“We are working to place farmers at the centre of the digital transformation of the sector with advanced technological tools”
TECNALIA is developing augmented reality, robotics and artificial intelligence solutions to revolutionise pruning tasks in vineyards and olive groves
Technology should help to optimise a farm’s profitability. The digitalisation of the sector enables a farm’s yields to be increased, as well as providing cost savings and optimising time. For this reason, TECNALIA is working on different initiatives that place farmers at the centre of the digital transformation of the sector. We are doing so by providing them with advanced technological tools to optimise time, costs and improve their working conditions.
Transforming pruning in agriculture with augmented reality and robotics
One of these initiatives seeks to revolutionise pruning tasks in vineyards and olive groves, two high-value crops, through the application of augmented reality (AR), robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).
The aim is to develop an artificial intelligence module that will learn from expert human knowledge to address the specific challenges of pruning in vineyards and olive groves. The following is also being developed:
- An adaptive training platform, which will adjust the content to each user’s level of knowledge.
- An augmented reality system that will provide real-time assistance during pruning.
Furthermore, the solution will be integrated with two different robotic systems:
- Exoskeletons, which will facilitate manual tasks in olive tree pruning by reducing physical fatigue.
- Autonomous robots, capable of carrying out pruning tasks in vineyards independently.
Social impact and sustainability in the agricultural sector
This technological initiative, known as AgRimate adopts a holistic approach that seeks to generate impact for both farmers and rural communities. To do so, a comprehensive evaluation tool will be developed, designed to measure the effectiveness of the solution in terms of productivity, social inclusion and well-being in the workplace.
This approach not only seeks to increase efficiency and sustainability in pruning, but also to improve the quality of life of farm workers. In this way, we are contributing towards the digital and social transformation of the sector.
TECNALIA is currently working on the olive grove pilot project in Jaén, acting as technology leader alongside the Unión de Pequeños Agricultores y Ganaderos (UPA). This pilot will enable the solution to be validated in a real environment, ensuring that the tools developed fulfil the needs of farmers.
