With the expected population of the UK to be 73.7 million by 2036 and increased pressure to reach net zero by 2050, how does the Agriculture industry fair when challenged with growing populations, climate change, sustainability goals and resource inefficiencies? 

What does the future hold for Agritech?

In this episode, we discuss how Dyson - the company best known for their vacuum cleaners - has created an automated and sustainable farm to harvest the best possible strawberries with the least amount of environmental impact.

Podcast: Dyson's Automated, Self-sustaining Strawberry Farm

DFKI will be presenting its strawberry-picking robot to the public for the first time in&nbsp;Hall 23a. A row of strawberry plants has been specially planted for the smart robot at the joint stand of the Kuratorium für Technik und Bauwesen in der Landwirtschaft e.V. (Board of Trustees for Technology and Construction in Agriculture). It is designed to be small, flexible and inexpensive, and to harvest fruit independently. The system is being developed as part of the RoLand (Robotic Systems in Agriculture) project, coordinated by the Robotics Innovation Centre (RIC) at DFKI Bremen.&nbsp; &nbsp; The concrete application scenario is strawberry harvesting in the open field, which poses an increasing challenge for fruit growers. Agricultural businesses, such as the Glantz strawberry farm associated with the project, are complaining about a decline in seasonal labour on the one hand and rising wages on the other, says DFKI project manager Dipl.-Ing. Heiner Peters: "This is where our robot comes in. It is designed to support and relieve the labourers during the harvest. If necessary, it can work in parallel or even be used at night." The system enables cost-effective automation in agriculture. The use of several robots is conceivable on larger fields.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1705298738122-1705298738122.png" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The animations show how the strawberry picking robot should work in the end. Two arms pick a strawberry every three seconds. Animation: DFKI, Meltem Fischer<h3>AI recognises ripe fruit</h3>The technical components of the strawberry picking robot are a mobile platform, a fruit recognition system and a harvesting gripper. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), the robot recognises which fruits are ripe enough to be picked. This AI method can potentially also be transferred to other types of fruit.The system will initially be on display at the Grüne Woche with just one gripper arm, with grippers on both sides planned for the long term. One of the challenges for the researchers is to enable the gripper arms to cleanly separate ripe strawberries from the stem without crushing them. These problems are currently being addressed in the project. Peters: "Our aim is to pick a strawberry with each gripper in six seconds by the end of the project, meaning one every three seconds in total. That is roughly equivalent to the picking performance of a human."RoLand is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture with a total of 1.7 million euros over a period of three years (1.10.21 - 30.9.24). The Robotics Innovation Centre at DFKI is coordinating the project. The project partners are the Research and Transfer Centre (FTZ) of the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW), Othmerding Maschinenbau GmbH &amp; Co. KG and Glantz Erdbeerhof (associated).<hr>Further information:<a href="https://robotik.dfki-bremen.de/en/research/projects/roland" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">https://robotik.dfki-bremen.de/en/research/projects/roland</a>Venue: Hall 23a, special exhibition hall of the BMEL - Robots in AgricultureBooth: Kuratorium für Technik und Bauwesen in der Landwirtschaft e.V. (KTBL)

The strawberry-picking robot that DFKI is currently developing and is now presenting to the public for the first time is designed to be small, flexible and inexpensive. 

The German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence will be presenting new technologies for agriculture in three exhibit halls at the International Grüne Woche, which will take place in Berlin from 19 to 28 January 2024.

DFKI presents strawberry picking robot and AI ecosystem

The work in the greenhouse at Beerstecher AG in Hinwil is demanding. With humidity levels of 80 percent and temperatures of up to 35 degrees Celsius, those working in it very soon find themselves exhausted. The family business in Hinwil is consequently faced with a challenge when finding and retaining suitable labour for its vegetable harvests.<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M_W38gdWgiI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe>Video: ETH Zurich / Nicole DavidsonThe picking robot from ETH spin-off Floating Robotics addresses these challenges. It automates crucial tasks such as defoliating, harvesting and boxing vegetables. “The robot primarily takes over strenuous and repetitive activities, allowing our employees to focus on more demanding tasks that require a creative and critical mindset," explains Bianca Curcio, who is responsible for production management in the Beerstecher greenhouse and is an ETH Zurich alumna.Although the robot is still in the pilot phase, Curcio anticipates it will play a permanent role in Beerstecher AG’s production process.The robot was developed by engineers and students from the Robotic Systems Lab (RSL) at ETH Zurich. Under the leadership of Salman Faraji, they established the spin-off Floating Robotics in 2023 with the aim of bringing the technology behind the picking robot to the market.Equipped with an integrated camera, the robot monitors the crops, and with the assistance of its built-in computer can recognise different plants and objects. Its robotic arm is activated to perform specific tasks, such as de-leafing or harvesting.

Working in a greenhouse is both strenuous and time-​consuming. The picking robot from ETH spin-​off Floating Robotics takes on particularly repetitive tasks, thereby alleviating the strain on human pickers. It is currently undergoing testing at Beerstecher AG in Hinwil.

A picking robot for the greenhouse

In this episode, we talk about how researchers from the Technical University of Denmark are tackling the issue of monoculture farming by utilizing robotics and next-gen image analysis.

