Building Full Autonomy in Cattle Feeding | Jacob Hansen - CEO of ALA Engineering

Jacob Hansen, co-founder and CEO of ALA Engineering, discusses the automation of cattle feeding in the feedlot industry. He explains the challenges of traditional feedlot operations and the need for automation to improve efficiency and reduce labor shortages. The conversation covers the analog process of feeding cattle, the role of feed trucks and feedlots in the beef supply chain, and the difficulties faced by human drivers in accurately distributing feed. Jacob shares the journey of ALA Engineering, from the initial driver information system to the implementation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and the use of radar ground speed sensors. The goal is to achieve full autonomy in cattle feeding. ALA is focused on developing autonomous feedlot trucks for the agriculture industry. They have taken a bottom-up approach, starting with driver assistance systems and gradually moving towards full automation. They have built their own custom truck, called the All-Star, which features a fully hydraulic powertrain and a cabless chassis. ALA has developed a robust sensor suite, including high-definition imaging radars, LiDAR, and cameras, to ensure accurate perception in various weather conditions. They have also built their own GPS controller for precise localization. By building their own systems, ALA has greater control over the technology, lower unit costs, and better long-term support for their customers.

Takeaways:
  •  The feedlot industry faces challenges such as labor shortages, equipment issues, and efficiency problems, making it ripe for automation.
  •  Traditional feedlot operations rely on human drivers to distribute feed, which is a mentally taxing and error-prone task.
  •  ALA Engineering is focused on automating the feed transportation process, starting with a driver information system and progressing to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS).
  •  The implementation of ADAS, along with radar ground speed sensors, has improved the accuracy and efficiency of feed distribution.
  •  The ultimate goal of ALA Engineering is to achieve full autonomy in cattle feeding. ALA has taken a bottom-up approach to developing autonomous feedlot trucks, starting with driver assistance systems and gradually moving towards full automation.
  •  They have built their own custom truck, called the All-Star, which features a fully hydraulic powertrain and a cabless chassis.
  •  ALA has developed a robust sensor suite, including high-definition imaging radars, LiDAR, and cameras, to ensure accurate perception in various weather conditions.
  •  They have also built their own GPS controller for precise localization.
By building their own systems, ALA has greater control over the technology, lower unit costs, and better long-term support for their customers.

Learn more about ALA Engineer @ https://ala.engineering/

Chapters
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:00:28 - Jacob Hansen's Background and Current Work
00:01:28 - Introduction to ALA Engineering
00:02:07 - Approach to Automation in Ag Tech
00:03:01 - Decision to Build In-house Systems
00:06:31 - Impact of Building In-house Systems
00:10:48 - Benefits of In-house Manufacturing
00:13:40 - Jacob's Early Ventures into Tech
00:15:19 - Introduction to ALA Engineering's Role in the Beef Supply Chain
00:16:22 - Feed Transportation and Distribution Process
00:17:34 - Traditional Feed Delivery Method
00:19:30 - In-depth Look at Human-operated Feed Delivery
00:19:55 - Challenges in Human-operated Feed Delivery
00:27:08 - ALA's Initial Approach to Automation
00:28:31 - First Step: Driver Information System
00:31:53 - Customizations to the Truck and Introduction of Hydrostat
00:32:20 - Understanding Hydrostat and its Benefits
00:33:00 - Explanation of Hydrostat Mechanism
00:33:28 - Benefits of Hydrostat for Fuel