olds College Centre for Innovation (OCCI) focuses on practical, industry-driven applied research that can be easily implemented by the agriculture industry. On average, OCCI works on 80 to 100 projects per year — with 106+ projects happening throughout 2022 to 2023. This research includes both public-facing projects that are promoted externally as well as confidential projects.

Within broadacre, dryland crop and beef production, applied research is primarily focused on autonomous agricultural equipment, sensors, data utilization, technology development and validation, and regenerative agriculture. The Smart Farm is working towards providing producers with real-life applied research to help them make informed decisions about implementing technology in their own operations.

Ongoing Projects

Autonomous Agriculture Equipment

Autonomous Agriculture Equipment

The Raven OMNiPOWER™ platform represents a significant first-step towards autonomy applied to agricultural operations.

Bin Monitoring: TeleSense

Bin Monitoring: TeleSense

Olds College is evaluating the TeleSense Spider product, a technology for the remote monitoring of commodity storage in bins, and its user interface to provide unbiased information on the functionality and general experience working with the product.

Bio-Agtive Emissions Farming Small Plot Trials

Bio-Agtive Emissions Farming Small Plot Trials

The Bio-Agtive Method is an innovative bio agtech approach which entails emission capture technology and re-purposing of biofuel exhaust emissions into a carbon-based biofertilizer.

Bushel Plus Harvest Loss Monitoring

Bushel Plus Harvest Loss Monitoring

Bushel Plus provides a complete combine loss measurement system designed to quickly and accurately quantify harvest loss to assist in the calibration of combine settings during harvest.

ChrysaLabs Soil Nutrient Probe Evaluation

ChrysaLabs Soil Nutrient Probe Evaluation

Olds College is evaluating the functionality, effectiveness and experience of ChrysaLabs soil nutrient probe in numerous field types and environmental conditions (soil moisture, soil temperature, ambient temperature, frozen soil).

Comparable Autonomous Data Collection

Comparable Autonomous Data Collection

Team members are performing Comparable Autonomous Data Collection with an electronic data acquisition instrument called Somat-eDAQ.

Comparisons of In-Field MicroClimate Variability & External Weather Stations

Comparisons of In-Field MicroClimate Variability & External Weather Stations

Pan Canadian Smart Farm Network members are conducting a second year of research to compare data collected from weather sensors inside and outside of the crop boundary to produce multiple data sets for analysis, and evaluating how disease development varies within each zone.

CropScan

CropScan

The Crop Scan 3300H Grain Analyzer is an agricultural digital technology that is installed on the college’s combine, and is capable of measuring protein and moisture content of harvested grain, oil seeds, and pulse crops in near-real time.

Disease Presence in Relation to Soil Characteristic within Wheat

Disease Presence in Relation to Soil Characteristic within Wheat

Olds College Centre for Innovation (OCCI) is performing intensive one-acre grid scouting for the purpose of identifying disease variability within a field, and comparing the distribution of disease results to other geospatial layers collected within the HyperLayer project.

element 4 IoT Sensor Technology

element 4 IoT Sensor Technology

element 4 produces self-powered, wireless modular sensor technology that is adaptable to most environments. Olds College of Agriculture & Technology is working alongside element 4 to further improve and develop their IoT devices and autonomous sensors — featuring unique energy harvesting and storage technologies — for use in commercial settings.

Evaluation of the MINS Process for Carbon Credits

Evaluation of the MINS Process for Carbon Credits

Carbon Assets Solutions (CAS) is a new Canadian company that uses Mobile Inelastic Neutron Scattering (MINS) technology to determine carbon content in soils that may help producers access carbon credits.

Exploring Soil Moisture, Weather & Forage Biomass Relationships

Exploring Soil Moisture, Weather & Forage Biomass Relationships

Olds College is performing a historical data correlation analysis in partnership with Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) to learn from existing data sources what variables matter most to forage growth.

Hail Damage Classification Using Drones

Hail Damage Classification Using Drones

Olds College and Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) are continuing their work together to determine if high definition imaging from unmanned aircraft vehicles (drones) can be used to classify hail damaged areas within crop fields.

In-Bin Drying: Top Grade Ag

In-Bin Drying: Top Grade Ag

The In-Bin Drying Monitor is a technology developed by Top Grade Ag that uses a proprietary algorithm with pressure, temperature and humidity sensors to optimize grain drying procedures.

In-Field Measurements for a Yield Prediction Model

In-Field Measurements for a Yield Prediction Model

Olds College is collecting a data package of weather information and crop measurements for Metos Canada to validate their yield calculator, and provide additional measurements to further develop the algorithm into a crop growth model.

Remote Sensing Techniques in Lease Reclamations

Remote Sensing Techniques in Lease Reclamations

Olds College is evaluating the potential of using remote sensing technology to aid in the completion of Detailed Site Assessments (DSAs). The College is investigating if the use of satellite and RPAS imagery can be used in the vegetation assessment component of cultivated DSAs.

