UTIA and Enterprise Sensor Systems have collaborated to identify infectious cattle diseases using AI and hyperspectral imaging.
The funding has been awarded through the AI TechX Seed Fund to collaborate on the project “Rapid Identification of Cattle with Infectious Diseases Using AI and Hyperspectral Imaging.”
AI TechX is an initiative of AI Tennessee, which aims to accelerate the development and real-world application of artificial intelligence through academic-industry collaboration.
The AI TechX Seed Fund supports efforts to build high-impact, interdisciplinary research teams that tackle industrial challenges through innovative technological solutions.
Why is it necessary to detect cattle disease so quickly?
Cattle disease poses significant risks to both animal health and human livelihoods. Outbreaks can spread rapidly within herds, resulting in severe economic losses for farmers due to decreased productivity, increased veterinary costs, and, in some cases, the mass culling of affected animals.
In developing regions, cattle diseases can undermine food security, as many communities depend on livestock for milk, meat, and labour. The loss of even a few animals can devastate a family’s income.
Unchecked cattle disease can also disrupt trade. Countries with known outbreaks may face bans or restrictions on their livestock exports, which can have broader economic implications. Preventing and controlling cattle diseases requires coordinated veterinary services, strict biosecurity measures, and public awareness.
Due to these concerning factors, it’s essential that advanced technologies, such as AI and hyperspectral imaging, are utilised to rapidly detect infectious cattle diseases, allowing for prompt treatment and reducing the likelihood of their spread throughout populations.
Rapid, non-invasive screening to detect infectious cattle disease
The funding will enable Enterprise Sensor Systems to expand its ESS Protect patented technology, originally developed to detect viral signatures in human breath, to detect viral signatures in animals as well.
‘ESS Protect – Animal’ will provide rapid, non-invasive, and contactless screening for infectious cattle diseases, such as bovine respiratory disease, utilising hyperspectral imaging and advanced machine learning.
The award also marks EnSenSys’s entry to the AI TechX consortium, expanding access to research and collaborative opportunities.
“This project strengthens our commitment to delivering breakthrough biosensing tools that protect animal health and food security,” said John Castellaw, CEO of EnSenSys.
“It also underscores the importance of university-industry collaboration in transforming AI research into scalable, deployable solutions.”
Training AI models to detect shifts in animal health
Leveraging hyperspectral data from a 2024 field study at the UTIA Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Spring Hill, Tennessee, and from other collaborations with UT and private industry, the researchers will train AI models capable of detecting disease-specific spectral signatures in bovine breath.
The benefits of this technology include the preliminary design of a field-deployable hyperspectral sensing unit, machine learning models for assessing cattle health status, and a strategy for scaling the technology to other livestock and farming environments.
The long-term partnership also aims to support the establishment of an AgriAI Center of Excellence at UTIA, an innovation hub that integrates AI and data-driven tools into modern farming practices.
The centre would equip producers with predictive analytics, automation, and precision technologies to improve productivity, sustainability, and economic resilience across Tennessee agriculture.
