Maryke Laubscher is an Industrial Design student driven to creating human-centred solutions for real-world implementation. With experience designing product & systems solutions across the healthcare, food innovation and consumer goods industries.
‘The Night Watch,’ is a farming tool that helps small-scale Australian Farmers identify pests & diseases in crops. It gives farmers access to new technology that reduces crop waste and helps create future food security. By designing out costs, and providing an open approach to data, it provides small scale farmers with access to technology previously only available to large scale farmers or conglomerates.
‘The Night Watch,’ is a farming tool that helps small-scale Australian Farmers identify pests & diseases in crops. It gives farmers access to new technology that reduces crop waste and helps create future food security. By designing out costs, and providing an open approach to data, it provides small scale farmers with access to technology previously only available to large scale farmers or conglomerates.
The Night Watch
‘The Night Watch,’ is a piece of farming equipment that helps small-scale Australian Farmers identify pests & diseases in crops using infrared camera technology. Alerting farmers at the onset, reducing the spread. It gives these farmers access to new technology that reduces crop waste, production costs, the impact of farming on surrounding ecosystems and helps create future food security.
Addressing the Gap in the Market
Australian small-scale farmers manage up to 500 hectares of land relying on outdated equipment and labour. The Night Watch identifies pests and diseases in real-time, helping small-scale farms operate in a more efficient, sustainable and profitable manner.
The Night Watch Coverage
The Night Watch uses a hydraulic arm to hoist an infrared camera over 4 metres off the ground. Where it will rotate and scan crops in a one-kilometre radius. At this height, it scans each plant in an area of 31 hectares over a week.
Real-Time Data Reducing Crop Waste
Farmers receive real-time alerts when pests & diseases are found via the corresponding app. The app pinpoints the exact location of the pests or diseases. Allowing farmers to target their treatment and reduce the spread before largescale crop waste can occur. Leading to a reduction in the use of pesticides, their cost and the detrimental impacts they cause surrounding ecosystems.
Designed for Australian Conditions
The Night Watch is built to make the best of Australia’s weather. It generates its energy from the solar panel built into its roof. While its narrow chassis and stabilizing legs allow it to be easily towed and rotated around crops.
The Benefit For Future Generations
The Night Watch helps reduce the spread of pests and diseases in crops through early and detailed detection. It will revolutionise the way Small-Scale Australian Farmers operate. Giving them data-driven insights that will increase their productivity, profits and will help create future food security for future generations.
Maryke Laubscher, The Night Watch
Maryke Laubscher, Addressing the Gap in the Market
Maryke Laubscher, The Night Watch Coverage
Maryke Laubscher, Real-Time Data Reducing Crop Waste
Maryke Laubscher, Designed for Australian Conditions
Maryke Laubscher, The Benefit For Future Generations
