Assessment of a Wireless Sensor Network based monitoring tool for zero effort technologies: A Cattle-health and movement monitoring test case

The propagation of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) and the latest developments in computing technology embrace the capability of tackling social challenges, which are relatable to Marginalized Rural Areas (MRAs). Instantaneously, there has been surmounting advances in the implementation of assistive technologies known as Zero Effort Technologies (ZETs). The term `assistive technology´ refers to ´any device or system that allows an individual to perform a task that they would otherwise be unable to do, or increases the ease and safety with which the task can be performed. These assistive technologies further provide new ways of offering innovative ICT solutions capable of addressing challenges facing MRAs. These challenges include among others, the long term monitoring of animal health. In this research, we propose to amalgamate the principle of WSNs and ZETs to create a WSN that can link responsible authorities, e.g. Agricultural Extension workers to their herd of Cattle to enhance animal monitoring as a method of ensuring proper animal husbandry. We investigate how best such a tool can be implemented and further provide thoughts and guidelines regarding future directions and current state of art overviews of the key ideas in the burgeoning field of WSNs and ZETs amalgamation to provide efficient monitoring tools. Cattle monitoring is the test case in this research. The cattle industry is an integral part of the global economy. The continued production of quality beef requires new and improved methods for long term monitoring of animal health. Additional benefits can be realized from monitoring technology, such as the ability to identify the presence of diseases early and thereby prevent their spread. Core to realize this benefit is an important element of health assessment which is the ability to monitor vital data such as core body temperature to determine animal health. This paper therefore presents an outline of the development of a WSN based cattle monitorin- tool that can be applied and used as a ZET to monitor cattle health and movement. It reviews other cattle monitoring systems and the importance of employing WSN for monitoring cattle, core body temperature and location in the ranches along with their advantages and disadvantages.