Podcast: Robot Farmers Bring Back Biodiversity

<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/the-rock-engineering-challenge" target="_blank">The ROCK Engineering Challenge</a> invited engineers, entrepreneurs, inventors, and developers to submit an idea for a part, product, or system that took advantage of the <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/specs/radxa-x-okdo-rock-4c" target="_blank">ROCK single-board computers</a>. The challenge received a significant number of submissions from across the globe, impressing the judging panel with cutting-edge applications of single-board computers. In a new series, we are speaking with entrants from the challenge to learn more about their innovative ideas. In our latest interview, we spoke to Urban Kenda who has been working on a robotic farming project with fellow students from the University of Maribor in Slovenia.Wevolver writer, Lori Baldwin, spoke with Urban about the collaborative nature of the project and how SBCs are enabling near, real-time&nbsp;detection and localization.Lori Baldwin:&nbsp;Can you start by telling us about yourself and the project you're working on?Urban Kenda:&nbsp;My name is Urban, and I come from Maribor, Slovenia, where I attended the University of Maribor. I've been part of a farm-based project, a team working on a robot for the past four years. I've been leading the team, but I'm gradually transitioning to a new project as I've now completed my Masters.&nbsp;The farm-based robot project involves students from various courses, including engineering, programming, and agriculture. This diverse team allows us to address problems more effectively. The project began in 2008 when the current professor, who is now our mentor, was a student working on it. Over the years, the robot has undergone several updates, with each iteration introducing new features and improvements. The robot has two main objectives: to compete in field robot events and to make farming more efficient by automating manual tasks. This year, our focus was on automating raspberry picking due to the challenges involved in harvesting raspberries without damaging them.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzAxOTc5Mzk4NTMwLXJvYm90IDIgc21hbGwuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The robot project.Lori Baldwin:&nbsp;What was your role in the project?Urban Kenda: My primary role was focused on the detection and localization of raspberries. I also served as the team captain.Lori Baldwin:&nbsp;So, you applied for the OKdo competition with your robot; how have you incorporated SBCs?&nbsp;Urban Kenda: We've integrated SBCs into the robot, especially for raspberry detection and localization. To detect raspberries, we use an algorithm that employs neural networks, requiring substantial computational power. Additionally, we need to transform 2D camera images into 3D point clouds, which also demands computing power. However, since we aim to keep everything on our robot, we needed small, robust, and powerful SBCs, which served our needs well.Lori Baldwin:&nbsp;What are some of the benefits you see in the ROCK series of SBCs?Urban Kenda: The team is in need of a powerful computing device, such as the <a href="https://www.okdo.com/c/rock-shop/rock-sbc/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_campaign=rock&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_content=rock_challenge_robotics_agriculture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ROCK 5B 16GB,</a> to support their current work and future research. This device will be utilized to process data from various sensors and calculate the best path for the autonomous field robot. Furthermore, the team plans to use it for their upcoming research on using a YOLO neural network to detect raspberries and a robotic arm with an original origami gripper design to pick them. In summary, the ROCK 5B 16GB will greatly enhance the team's ability to perform their current and future research. &nbsp;<iframe id="639e88944155b50008d4cdf8" width="250" class="specs-iframe" height="440" src="https://wevolver.com/iframe/specs/okdo-x-radxa-rock-5-model-b?iframe=true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true">&nbsp;</iframe>The main advantage of using SBCs was that they made the entire system faster. While it's not real-time detection, it's sufficiently fast for our robot, which moves at a slow pace. In comparison, using traditional PCs for detection led to much slower processing, with one detection occurring every five seconds. So speed and efficiency were the primary advantages.Lori Baldwin: How long did it take to have a working system?Urban Kenda: The development process had its ups and downs. We received the <a href="https://www.okdo.com/c/rock-shop/rock-sbc/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_campaign=rock&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_content=rock_challenge_robotics_agriculture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ROCK SBC </a>in March or April, and by June, we had tested the system and considered it functional. However, there was ongoing fine-tuning, optimization, and addressing minor issues, which is typical in such projects. So, the most time-consuming part was the continuous refinement and improvement of the system.Lori Baldwin: And have you succeeded in developing a raspberry-picking robot?Urban Kenda:&nbsp;To be honest, we haven't fully succeeded in developing a robot that can pick raspberries. We've made progress in different sections, and each part has been successful in its own right. However, integrating all these components into a functional robot has proven to be a more significant challenge, taking an additional year or two. It's more of a proof of concept at this stage.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzAxOTc5NDQ4NTg5LXJvYm90IDEgc21hbGwuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The team is made up of engineering, programming, and agriculture students. Lori Baldwin:&nbsp;Let's talk about the primary challenge the robot was built to address. Can you tell us more about it?Urban Kenda: Certainly. Our robot was designed for the Field Robot Event competition, where it faces several tasks. The first two tasks involve row navigation in a field of corn, requiring the robot to navigate the rows and handle obstacles. The third and fourth tasks involve camera-based detection, where our SBCs were crucial. This year, we had to detect objects like humans and deer and take appropriate actions. The fifth task, known as "freestyle," allows teams to work on farm-related ideas. This year, our focus was on raspberry picking, though we couldn't compete due to incomplete development.Lori Baldwin:&nbsp;I hope you can compete in the future. Can you also tell us about the challenge related to raspberry picking?Urban Kenda:&nbsp;Yes, of course. Raspberry picking involves several stages, and we divided it into three main parts. First is raspberry detection and localization, which was my area of focus. We used two types of sensors, an RGB camera and a LiDAR sensor to detect raspberries in 3D space. The LiDAR provided precise point cloud data. For robot arm control, we initially used a 3D printed arm but later switched to an industrial arm. We faced challenges in planning the arm's approach to raspberries. Finally, we developed a soft gripper inspired by Japanese origami, which allows for delicate and damage-free picking. This approach showed promise and offered an innovative solution to raspberry harvesting.Lori Baldwin: Outside of the competition, how can this technology benefit the agricultural sector?Urban Kenda: Beyond the competition, our robot has the potential to automate and reduce the manual labor required in farming. It offers the advantage of working continuously and can handle tasks that are physically demanding for human farmers. However, we've encountered resistance from traditional farmers who prefer established methods. Younger farmers tend to understand the benefits of automation and are more open to these technologies.Lori Baldwin: Have you received any feedback from farmers regarding the raspberry picking robot?Urban Kenda: While testing, we received feedback from farmers, and while they acknowledged the potential of our technology, they expressed concern about the pace of development. Farmers are understandably eager for end products and often reluctant to wait for technology to mature. However, the agriculture sector is gradually evolving, and younger farmers tend to be more receptive to adopting such technologies.Lori Baldwin: What initially sparked your interest in agricultural robotics?Urban Kenda:&nbsp;I became interested in agricultural robotics because I noticed that many industries, like automotive and manufacturing, had advanced significantly with the use of robotics. However, the field of agriculture seemed to lag behind. I saw an opportunity to bring technological innovation to this sector, and I find it both fun and challenging to work in this domain. It's a dynamic field with unique problems to solve.Lori Baldwin:&nbsp;How do you see SBCs playing a role in the future of agricultural robotics, and how can they be integrated further?Urban Kenda:&nbsp;I believe that in the future, agricultural robotics will benefit from a more decentralized approach, with smaller and more diversified single-board computers (SBCs) handling specific tasks. Instead of relying on a central computer, having SBCs with their own functions can lead to a more efficient and adaptable system. Each component of a farm can have its own SBC, such as a sprayer, a tractor, or a robot, making the entire system smarter and more agile.<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/precision-agriculture-with-single-board-comoputers" target="_blank">Read more about how SBC’s are enabling precision agriculture here.</a>

