Bovine respiratory disease complex (brdc) poses a significant challenge to the cattle industry, leading to substantial economic losses exceeding $4 billion annually in the U.S. And is the leading…

Seismi Inc. received a $175,000 Project Grant award on August 15, 2025, under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) / Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program (CFDA 10.212), administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The grant supports Phase I development of the SEISMI health monitoring device, a battery-free biosensor designed to integrate into cattle ear tags for real-time monitoring of vital signs including heart and respiratory rates. The project will be completed by August 14, 2026, and performed at the awardee's facility in Johns Creek, Georgia.

During Phase I, Seismi Inc. will optimize the device's design for durability in demanding feedlot environments and develop software capable of accurately interpreting cattle vital signs with accuracy comparable to standard veterinary monitoring equipment. The company will subsequently create intelligent algorithms to distinguish between healthy animals and those exhibiting early signs of bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC), addressing a critical industry need. This innovation directly targets the approximately $4 billion in annual economic losses attributed to BRDC while simultaneously supporting broader public health objectives through reduced antibiotic overuse and earlier detection of zoonotic disease outbreaks such as H5N1 avian influenza.

Bovine respiratory disease complex (brdc) poses a significant challenge to the cattle industry, leading to substantial economic losses exceeding $4 billion annually in the U.S. And is the leading causeof deaths and illnesses in feedlot cattle. Beyond the direct impact on animal welfare and farmers' livelihoods, the disease contributes to a broader public health issue: the overuse of antibiotics and the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a global crisis projected to cause millions of deaths and trillions in economic damage if left unchecked. Additionally, recent outbreaks of zoonotic diseases like H5N1 avian influenza in livestock highlight the urgent need for better, earlier disease detection systems to protect both animal and human health, and ensure food security. Current detection methods, mainly relying on visual inspection, are frequently too late for effective treatment. Existing wearable technologies aretoo expensive andlack the capability to monitor crucial vital signs like heart and respiratory rates. Our project addresses this critical need by developing the seismi health monitoring device, a small, energy-efficient biosensor designed to be seamlessly integrated into existing cattle ear tags. Unlike existing solutions, the seismi device is planned to be battery-free in its final version, powered wirelessly as cattle approach feeding or watering areas, ensuring continuous, real-time vital sign monitoring without disrupting daily farm operations. In the sttr phase i, we will focus on optimizing the device's design for durability and continuous operation in challenging feedlot environments, and crucially, training the softwareto accurately interpret cattle heart and respiratory rates with an accuracy similar to standard veterinary medical monitoring equipment. We will then use this data to develop intelligent algorithms capable of distinguishing between healthy animals and those showing early signs of respiratory disease, aiming for high accuracy in detection. The ultimate goal of this project is to provide a cost-effective and reliable tool for early disease detection, significantly improving animal welfare, reducing economic losses for producers, and decreasing the reliance on antibiotics, therebystrengthening overall agricultural biosecurity. This technology also lays the groundwork for future applications in detecting other widespread diseases, tracking livestock from birth to slaughter, offering a comprehensive solution for livestock health management and populationg tracking.