Content-type: text/html Downes.ca ~ Stephen's Web ~ MITx MOOC helps a farmer develop an autonomous tractor app

Stephen Downes

Knowledge, Learning, Community

OK, before we get all excited about the fact that it was an MIT MOOC, let's take note that it was a Canadian who programmed his tractor to pilot itself. The MIT course was about drones! "Reimer used what he learned online to develop a remote control application that worked flawlessly in the fields. In fact, during the recent harvest, the driverless tractor unloaded grain from the combine over 500 times, saving the farm an estimated $5,000 or more this season. Plus, the worker responsible for driving the tractor in a straight line for hours on end was able to focus on other, more productive tasks on the farm." Yeah - but that said, witness the power of open online learning. The farmer probably doesn't take a course on programming drones unless it is free. And the money saved by the farmer doesn't get written up in the business case, but it's still a benefit.

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Stephen Downes Stephen Downes, Casselman, Canada
stephen@downes.ca

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Last Updated: Apr 19, 2024 6:49 p.m.

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