Researchers around the world, including those in Canada, have been racing to create technology that can reduce the workers required on fruit and vegetable farms and in processing plants. But the pace has been slow and the big labour savings so far have been limited. Why it matters: Finding ways to get the job done […] Read more
Tag Archives robotics — page 5
Why farming systems lag in adoption of automation
Technology plus systems plus support infrastructure are needed before automation can take root on Canadian farms
Sollio outlines pandemic recovery plan for food sector
Support sought for automation, digitization, telecommunications
Ottawa — One of Canada’s largest agri-food companies has laid out a five-point industry recovery plan for federal politicians to consider. During a meeting Tuesday of the Commons standing committee on finance, the president of Quebec-based Sollio Co-operative Group shared plans to limit consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the agrifood supply chain. Sollio employs […] Read more
Digital supercluster backs precision fungicide development
Project aims at wheat leaf rust, reducing pesticide load
A West Coast ag tech company in the crop pest control business is setting its sights on wheat leaf rust, with support from one of Canada’s five research superclusters — but not the cluster you might expect. Out of the five federally-supported superclusters launched in early 2018, Protein Industries Canada has been most closely linked […] Read more
Reproduction testing added to robotic milking
The option is available on the VMS V310 from DeLaval
DeLaval has created a simpler version of its on-farm milk-testing system, integrating pregnancy and heat monitoring in its new V310 robotic milking system. The DeLaval VMS V310 alerts farmers when cows are coming into heat and when cows are testing as pregnant due to their progesterone levels. An algorithm determines when a cow needs to […] Read more
Robot automates hard-to-fill jobs in agriculture and turf
The RomeIO robot is being tested in many uses in agriculture where labour is scarce
A local start-up has developed a compact, rugged autonomous robot that can automate a wide range of agricultural tasks, like soil sensing, applying inputs, and harvest yield prediction for grapes. Korechi Innovations’ RoamIO features an expandable platform that is compatible with different functional attachments — similar to the DOT technology from western Canada —has a […] Read more
Plant-disease-detecting robot created at University of Guelph
Finding disease symptoms before humans can see them could put an early stop to spread
A smart robot with disease detection, plant monitoring and labour-saving capabilities is in the works for Ontario’s greenhouse vegetable sector. The Guelph Intelligent Greenhouse Automation System (GIGAS) is an integrated robotics system under development by the University of Guelph to automate some of the most labour intensive greenhouse tasks. Why it matters: As labour becomes […] Read more
What’s piloting interest in sprayer drones?
Users say flexibility, lower costs are key factors in growing interest despite technological and regulatory limitations
Drones are now being used for spray applications in countries around the world. And while not commercially commonplace in Canada yet, companies and ag-service providers continue investing time and resources in the technology. Despite ongoing technical issues and unanswered practical questions, some think sprayer drones can bring a variety of agronomic, health, and human resource […] Read more
What’s new in the world of drone technology?
Machine learning making its way into the drone world
The shock and awe of drones may be less than it was a decade ago, but the agricultural potential of the technology continues to develop. Artificial Intelligence (AI), and a better understanding of scalability give drones and drone operators the ability to gather and usefully interpret field information down to the millimetre level. Why it […] Read more
UK autonomous farming project expands
The Hands-Free Hectare project will be working 35 hectares this year
Extra funding has been made available to a unique autonomous crop farming project in the United Kingdom, allowing it to expand. Initially launched in 2016 by Harper Adams University and Precision Decisions, the Hands Free Hectare project was designed to demonstrate that one hectare of grain could be grown to harvest without humans setting foot […] Read more
New drone flying regulations announced
Greater popularity of drone use has prompted changes to previous rules for flying them
Transport Canada recently released new rules governing the use of drones, which are expected to take effect June 1. These new regulations apply to Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) or “drones” that weigh 25 grams up to 25 kilograms and are flown within the pilot’s visual-line-of-sight. Why it matters: Drones are playing a significant role […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