In response to the OKDo Engineering Challenge provocation, a team from the University of Maribor submitted a proposal to use the ROCK 5B in their raspberry detection and localization robot. 


OKdo ROCK Challenge: Interview with Urban Kenda. Precision robotic farming

This article was discussed in our <a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/c8f44e2e-59a9-4392-8f63-049c5c1029d1?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> The full article will continue below.<hr><section id="isPasted">When Lazaros Nalpantidis sees a field, he imagines a future where a fleet of small robots chugs along, tending and caring for the crops on their own. Each machine has its own task—they sow, remove weeds, check for pests, water, spray pesticides and harvest. And the fields look different. There are no endless rows of wheat, barley, and corn, but instead many different crops—and the surroundings are buzzing with life.<h2>Shaped after machines</h2>If we want to improve biodiversity, we must change our agriculture. In Denmark, agriculture takes up over 60% of our land and the vast majority of the fields are monoculture, where a single crop dominates large areas. This creates bad conditions for biodiversity. But what if robots could change that?"We have shaped the environment to our agricultural machines. But with robotic technology, we can shape the machines to the environment," says Lazaros Nalpantidis.He is a professor at DTU Electro and is heading the project SAVA (Safe Autonomous Vehicles for Agriculture), which will develop safe agricultural robots that can work autonomously in much smaller areas than large agricultural machines. That can create fertile ground for a paradigm shift in agriculture and bring an end to monoculture while still maintaining efficiency and yield.<h2>Monoculture is bad news for biodiversity</h2>Before industrialization, it was common for farmers to grow several different crops on the same field. But as machines took over manual labour, it became more widespread to grow the same crop on large areas, as it made it easier to plough, fertilize and harvest using large machines."Back in the day, it was necessary to have a versatile farm with crop diversity to meet local needs, but after World War II the specialization of agriculture began to take hold. That made economies of scale and monoculture possible," says Ane Kirstine Aare. &nbsp;She’s assistant professor at the Department of People and Technology at RUC and has done research on transition towards more sustainable agriculture practices such as co-cultivation, where multiple crops are grown on the same field.Agriculture became more efficient, but monoculture is bad news for biodiversity. In nature, there are many different plants that bloom at different times of the year and a diverse cover of trees, shrubs, grass and herbs that create habitats for a number of animal species and all that disappears when the fields are uniform.At the same time, it also increases the risk that the entire field will be affected by pests and diseases and thus the need for using pesticides also increases, which is hurting biodiversity."The problem is that we’ve developed a food system that has been shaped to fit monocultural practices. Most involved parties in the food system have adapted to this practice, so it’s difficult to change course," says Ane Kirstine Aare.The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN has concluded in a report that monoculture in agriculture leads to less plant diversity and thus fewer ecosystem services. There are fewer pollinators like bees, pests have fewer natural enemies, there are fewer microorganisms in the soil and fewer wild species of crops. The FAO points out that one of the solutions is technology that can have a positive effect on biodiversity - and this is where robots come into play.<h2>All sensors on the table</h2>Robotic technology is slowly making its way into agriculture – there are already robots that can remove weeds (including the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/news/all-news/nyhed?id=783c65fd-3cc1-448f-afbf-37a06860b2b0" target="_blank">Galirumi robot</a> where DTU was involved), spray with pesticide, and harvest certain crops. The development is making rapid headway, but there are still very few agricultural robots on the market. According to Statistics Denmark, only 1% of Danish farms use self-driving machines or robotic technology, and the technology has not yet matured enough for the robots to run fully autonomously, so it’s mandatory that a person supervises them."If the farmer has to stay with the robot, you’re not gaining much from it," says Lazaros Nalpantidis.The problem is that the robots are still not capable of handling unforeseen obstacles such as people, animals, and rocks, but the SAVA project aims to solve that. Lazaros Nalpantidis and his colleagues will test a range of new sensor technologies that will increase safety so that the robots can be fully unleashed in the fields."We have to put all the toys on the table and see if it opens up some new possibilities," says Lazaros Nalpantidis.</section><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNzAxODk3NjE3MjY0LUxhbmRicnVnc3JvYm90dGVyLUFHQ08uanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The SAVA project will test safety systems in different areas such as grass fields, parks, fruit orchards, and vineyards. This will happen in collaboration with various companies creating agricultural machines. Photo: AGCO<h2 id="isPasted">More biological cameras</h2>Today, robots and self-driving machines mainly use cameras and Lidar, a laser technology that can measure distances, but the SAVA project will also test infrared cameras and thermal cameras that can better detect animals and people in the surroundings.In addition, the project will test so-called neuromorphic cameras (also known as event-based cameras), which function more like our eyes and only register when something changes in the image, rather than constantly registering everything in the image. Whereas the best DSLR cameras can capture around 120 frames per second, a neuromorphic camera can take up to 1,000,000 frames per second. Lazaros Nalpantidis hopes that this kind of technology can help the robots react significantly faster to unforeseen obstacles and come to a stop if, for instance, an animal or a person suddenly runs in front of them (in Denmark, approx. 20,000 deer fawns are killed by agricultural machines every year, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.jaegerforbundet.dk/om-dj/dj-medier/nyhedsarkiv/2017/op-til-20-000-radyrlam-draebes-hvert-ar-i-danmark/" target="_blank">according to Denmark's Hunters' Association</a>).<h2>Agricultural paradigm shift</h2>Robots can fundamentally change the appearance of our fields. As agricultural robots tend to be significantly smaller than traditional agricultural machines, they can be adapted to a smaller area without sacrificing efficiency.This means that you can plant narrow strips of several different crops next to each other, as the robots can sow, water, spray, and harvest in a narrow area.Studies show that if you grow several different crops in an area, it’s better for biodiversity, as it provides habitats for more species, while there is less need for fertilizing and spraying with pesticides. If a crop is affected by pests or disease, it is limited to a single strip rather than an entire field.In the long term, the robots can help change the entire landscape. In many places, the fields are moulded to the needs of large agricultural machines – streams are straightened out, low-lying areas drained, and hills leveled – but small robots will be able to follow nature’s shapes to a greater extent. Thus, more habitats for animals and plants can be preserved.<h2>Robots within ten years</h2>To get to that vision, the robots must first prove that they can operate safely and autonomously and not be of danger to their surroundings."Unfortunately, the robotic technology is not quite mature enough yet," says Lazaros Nalpantidis.He acknowledges that robots are only a small part of the solution to the biodiversity crisis – and there will still be a need for large agricultural machines – but he hopes that robots can help make changes in parts of the world where industrial agriculture has not yet gained traction.Ane Kirstine Aare also sees potential in robots."Some experience limitations with current agricultural machines when they wish to practice co-cultivation, so it’s really exciting to see what the robots can contribute. If robots are developed thoughtfully they may pave the way for a different kind of agriculture with more flexibility and local adaptation," she says.To Lazaros Nalpantidis, his vision of robots chugging around in the fields might become reality within ten years."I am quite optimistic because there is momentum in this area and it is clear that we cannot continue with the current agricultural production. It’s just not sustainable," says Lazaros Nalpantidis."But in ten years’ time, we’ll have far more futuristic machines in agriculture."

