Multiple industries
Sheep & lamb
Wool
Multiple technology areas
Harvest technology
Robotics
Research project
The project aims to mitigate the risk of injury to the workforce in sheepshearing and improve the process's productivity. Specifically, it intends to (1) optimize and validate a set of wearable sensors that the shearers can wear to inform the users on the state of fatigue (and the risk of injury) of the users and (2) based on objective data, design and construct a motorised ceiling harness with the appropriate intelligence to vary the amount of support provided while allowing the user to move freely. Conventional harnesses are constructed out of springs, which do not allow a shearer to rest upon it when fatigued completely, require the shearer to pull against it when intending to move and are not capable of adapting the amount of support it provides according to the condition of the user.