Rodent Monitoring System: An Iot Platform That Automates Rodent Monitoring To Drive Digital Transformation And Enhance Food Safety

A rodent infestation in a food manufacturing, distribution or retail facility threatens both the integrity and safety of the food supply. The consequences of a rodent infestation in food manufacturing facilities can include failing audits, regulatory fines, product recalls and - in extreme cases - plant closures, all of which have outsized impacts on brand reputation for a food manufacturer. Rodent Monitoring System (RMS) is an Internet of Things (IoT) platform that automates rodent monitoring services, providing continuous monitoring and real-time alerts that is transforming an industry and enhancing food safety and biosecurity. Embracing Open Innovation with technology partners, Bayer is building a network of connected sensors that can be
retrofitted to most common rodent monitoring devices (e.g., multicatch traps, bait stations, snap traps, glue boards). Communicated over an encrypted wireless network in the facility, once transmitted through the cloud, data on rodent activity is visualized in a web-based platform and a smart phone App making insights accessible to all stakeholders, including impactful digital tools (e.g., heat maps, visualizations) and advanced analytics. Here we review the origin, design and operation of this novel system, and discuss how it addresses multiple customer pain points in bringing ‘the rat catcher’ into the 21st Century.