Small, autonomous robots will make it possible to grow several different crops on the same field and that can help improve biodiversity. Illustration: Mark Airs.

In Denmark, agriculture makes up almost 2/3 of our land and oftentimes one crop is grown in huge areas. That's hurting the biodiversity, but agricultural robots can help do away with monoculture, and a new DTU project will pave the way for that future.

Agricultural robots can help improve biodiversity

Precision agriculture uses technology and automation to optimize crop production, reduce waste, and promote sustainability. It enables farms to make informed decisions based on real-time data and historical trends, maximizing crop quality while minimizing resource usage and environmental impact. As technological advances, the precision agriculture scope expands. The integration of SBCs enables the management of various sensors and devices critical to precision farming, but also makes it possible to handle data processing for smart agriculture and farming automation.This article explores how SBCs can be used to improve precision agriculture applications, integrating automation and autonomous operational processes.<h2 dir="ltr">Benefits and Challenges of SBCs in Precision Agriculture</h2>Due to their flexibility and processing capabilities, SBCs can provide several aspects of precision agriculture applications:<ul><li dir="ltr">Increased Efficiency: SBCs optimize environmental conditions, enabling the integration of IoT applications and AI for efficient farming.</li><li dir="ltr">Control and Automation: SBCs can manage various aspects of indoor farming systems, from climate control to nutrient management.</li><li dir="ltr">Cost-effectiveness: SBCs are cost-effective, with compact sizes and low power consumption making them increasingly popular for battery-based applications.</li></ul>However, depending on the the location and application, concerns may rise related to communication and data security:<ul><li dir="ltr">Real-time Challenges: Real-time farming relies on reliable networks and low latency, which can be challenging to achieve in remote rural areas [3].</li><li dir="ltr">Security Concerns: Protecting agricultural data and automated systems from cyber threats is a growing concern, especially as the industry becomes more connected.</li></ul><h2 dir="ltr">SBCs in Action</h2><h3 dir="ltr">Data collection</h3>Data play a central role in decision-making in precision agriculture. Sensors are placed strategically in fields and on equipment to monitor parameters such as temperature, humidity, soil moisture, and nutrient levels. The table below lists sensors that can be used in precision agriculture applications.<div dir="ltr" align="left" id="isPasted"><table><tbody><tr><td><h2>Purpose</h2></td><td><h2>Application</h2></td><td><h2>Sensors examples</h2></td><td><h2>Sensor type</h2></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Management of Crop</td><td>Growth</td><td>Parrot Sequoia</td><td>Multispectral</td></tr><tr><td>Pest detection</td><td>FLIR Blackfly23S6C</td><td>Cameras</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Substrate monitoring</td><td rowspan="2">Moisture and temperature of soil&nbsp;</td><td>DS18B20</td><td>Digital temperature&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>VH400</td><td>Soil moisture&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>Chemical elements such as nitrate, nitrogen</td><td>SEN0244</td><td>Total dissolved solids (TDS)&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="13">Environment monitoring</td><td rowspan="2">Humidity and temperature of air</td><td>DHT11</td><td>Temperature and humidity</td></tr><tr><td>DHT22</td><td>Temperature and humidity</td></tr><tr><td>Solar radiation</td><td>SQ-110</td><td>Solar radiation</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">CO2&nbsp;concentration</td><td>MG-811</td><td>CO2&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>MQ135</td><td>Measures the level of NH3, NOx, alcohol, Benzene, smoke, and CO2 in air.</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">Rain</td><td>YF-S402</td><td>Water flow</td></tr><tr><td>YL-83</td><td>Water detector</td></tr><tr><td>SE-WS700D</td><td>Weeding control</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Wind speed and direction</td><td>WS-3000</td><td>Ambient weather</td></tr><tr><td>SEN08942</td><td>Wind speed, wind direction, and rainfall</td></tr><tr><td>Atmospheric pressure</td><td>MPL3115A2</td><td>Piezoresistive absolute pressure</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">Luminosity</td><td>BH1750</td><td>&nbsp;Digital Light sensor</td></tr><tr><td>TSL2561</td><td>Digital Luminosity, Lux, Light</td></tr></tbody></table></div>Table 1: Sensors and their application in farming.However, acquiring the data is only part of the process. SBCs act as the central control unit for these sensors, enabling real-time data collection and analysis. Thus, there is the possibility of processing the data locally or performing the transmission to a cloud-based platform. As new SBCs provide more processing power and are ready to execute machine learning, farmers rely less on high-speed data transmission to analyze data in real-time by cloud solutions. As a result, farmers can quickly respond to changing crop conditions, making precise adjustments to farming processes, such as irrigation.<h3 dir="ltr">Agricultural systems automation</h3>SBCs can also play a crucial role in automating processes in precision agriculture. By enabling autonomous vehicles and robots, SBCs allow farmers to equip them with sensors and cameras that collect data on crop growth and environmental conditions. For instance, autonomous tractors can be used to plant and harvest crops. At the same time, drones can monitor crop health, detect pests and diseases, and even spray pesticides on the affected areas. In addition, SBCs can also automate irrigation systems, fertilizer application, and other aspects of crop management, reducing the manual labor need and improving efficiency [3,4,5].These automation applications are economically viable for medium and large farms, and even small farms can benefit from automation. Thanks to the computing power of SBCs, a single SBC can execute several tasks, making it possible for small farmers to take advantage of automation benefits. Automating fertilizer and irrigation management reduces costs and errors, resulting in timely actions and minimal crop losses, for example.<h3 dir="ltr">Agricultural data analysis</h3>SBCs run on operating systems like Linux, providing access to a vast library of advanced open-source software. They can handle substantial volumes of data from multiple sensors in real time, supporting precision agriculture decision process. The data can be analyzed locally using big data analytics and machine learning algorithms, running the software analysis using the SBC's processing power. For example, machine learning algorithms can be used to analyze soil data and recommend the optimal amount of fertilizer to apply to each crop, or to predict the likelihood of a pest outbreak based on weather patterns and other environmental factors. As a result, advanced data analysis applications can run locally, providing farmers with insights.