RobôFrango: Proof of concept of a mobile biosensor robot for environmental monitoring in broiler houses

• RobôFrango is a mobile biosensor agent designed to collect microclimate data at the height of poultry. • The robot enables environmental perception aligned with the birds’ actual living conditions, differing from fixed industrial sensors placed at 2 m. • Environmental variables were collected across three partitions in a commercial poultry house using custom-made sensors. • Statistical analyses showed significant differences between microclimates at poultry height and those captured by standard industrial sensors. • The study validates the robot's potential as a biosensor agent to support more precise environmental monitoring in poultry farming. The use of mobile sensors represents an innovative strategy for monitoring environmental variables in broiler houses, enabling the identification of conditions that directly affect animal welfare. This study developed and validated the proof of concept of RobôFrango, a mobile biosensor robot designed to navigate commercial poultry houses while collecting environmental data in real time. Three customized fixed sensor units, positioned at 30 cm and 2 m above the litter, were used for comparison with the measurements obtained by the mobile robot. RobôFrango achieved 77.5% accuracy in semi-autonomous navigation and revealed marked discrepancies between fixed and mobile measurements: relative humidity at bird level exceeded 65% in the robot (vs. <60% in fixed sensors), CO₂ concentrations were substantially higher near the animals, and litter moisture in partition 1 reached 41.8% (vs. ≤35% recommended). Spatial analysis also indicated a progressive increase in litter moisture spatial dependence from the front to the rear of the house, with greater heterogeneity in the initial partition and more uniform, though clustered, conditions in the distal areas. These findings demonstrate that ceiling-mounted sensors may underestimate the environmental stress experienced by broilers and that litter moisture is not evenly distributed throughout the facility. As a proof of concept, RobôFrango confirmed both its technical feasibility and its potential as a precision tool for environmental monitoring, with immediate practical implications for integration into climate control and management systems, enabling dynamic adjustments that enhance animal welfare and production efficiency.