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Three postgraduate scientists at �²ʿ��� – Raluca-Elena Alexii, Maxwell Walk and Leon Brindley (all MRes Sensor Technologies and Applications 2023) – are part of a team working on the development of a sensor enabled by artificial intelligence which, when mounted on cows, will monitor the biodiversity of pastures.

This group project, bringing together a team of 14 postgraduates across various colleges and scientific disciplines, is the final component of these students’ Master of Research degree with the University of Cambridge’s (the full name is the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in the ). The project mimics a start-up, with all 14 members working together across a 10-week period to solve a real-world problem – in this case, assessing biodiversity – while also acquiring vital experience for future workplace projects.

, the team has partnered with , a non-profit research centre using science to discover more sustainable methods of farming. DAISY will allow Rothamsted to reduce their manual work in assessing the biodiversity of their fields. When attached to a cow’s collar, the device takes photographs of the ground beneath and around the cow, then uses machine vision algorithms to classify four key field indicators (grass, clover, dung and bare soil) in each image. The data collected is then displayed in an interface which gives insights into the coverage of pastures and appoints tasks to increase their biodiversity.

Within the wider group, Raluca works on the Product Team, defining the sampling strategy and informing the direction of the project; Max is a member of the Data Team, working on the software; and Leon (pictured here, left) belongs to the Device Team, designing the hardware.

The students have all found this project challenging yet rewarding. “To complete this in 10 weeks to the high standard that we set ourselves in the group was, I think, the most challenging thing,” says Raluca.

Leon adds: “This type of short-sprint cadence is common in the industry anyway, particularly in the technology sector, so being able to work under time pressure to a deadline is certainly a useful skill.”

Max has particularly enjoyed the challenge of broadening his skill set. A biochemist by training, he has been working on the artificial intelligence aspect of the project. “I had some background in coding and programming, but from there to being able to use state of the art AI models was a big jump – but it was very rewarding,” he says. “AI and biology are coming together quite a lot, so it’s very relevant. I’ll almost certainly be using AI in my future PhD project studying RNA vaccines.”

The members of the team have also expressed their delight at seeing the results of their work come to fruition throughout the project. Leon says: “One of the things about academia is that the work you’re doing is very productive and beneficial, but it tends to be very long-term in that you only really see a practical application of it years in the future, and potentially not even from yourself. With DAISY, we’re able to create a real, functioning device within the time frame. It feels a bit easier to apply and to really see the fruits of our labour.”

Raluca adds: “The first time seeing the model was great. Then the first time the device was put together and we saw the first pictures from the device – these were really big milestones. After you’ve worked alongside and watched your colleagues give everything, it’s even more satisfying to see the rewards of that.”

For more information on the project, visit  and .