PARAMUS, N.J., Nov. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony
Electronics Inc. today announced a Version 2.0 software update for
its Smart Agriculture Solution aimed at providing agricultural
customers with new AI-based imaging capabilities. These new
features, based on industry feedback, provide expanded
functionality and are planned for rollout in March 2020.
Additionally, Sony Electronics, which currently offers its Smart
Agriculture Solution in the United
States, expects to begin offering the solution in
Australia starting next month to
meet the diverse and demanding agricultural needs of the
continent.
With the launch of Sony's Version 2.0 software update, the
enhanced agriculture solution consisting of a drone-mounted
multispectral sensing unit and Fast Field Analyzer image analytics
software for in-the-field crop management, monitoring and
insights, will add Sony's unique imaging and AI-based technology
for stand counting. Stand counting allows growers to assess the
planting quality, enabling replanting decisions to be made earlier
and with greater accuracy. The Version 2.0 update will allow
growers to precisely analyze large areas with ease.
After close collaboration with several agronomy companies,
including Syngenta, that are immersed in diverse aspects of farming
– from drones, to mapping and analytics – the latest Smart
Agriculture Solution software enables a more intelligent, more
flexible and more robust way to count and evaluate early-stage row
crops, with capabilities for variable and uniform seeding rates.
These enhancements were designed to create a more powerful and
capable solution that better serves agronomists and offers
end-to-end support for replanting decisions, which can be made
minutes after flight, without the need for an Internet
connection.
Additional benefits of the Version 2.0 software's stand count
feature include a more accurate representation of the field
achieved by wide-area comprehensive sampling, which enables
sectional replanting to save time and maximize yield. Furthermore,
the solution offers insights for assessing the quantity and quality
of a planting, such as "Skip" or "Double" rate, which provide
valuable data that can drive decision making into the next
season.
Version 2.0 of Sony's Smart Agriculture Solution also offers the
ability to evaluate data from multiple angles. With a powerful new
side-by-side comparison capability, users can now compare variable
planting maps versus actual emergence, track historical progress of
the NDVI before and after the treatment, and compare NDVI and
historical yield maps for yield estimation. With the comparison
feature, the quality of the analytics tied to field scouting
increases and becomes more efficient, empowering agronomists to
provide reasoned advice to the growers they support.
"Sony entered the agriculture space earlier this year and in
that short time, our imaging expertise and relationships in the
market have helped us learn, grow and adapt our strategy to provide
a more meaningful solution for agronomists," said Theresa Alesso, pro division president at Sony
Electronics. "We have aligned ourselves with influential companies,
universities and researchers large and small to get a holistic
picture of the agronomy landscape from their perspective and to
better understand the role that technology plays in their decision
making and insights. We have taken this industry feedback to heart,
which is why the new Version 2.0 software for our Smart Agriculture
Solution combines hi-resolution drone imagery with AI to offer a
more accurate and time-saving approach to plant counting and
analysis."
"In-field replant decisions are an important factor in planning
for better yields, but the process has traditionally been a time
consuming, rigid and costly endeavor," said Charlie Siggs, digital agronomy project manager,
Syngenta. "Using drones for wider area comprehensive stand counts
enables sectional replanting for growers. Paired with in-field fast
AI analytics, replanting can potentially be done the same day as
the stand count. This new workflow maximizes the yield potential
and saves operational costs. The enhanced solution Sony has created
is an important step forward for digital agriculture."
Sony's Smart Agriculture Solution with Version 2.0 software will
be on display at the ARA Conference & Expo, December 3-5 in New
Orleans, as well as at the American Seed Trade Associate
(ASTA) CSS Seed & Expo, December
9-12 in Chicago.
Version 2.0 software for the Smart Agriculture Solution is
planned to be available in March
2020. Current users will be able to automatically download
the free upgrade at pro.sony.
To learn more about Sony's Smart Agriculture Solution, or for
more information about Sony's agronomy presence, please visit
pro.sony/agriculture.
About Sony Electronics Inc.
Sony Electronics is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America and
an affiliate of Sony Corporation (Japan), one of the most comprehensive
entertainment companies in the world, with a portfolio that
encompasses electronics, music, motion pictures, mobile, gaming,
robotics and financial services. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Sony Electronics is a
leader in electronics for the consumer and professional markets.
Operations include research and development, engineering, sales,
marketing, distribution and customer service. Sony Electronics
creates products that innovate and inspire generations, such as the
award-winning Alpha Interchangeable Lens Cameras and revolutionary
high-resolution audio products. Sony is also a leading manufacturer
of end-to-end solutions from 4K
professional broadcast and A/V equipment to industry leading
4K and 8K Ultra HD TVs. Visit sony.com/news for more
information.
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SOURCE Sony Electronics Inc.