<h2 dir="ltr">Use case: SBCs for Irrigation</h2>Water is a crucial component of agriculture and is normally the first aspect approached by agriculture precision. In this section, you will find a case study using SBCs in an irrigation system.<h3 dir="ltr">Setting up IoT sensors</h3>First, it is necessary to set up the sensors and to cover broad crop field areas, it is required to use IoT devices with wireless transmission. One option is to use sensors like the DHT11 for temperature and humidity and FC-28 for soil moisture. They can be connected to ESP8266 boards to transfer the acquired data, which use Wi-Fi and MQTT to transfer the data.<h3 dir="ltr">Using SBCs for data management and automation</h3>Besides acquiring the data, it is necessary to have a server to receive and process it. SBC models like the ROCK 4 SE serve as data hubs. These SBC models are robust and versatile, featuring a high-performance Hexa-core Rockchip RK3399-T processor and 4GB 64bit LPDDR4 RAM. Furthermore, it is equipped with a Dual Arm Cortex-A72 CPU, Quad-core Cortex A53, and Arm Mali T860MP4 GPU. In addition, you can also create user-friendly interfaces for real-time monitoring using tools like <a href="https://nodered.org/" target="_blank">NodeRed</a> and <a href="https://www.influxdata.com/" target="_blank">InfluxDB</a>.The system can go beyond data collection and monitoring. The ROCK 4 SE's processing capabilities can automate irrigation based on the received data. For instance, if some regions of the field show soil moisture levels below a specified threshold, the system can trigger the irrigation pumps only for those zones if this possibility exists. As a result, energy and water usage would be optimized.<h3 dir="ltr">Future enhancements</h3>To further increase the project capabilities, you could integrate it into the cloud and add machine learning algorithms. The cloud integration would facilitate the system management access from anywhere. While the machine learning algorithms could improve the water and energy used based on the historical data.&nbsp;<iframe id="639e88944155b50008d4cdf8" width="250" class="specs-iframe" height="440" src="https://wevolver.com/iframe/specs/okdo-x-radxa-rock-5-model-b?iframe=true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe><h2 dir="ltr">Future Outlook in SBC-Powered Precision Agriculture</h2>The future of precision agriculture supported by SBCs is promising, with many innovations on the horizon. As SBCs increase the capability of handling artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, more advanced and complex data analysis can be made, providing farmers with increasingly precise insights into crop management. Regarding robotics and automation, new machines are expected to replace work in repetitive farming tasks, and drones equipped with SBCs are expected to provide more accurate crop monitoring, improving pest detection and disease prevention.&nbsp;Besides the conventional crop farms, SBCs can increase process automation and optimization of vertical farming, helpint it to gain more traction, controlling indoor luminosity, for example. Moreover, combining new IoT and sensor devices with SBC management can improve livestock farming, optimizing feed consumption and reducing disease incidence by closely monitoring each animal and requiring treatment as soon as an anomaly is detected.<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2>SBCs are essential supporting devices of modern precision agriculture. Their ability to process and analyze data in real-time and their role in automation make them indispensable tools for farmers striving for sustainable and efficient crop production. As the agricultural sector evolves, SBCs will gain traction, boosting new precision farming applications.<h2 dir="ltr">The ROCK series powering precision Agriculture</h2><div data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="8f00c95e-d481-406f-9796-e1d2ff18e0a9">OKdo's smart agriculture solutions are at the forefront of modernizing farming practices using IoT technology. A key component of their smart farming technology is the <a href="https://www.okdo.com/smart-agriculture/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_campaign=rock&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_content=sbcs_precision_agriculture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ROCK 4 Model C+ 4GB SBC</a>. This powerful <a href="https://www.okdo.com/p/okdo-rock-4-model-se-4gb-single-board-computer-rockchip-rk3399-t-arm-cortex-a72-cortex-a53/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_campaign=rock&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_content=sbcs_precision_agriculture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">single board computer&nbsp;</a>is equipped with a Rockchip RK3399T SoC, making it ideal for smart agriculture applications. It features 4GB 64bit RAM, an eMMC socket, integrated fan control, and dual microHDMI ports supporting up to 4Kp60 resolution. Additionally, it includes Bluetooth 5.0, Gigabit Ethernet, and wireless LAN capabilities. This hardware is specifically designed to support the demands of smart agriculture, providing the processing power and connectivity required for efficient and sustainable farming operations.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.okdo.com/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_campaign=rock&utm_medium=affiliates&utm_content=sbcs_precision_agriculture" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Learn more here.</a></div><h2 dir="ltr">References</h2>[1] McFadden, Jonathan, Eric Njuki, and Terry Griffin. "Precision Agriculture in the Digital Era: Recent Adoption on US Farms." (2023).[2] Tycoonstory. “<a href="https://www.tycoonstory.com/iot-in-precision-agriculture-advancements-and-benefits-for-modern-farming/" target="_blank">What is IoT Precision Agriculture and How is it Different from Traditional Agriculture?</a>“[3] AgriTech Tomorrow “5 Challenges For Precision Agriculture To Face”. 2020[4] Abu, N. S., et al. "Internet of things applications in precision agriculture: A review." Journal of Robotics and Control (JRC) 3.3 (2022): 338-347.[5] Raj, E.F.I., Appadurai, M., Athiappan, K. (2021). Precision Farming in Modern Agriculture. In: Choudhury, A., Biswas, A., Singh, T.P., Ghosh, S.K. (eds) Smart Agriculture Automation Using Advanced Technologies. Transactions on Computer Systems and Networks. Springer, Singapore.&nbsp;[6] Mathe, Sudha Ellison, et al. "A survey of agriculture applications utilizing raspberry pi." 2022 International Conference on Innovative Trends in Information Technology (ICITIIT). IEEE, 2022.[7] Gsangaya, K. R., et al. "Portable, wireless, and effective internet of things-based sensors for precision agriculture." International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 17 (2020): 3901-3916.[8] &nbsp;Sebastian. “<a href="https://admantium.medium.com/iot-sensor-project-esp8266-with-dht11-sensor-sends-data-to-mqtt-a0e7e101f095" target="_blank">IOT Sensor Project: ESP8266 with DHT11 Sensor sends Data to MQTT</a>”.[9] Jia, Weibing, and Zhengying Wei. "Raspberry Pi-Embedded Intelligent Control System for Irrigation and Fertilization Based on deep learning." Journal of Physics: Conference Series. Vol. 2504. No. 1. IOP Publishing, 2023.[10] askSensors. “<a href="https://www.instructables.com/How-to-Connect-Soil-Moisture-Sensor-and-ESP8266-to/" target="_blank">How to Connect Soil Moisture Sensor and ESP8266 to the AskSensors IoT Cloud</a>”.

