Drivers
- Open authorized bins from the app at ground level
- Fewer ladder climbs over the course of a route
- Stay at the truck instead of walking the site
In development
The Smart Bin Opener
A lid opener mounted on the feed bin, paired with a web and mobile app. Authorized drivers and farm staff open bins remotely, and the farm keeps a record of every opening.
Development status: the Smart Bin Opener is still being built and tested. The capabilities below describe how the system is being designed. Details may change before the product is available.
Capabilities
What the system is designed to do
| Capability | What it means |
|---|---|
| Remote lid opening | An authorized driver or farm staff member opens and closes a bin lid from the app, without climbing the bin. |
| User management & access control | Set up users and decide who can open which farms and bins. |
| Audit logs | A record of who used the system to open or close a bin, and when. |
| Manual-override detection | When a lid is opened by hand rather than through the app, the system is designed to detect the opening and log it as a manual override. It records that the opening happened. It does not identify who opened the lid. |
| Multi-site dashboard | One view of your farms and bins, their lid status, and recent activity. |
| Cellular communication | The opener at the bin communicates over a cellular connection. |
| GPS | GPS location capability in the bin hardware. |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi connectivity, as an addition to cellular, for sites where it makes sense. |
| Power | Runs on farm-supplied low-voltage power. |
| Solar & battery power | A solar and battery option for bins without a convenient power source. |
How the pieces fit
One system for the bin, the truck, and the office
The opener mounts on the bin and handles the lid. The app is where farms set up users and sites, drivers open the bins they're authorized for, and managers review activity.
The same account works on the web and in the mobile app. Existing customers can sign in through Customer Login.
The mobile app is available on Google Play now, and an Apple App Store version is planned.
For each role
What changes for the people involved
Farm staff
- Open and close lids remotely for a delivery or a check
- See which lids are open
- Fewer trips up the bin to fix a lid left open
Owners, mills & managers
- Control who can open which bins
- Review a log of openings by user and time
- See manual-override openings flagged in the log
What the system does not do
- It doesn't replace a farm's biosecurity plan, protocols, or training.
- It doesn't identify who opened a lid by hand. It logs that a manual-override opening happened.
- It hasn't been evaluated in a study for its effect on disease transmission. The research we summarize is about feed delivery in general. It is not about this product.
Markets
We are launching with swine operations and the feed mills and delivery companies that serve them. Poultry is a market we plan to serve later.
Coming soon
- Hardware photos, once prototype units are ready to show
- Screenshots of the app
Interested in a demo or the pilot program?
Tell us about your operation. Pricing is discussed directly with each customer.