UAlberta researchers receive $481K grant for “Armchair rancher” app

University of Alberta researchers have received a $481K grant for the development of the “Armchair rancher” app that could help ranchers manage their herds. The tool will predict trends in a wide variety of areas, such as weather and beef prices, and ranchers can use this information to make the best business choices for their situation. The app uses historical data gathered from a variety of sources, including ranchers, to predict future trends using artificial intelligence. “As everyone contributes their information, the data deepens,” said UAlberta researcher Graham Plastow. “The more data they contribute, the more valuable the overall armchair app becomes. They’ll have the benefit of both visualizing their information and melding it with general information to come up with a solution that works for their scenario.” UAlberta (AB)