How Single Board Computers (SBCs) have automated and reduced costs in modern agriculture

Precision Agriculture with Single Board Computers

<h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">Introduction</h2>In an era where the global population is rapidly growing, the importance of a robust and sustainable food production system is more critical than ever. Industrial greenhouses have emerged as a key player in this endeavor, providing controlled environments that maximize crop yields and ensure a steady supply of food. These high-tech agricultural hubs, however, are not without their challenges. This article delves into these challenges and introduces an innovative solution by a company called FourGrowers.<h2 dir="ltr">The Current State of Industrial Greenhouses</h2>Industrial greenhouses have revolutionized the way we grow food. By providing a controlled environment, they enable year-round production regardless of external weather conditions. This technological advancement has made it possible to cultivate a wide variety of crops in regions where it would otherwise be impossible due to adverse climate conditions. This has significantly contributed to food security, ensuring a consistent supply of fresh produce to meet the ever-increasing demand.&nbsp;However, operating an industrial greenhouse is not without its challenges. One of the most significant issues is the labor-intensive nature of greenhouse farming. Tasks such as planting, harvesting, and packing are often done manually, requiring a substantial workforce.&nbsp;This is not only costly but also increasingly difficult due to a dwindling pool of agricultural workers. The labor shortage is a pressing issue that threatens the efficiency and productivity of these greenhouses.&nbsp;<h3 dir="ltr">Food Security and the Labor Shortage</h3>The labor shortage in agriculture is a global issue. The average age of farmers is increasing, and fewer young people are entering the profession. This trend, coupled with the physically demanding nature of the work and often low wages, has led to a significant labor shortage in the industry. This shortage threatens the very heart of food security: if we cannot harvest the crops, we cannot feed the population.&nbsp;<h3 dir="ltr">Automating Food Production</h3>One way the agricultural industry is combating the effects of the labor shortage is by increasingly automating food production. The emergence of big data and precision machines in agriculture have enabled farmers to have incredibly high resolution images of how their fields and greenhouses are performing on a variety of variables such as yield, plant health, and pest pressure.Historically, farming has been done mainly on intuition and a natural familiarity with the plant and weather patterns, leading to over or underestimating the need of resources, or overconsumption of inputs such as fertilizer as they are applied uniformly.&nbsp;Now, with the emergence of big data, highly sensitive GPS technology, and precision machines, farmers are able to leverage data like never before to produce high resolution images of their fields and greenhouses, and apply inputs specifically and precisely, to the areas that most need them.[1]&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Introduction to FourGrowers</h2>In the face of these labor shortage challenges, <a href="https://fourgrowers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Four Growers</a> has emerged with an innovative solution. Founded with the mission to provide healthy, affordable, local produce by reducing the production costs of food through robotics and analytics technology, Four Growers is poised to make a deep impact on the industry.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk2MzI5MzMyODUzLVRvbWF0b2VzX0luX0dyb3d0aC5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">The Four Growers Technology Platform Solution&nbsp;</h2>Four Growers provides an AI powered automation and plant analytics platform starting in greenhouse crop management that leverage these advancements in precision agriculture and software engineering. Their integrated data platform and first application in automated tomato harvesting addresses the labor shortage issue while increasing efficiency and reducing waste.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Automated Tomato Quality Checks Using Computer Vision</h2>The centerpiece of Four Growers' technology is the GR-100, an AI powered automation and plant analytics platform with its first application in tomato harvesting. It is equipped with eight stereo cameras. These cameras allow the robot to perceive each individual plant throughout the greenhouse, identify ripe tomatoes, and carefully harvest them without causing damage.&nbsp;To achieve this, the team built their own AI perception model to perceive a multitude of different aspects and characteristics in the crop and differentiate between different tomato ripeness levels. The vision processing hinges on RGB and some IR spectrums. "To date, our models have run across tens of millions of tomatoes leading to a performance that is unmatched," shares Co-founder and CEO Brandon Contino.&nbsp;Ripeness is not the only quality factor FourGrowers checks for. Metrics such as sizing and shape are also collected and combined with additional hardware to determine and track fruit weights.&nbsp;This level of automation and precision is unprecedented in the industry and represents a significant advancement in greenhouse technology.[2]&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Automated Tomato Harvesting to Beat the Labor Shortage</h2>The GR-100 is able to harvest tomatoes five times faster than other industry competitors, without damaging surrounding plants or foliage. The underlying engineering that enablesthis competitive advantage is the combination of a novel motion planner that finds optimal collision-free paths 34 times faster than standard motion planning algorithms along with its patented end effector.[3]&nbsp;Motion planning in robotics is the term for breaking down a desired movement task into discrete motions that satisfy movement constraints and possibly optimize some aspect of the movement.[4]&nbsp;A motion planning algorithm would take a description of desired tasks - for example, harvesting a ripe tomato - as input, and produce the speed and turning commands sent to the robot’s “arm”. Motion planning algorithms can be applied to robots with few or many joints, the manipulation of objects, considering constraints such as speed, or direction, and uncertainty.[5]&nbsp;Four Growers are able to deliver such fast solve times thanks to two main factors.