SUNNYVALE, Calif., January 21, 2013 — Trimble introduced today that it has added remote diagnostics capabilities to Connected Farm, an integrated operations management solution providing information exchange across the entire farm.
Trimble also has added a new feature for the app which automatically calculates the recommended nitrogen rates for crop readings taken by the GreenSeeker handheld crop sensor, an easy-to-use measurement device designed to assess the health of a crop.
The Connected Farm app allows farmers to conduct scouting and mapping activities from their smartphones and tablets. The new feature provides an easier and more efficient process for recording crop readings and determining application rates using the GreenSeeker handheld crop sensor.
Farmers using the GreenSeeker handheld can now enter their crop readings into the Connected Farm app, which will calculate the recommended nitrogen rate from each reading and geo-reference the location. Logged data is sent to www.connectedfarm.com so users can view their information online.
"Our goal is to make it easier and more efficient for farmers to do their increasingly complex jobs," said Ian Harley, business area director for Trimble's Agriculture Division. "Recently, we introduced the GreenSeeker handheld to help farmers make more efficient use of fertilizer. Now we've made it even easier for farmers by automating the application rate calculations and location tracking through the Connected Farm app. The result is added convenience and efficiency and that's what farmers are looking for."
The new Connected Farm app feature is expected to be available in January 2013 for both Apple and Android smartphones and tablets. For more information on the GreenSeeker handheld, visit: http://www.trimble.com/agriculture/gs-handheld.aspx.
The Connected Farm app is part of Trimble's Connected Farm solution, an integrated operations management solution that provides information exchange across the entire farm. Connected Farm provides wireless data transfer between the office and field, vehicle-to-vehicle information sharing and vehicle tracking, and includes the Connected Farm app for scouting and mapping.
The new Remote Assistant function allows resellers and support technicians to remotely access the Trimble® FmX® integrated display using the Connected Farm Web portal and a DCM-300™ modem with data cellular service.
The support service allows users with access to remotely diagnose problems in real time from the office by viewing the FmX display screen without being physically present in the cab. Diagnosis related to GPS corrections, automated steering, application control, yield monitoring, or any other precision agriculture applications displayed on the FmX screen can be made using the service. Remote Assistant is expected to reduce customer downtime in the field while decreasing travel time for resellers, support technicians and farm managers who would normally drive to the location—resulting in time savings and greater efficiency.
"Our desire is to continuously improve customer and reseller satisfaction," said Ian Harley, business area director for Trimble's Agriculture Division. "By adding the Remote Assistant capability to the Connected Farm solution via the FmX display, we have created a more efficient process through which resellers can gauge customer issues. As a result, we anticipate increased satisfaction, improved productivity and greater efficiencies to keep farmers up and running."
Trimble's Remote Assistant is expected to be available in February 2013. Contact a local Trimble dealer at www.trimble.com/locator for more information.