Smart Technologies and Applications for Animals

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is profoundly transforming animal science and production. Smart technologies—encompassing the Internet of Things (IoT), computer vision, wearable sensors, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI)—are unlocking unprecedented capabilities for continuous, automated, and non-invasive animal monitoring. This data-driven paradigm shift responds to pressing global challenges: enhancing animal welfare, optimizing health and productivity, ensuring sustainable resource use, and improving food chain transparency. This Research Topic aims to consolidate the latest breakthroughs and define the future trajectory of intelligent systems across all animal sectors.

This Research Topic seeks to compile high-quality original research and review articles that showcase the development, integration, and validation of smart technologies for animal applications. We aim to bridge the gap between technological innovation and practical biological insights, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue among engineers, data scientists, ethologists, and industry practitioners. A key goal is to highlight solutions that translate data into actionable knowledge for improving animal welfare, health, management, and overall system sustainability. We encourage submissions that not only present technological advances but also critically assess their economic viability, ethical implications, and on-farm applicability. Ultimately, this collection will serve as a foundational reference for researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers navigating the digital transformation in animal science.

We welcome submissions addressing smart technologies in livestock, poultry, aquaculture, companion, and wild animals. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

- Novel sensors, computer vision, and acoustic analytics for behavior and health monitoring.

- AI and machine learning for predictive modeling (e.g., disease outbreak, estrus detection).

- Robotics and automation in housing, feeding, and milking.

- Data integration and decision support systems for precision management.

- Digital phenotyping for genetic selection and welfare assessment.

- Case studies and analyses on technology adoption, impact, and ethics.

Authors are requested to emphasize the biological relevance and practical significance of their work. All manuscripts will undergo rigorous peer-review to ensure scientific excellence and relevance to the theme.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Precision Livestock Farming, Animal Welfare Monitoring, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Phenotype, Sustainable Livestock Production

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.