&nbsp;Firstly, their custom AI architecture - trained on their own proprietary dataset - provides outputs that can be leveraged to optimize the search space for their motion planning algorithm. By learning from their own data, the algorithm can intelligently focus on the most promising regions of the search space.&nbsp;Secondly, their approach employs sophisticated sampling techniques that allow them to rapidly explore the pruned search space without sacrificing accuracy or optimality.&nbsp;"We’ve tailored our motion planning algorithm to balance the exploration and exploitation trade-off, so we can quickly find the most time-efficient paths," Contino divulges.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk2MzI5NDUxODQwLVRvbWF0b2VzX0luX0NyYXRlLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 300px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">The Technical Challenges of Building an Automated Harvesting Platform</h2>In an interview with Wevolver, Contino shared the technical challenges facing him and the team as they continue to develop the Four Growers platform.&nbsp;Getting the machine to recognise a tomato is just the first step to completing a successful automated harvest. The computer vision systems have to also recognise everything else. What could they hit? What could they damage? What parts of the plant are vulnerable? For example, breaking a stem, Contino recounts, might translate to 30 weeks of yield loss for the farm owner.&nbsp;And then you have to make sure your hardware executes - fast.&nbsp;“You can’t take 20 seconds to harvest one tomato,” says Contino. “You have to be able to execute on it quickly and get everything calibrated correctly without using extremely expensive sensors.”The GR-100 goes one step further and integrates packing logistics into the harvesting operation - something Contino discovered would be invaluable to farmers using his harvesting technology.&nbsp;“In addition to the harvesting functionality that we’ve developed, we’ve also had to develop a secondary system that handles the management of all the harvested fruit – we call this the packing cart. This allows the system to easily integrate into their existing workflow and reduces the amount of human interventions that are required with the system.”&nbsp;With their tomato harvesting perfected, Four Growers is already proving their ability to go cross crop. Though not without its challenges, he shares that those have been "largely mitigated", thanks to the architectural decisions the team made early on.&nbsp;By creating a well-generalized motion planner and perception architecture, as well as a modular hardware system, Four Growers doesn't face the large amount of R&amp;D usually needed in this industry. They've built a platform that can effortlessly scale across to new crops with minimal marginal effort.&nbsp;Contino also touches on the coming challenges facing the development of their analytic insights capabilities.&nbsp;"As we begin to leverage more and more of the system to perform analytics insights for our customers, there are many exciting and challenging areas to focus on. From large data management and analysis, to improved botanical knowledge and classes, to modeling out complex biological systems."<h2 dir="ltr" id="isPasted">What Does the Future Hold for Four Growers?</h2>Since the commercialization of the tomato harvesting application, Four Growers has been finalizing their cucumber harvesting application. In parallel, they're building up their analytics features by adding yield heatmaps, yield forecasting, and even starting some initial work on Integrated Pest Management and disease monitoring.&nbsp;At the time of writing, greenhouses are working with data on their plants and yields with - at best - row to row resolution. However, many growers still have hundreds if not thousands of plants per row.Four Growers forecasting is arming growers with data on how many tomatoes they can plan to harvest next week down to the square meter.[6]&nbsp;Not only does this enable growers to better plan their time and resources, but it gives them real-time precision data they can use to modify treatment of plants in highly specified ways across the entire greenhouse with minimal effort.&nbsp;In the mid-term, Contino shares we can expect to see Four Growers bursting out of the greenhouse and onto the fields. "We're excited to start applying the same technology and platform we've developed inside greenhouses to additional crops outside the greenhouse industry."&nbsp;"Greenhouses are the dominant form of growing for crops like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, but there are many important crops that are not grown in greenhouses, and it's our mission to provide an AI powered automation and analytics platform that can do them all."&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Conclusion</h2><a href="https://fourgrowers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Four Growers</a> represents a significant step forward in addressing the challenges faced by the agriculture industry. Through innovative technology and a commitment to sustainability, they are not only improving the efficiency of food production but also contributing to a more secure and sustainable future for all. As we look to the future, it is clear that companies like Four Growers will play a crucial role in shaping the future of agriculture.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">References&nbsp;</h2>1. Newcastle University. Precision Agriculture - Agricultural Product Systems. [Internet]. [cited 2023 Aug 17]. Available from: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/nes/our-research/agriculture/agricultural-product-systems/precision agriculture/2. Robotics &amp; Technology [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Jul 18]. Available from: https://fourgrowers.com/products/robotic-harvesting-technology/&nbsp;3. Robotics &amp; Technology [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Jul 18]. Available from: https://fourgrowers.com/products/robotic-harvesting-technology/&nbsp;4. Motion planning [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2023 Jul 18]. Available from: https://robotics.umich.edu/research/focus-areas/motion-planning&nbsp;5. Motion planning [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2023 Jul 18]. Available from: https://robotics.umich.edu/research/focus-areas/motion-planning&nbsp;6. Kersting J. One mic stand: Brandon Contino, founder of four growers [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Jul 18]. Available from: https://www.pghtech.org/podcasts/Four_Growers&nbsp;For more information about Four Growers and their innovative solutions,&nbsp;<a href="https://fourgrowers.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">visit their website</a>. Their platform provides a wealth of information about their technology, their mission, and their vision for the future of agriculture.

