As someone who has shoveled countless grain bins, this is such a safety innovation. Dad was asked to test this when it was in development.
To understand how a grain bin works, there is a hole in the floor in the center of the circular bin that goes to a tube under the floor. This tube under the floor has an auger to carry the grain out of the bin.
First, you let gravity do the work and the grain flows from the top to the center. But then a pit develops in the middle of the bin with grain high on the the walls.
To get this wall of grain from the walls to the center of the bin, you use a sweep auger: an auger that pivots around a knob in the center of the bin and is open on the length of one full side. Let me say that again: imagine an auger without the outer metal tube. There is a "safety bar on one side so you can shove it into the grain with your foot. (God help you if you happen to fall into the auger.)
Now, to propel the auger around the bin on the center knob, there is an electric wheel on the wall side of the auger.
Now, if the bin is empty, the completely open auger will go around and around with the wheel pivoting the auger on the center peg. It moves pretty fast because the wheel is designed to be stuck in grain most of the time and not get traction, so when it gets traction, it will let rip around the bin.
Now, imagine you're scooping grain into the open edge of the auger and you get to the end of the pile. The auger suddenly goes around and around the center peg and you'd better RUN FAST for the opening, or your legs will get cut off at the calves.
Yes. It is terrifying. I believe the only reason I made the track team as a sprinter in high school is due to the fact that I'd imagine an auger behind me at the starting blocks.
Now, there are actually safety stops so the auger will get to one part of the bin and stop (while still spinning the auger.)
This is to say nothing of the fact that usually when you're emptying the bin, it is in the summer and it is REALLY HOT and you're doing decently hard physical labor scooping grain.
And the dust that the auger sticks to your drenched-with-sweat body. (And wheat dust is itchy.)
Having this little robot will save lives just from heat stroke alone. Not to mention keeping people away from an open sided auger.