Rural Connectivity Project: Zetifi

Rural Connectivity Project: Zetifi

Olds College of Agriculture & Technology, TELUS Business and TELUS Agriculture are researching solutions to improve cellular service in rural Alberta to better utilize smart ag technology in the future. Currently researchers are assessing the effectiveness of the Zetifi ZetiCell and ZetiRover technologies in improving connectivity by LTE to WiFi technology in a typical rural prairie setting.

Saskatchewan Smart Farm Field Data Collection

Saskatchewan Smart Farm Field Data Collection

Olds College is working with local Saskatchewan partners to gather historical and current information from the fields on the Saskatchewan Smart Farm for baseline data collection.

Snow Acres Soil Moisture Sensor

Snow Acres Soil Moisture Sensor

Olds College is assessing the second version of the Snow Acres Canada soil moisture sensor system “The Well” as it’s in the final stages of product development.

Soil Sensor Cluster

Soil Sensor Cluster

Olds College is comparing the accuracy and functionality of soil sensors and their capabilities to measure soil properties, such as moisture and salinity, to allow for faster and informed decision making.

Spornado

Spornado

Olds College is evaluating how the Spornado Sampler contributes to the canola fungicide application decision process. The College will evaluate how Spornado lab results influence the timing, speed, ease, confidence, and final recommendation of the fungicide application decision making process in canola.

Variable Rate Technology Economic Modelling

Variable Rate Technology Economic Modelling

Olds College is working with TELUS Agriculture on assessing the return on investment of variable rate technology (VRT) which is a precision-ag approach allowing producers to manage defined areas of their fields differently.

VR Application of Nitrogen & Impact on Emissions

VR Application of Nitrogen & Impact on Emissions

In partnership with TELUS Agriculture, researchers are evaluating variable rate technology (VRT) for fertilizer applications on the Smart Farm with a focus on nitrogen.

Weather Station Array

Weather Station Array

The Weather Station Array provides a comparison of functionality, platform navigation, installation/uninstallation, reliability of data, user experience, and connectivity of commercially available weather stations.

WeatherFlow Tempest Validation

WeatherFlow Tempest Validation

Olds College is assessing the WeatherFlow Tempest Weather station on the Smart Farm in partnership with TELUS Agriculture. Researchers will provide an evaluation of Tempest data accuracy (rainfall, wind speed and direction, and temperature).

HyperLayer Data Concept

HyperLayer Data Concept

The HyperLayer Data Concept is a process that allows the Olds College Smart Farm to compile, analyze, and use virtually every type of agricultural data.

Animal Identification using Artificial Intelligence

Animal Identification using Artificial Intelligence

Using artificial intelligence for individual animal identification is a novel concept that Olds College is exploring with an industrial client.

Enhancing Climate Change Resiliency & Environmental Sustainability of the Livestock Industry

Enhancing Climate Change Resiliency & Environmental Sustainability of the Livestock Industry

The TACLP at Olds College is enhancing climate change resiliency and environmental sustainability of the livestock industry through the use of innovative technology and rotational grazing practices on the Smart Farm — specifically the 308 acres at Pitstra Farm west of Carstairs, AB — over the next two years.

Floating Island Technology for Livestock Water Remediation

Floating Island Technology for Livestock Water Remediation

This project evaluates the economic and environmental benefits of using native wetland plants and floating island technology to treat feedlot runoff water.

Intercropping Corn for Livestock Grazing Strategies

Intercropping Corn for Livestock Grazing Strategies

The TACLP at Olds College is partnering with the University of Manitoba to identify the potential for intercropping corn with high protein forages.

Nofence Collars: Virtual Fencing System

Nofence Collars: Virtual Fencing System

Researchers at the Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production (TACLP) at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology are evaluating the functionality of the Nofence© collar, an animal-friendly novel virtual fence technology that allows producers to remotely contain and control grazing cattle by using audio cues and electric stimuli from collars instead of physical fences. This could help farmers implement rotational grazing systems easier and more cost effectively.

Sire Progeny

Sire Progeny

This project evaluates sire-progeny links, breeding plans and information management/record keeping in multi-sire breeding scenarios on commercial herds.

Validation of Rapid In-Field Testing to Measure Forage Nitrate Concentration

Validation of Rapid In-Field Testing to Measure Forage Nitrate Concentration

Olds College is assessing and validating the accuracy of the NECi Nitrate Test Kit and the Cardy Nitrate meter for on-site measurement of nitrate concentrations in forages.

Weaning Methods & Tactile Stimulation on Calf Performance, Health & Welfare

Weaning Methods & Tactile Stimulation on Calf Performance, Health & Welfare

Researchers at the TACLP are studying and comparing differences in weight gain, health and reactivity at handling in imprinted against non-imprinted calves weaned through the use of either nose-flap, fenceline or traditional abrupt weaning.

Optical Spot Spraying

Optical Spot Spraying

WEED-IT is a precision sprayer designed to apply herbicide directly on weeds and avoid wastage. The goal is helping producers reduce herbicide use and subsequently costs related to herbicide application.

Small Plot Crop Research

Small Plot Crop Research

Crop research, small plot trials or full field investigations, is key to Olds College crop research portfolio.

Interactive Project Map - ArcGIS