Intelligent Cattle Sensor
GPS precision and LoRaWAN connectivity, engineered for off-grid livestock monitoring at scale.
Traditional cattle management depends on manual inspection, leaving farmers with little visibility into herd activity across vast, off-grid areas. In large rural operations, animals can roam freely across terrain where cellular coverage is absent and physical oversight is impractical. Muu Control identified a critical gap in the market: the lack of a reliable, low-maintenance solution capable of tracking livestock over long distances, generating real-time alerts, and operating continuously without human intervention. The challenge was not just technical. It required rethinking how connectivity, power autonomy, and data intelligence could come together in a rugged, field-ready device small enough to fit on a cattle ear tag.
Farmers lacked real-time visibility into herd location and behavior across large, off-grid grazing areas.
What We Built
Focus designed a smart ear tag built around the Nordic nRF52832, integrating GPS, a LoRaWAN radio, and an accelerometer within a compact, field-ready form factor. The hardware was developed through a structured, phased process that included prototyping with evaluation boards, iterative design refinement, and comprehensive validation with production-grade units. Low-power PCB design and firmware optimized for energy efficiency were central to the engineering effort. The device transmits precise location data at configurable intervals, supports long-range communication of up to 10 km, and triggers customizable alerts for theft, inactivity, or unusual movement patterns. A solar-rechargeable battery system keeps the device running for up to five years with no manual maintenance required, making it suitable for truly remote deployments where servicing is not a viable option.
Impact
Farmers gained real-time visibility into herd location and behavior, reducing operational effort while improving security and management control.
Battery life over 5 years
Autonomous operation enabled by solar-assisted power
Precision under 5 m
GPS accuracy for reliable, real-time livestock tracking
10 km coverage
Up to 10 km LoRaWAN connectivity, depending on terrain and conditions
This project demonstrates how a well-designed IoT solution can transform livestock monitoring by combining autonomy and intelligent data into a scalable system for agricultural challenges.