Revolutionizing Agriculture with AI-powered Robotic platform Solutions for Industrial Greenhouses 


Four Growers' Robotics and Computer Vision make Automated Greenhouse Harvests Reality

<h2 id="isPasted">At a glance:</h2><h3>Challenge</h3>To prototype a component for Arrow Lake&rsquo;s The FLO3W&reg;, a circular system where ozone is injected into cleaning water, with ozone levels constantly measured and adjusted for optimal purification. Ozone effectively kills bacteria, mould, fungal spores and other microorganisms found in soil, and the system is used by wholesalers to wash vegetables, berries, fruit and herbs in a cost-efficient and sustainable way. The focus for Protolabs was to produce a prototype that Arrow Lake could test in the overall design of The FLO3W&reg; system and to manufacture the part cost-effectively on-demand going forward. <h3>Solution</h3>Arrow Lake was able to make a rapid decision about the feasibility of their part by using Protolabs&rsquo; automated solution to get an immediate initial analysis of manufacturability and cost-effectiveness &ndash; with Protolabs offering additional manufacturing support if needed. When finalised, a model of the part was downloaded from the Protolabs solution and integrated and tested in the final overall design. <h3>Outcome</h3>An injection moulding tool was manufactured, and then the prototype was produced. After a final inspection, Arrow Lake placed an order for 400 parts, and these are now included in the solution, which is being delivered to customers all over the world. Arrow Lake are able to produce more on-demand, and they are also focusing on other industries where ozone cleaning is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution, such as land-based fish farms. At the same time, they intend to continue innovating with the help of Protolabs.&nbsp;<hr> The Swedish company <a href="https://arrowlake.se/" target="_blank">Arrow Lake</a> AB develops systems that use ozone to purify water and air. The company&#39;s customers include wholesalers who wash and package vegetables, berries, fruit and herbs with the company&#39;s unique system, The <a href="https://arrowlake.se/the-flo%e2%82%83w/" target="_blank">FLO3W&reg;</a>.Ozone is a gas that occurs naturally in our atmosphere and has several properties that make it perfect for cleaning and disinfecting air and water. Already in 1906, the first ozone-based purification plant for drinking water was built in Nice, and today there are many solutions and products for creating and adding ozone to air and water.One area where the use of ozone is now increasing is for washing vegetables, fruit and berries. Ozone effectively kills bacteria, mould, fungal spores and other microorganisms found in the soil. Water with the addition of ozone is also an environmentally friendly method because the ozone breaks down into its natural components without any dangerous residues that need to be cleaned. Correctly applied ozone also contributes to a longer shelf life.&nbsp;<img border="0" width="602" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk1MDM4NzM4OTkwLTE2OTUwMzg3Mzg5OTAuanBlZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" alt="A person in a yellow jacketDescription automatically generated" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><h2>Circular process</h2> &nbsp;Arrow Lake was founded in 2016 by Ali Jehanfard, Claes Gustafsson, Olof &Ouml;sterlind and Martin Belohorka. Since its inception, Arrow Lake has focused on developing systems such as QUBE&reg; and The FLO3W&reg;. Both of these contribute to more energy-efficient solutions and help customers reduce their consumption of water. Energy efficiency and reduced waste pervade everyday life for everyone at Arrow Lake.The FLO3W&reg; is based on a circular process that begins by adding ozone, mixing it with water until it is completely dissolved, and then continuously measuring the ozone level in the water and adjusting the amount as needed. The result for customers is a more efficient system, products that require less refrigeration, have a longer shelf life and the use of chemicals is reduced. The solution is used to treat everything from pomegranates, peaches, apricots, cherries, basil and parsley to carrots, potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower all over the world.Customers have reported that they were able to cut their overall costs by as much as 20% after installing The FLO3W&reg; from Arrow Lake.QUBE&reg;, which is Arrow Lake&#39;s ozone generator series, is also used in already established application areas, such as sanitising drinking and wastewater and Arrow Lake has several international contracts in these areas.&nbsp;<h2>Resource-efficient solution</h2> &nbsp;One of the great advantages of The FLO3W&reg; is that the ozone is injected directly into the water. With other solutions on the market, a large part of the ozone often disappears into the air, so-called off-gas. This means that it is difficult to know how much ozone has actually dissolved in the water and it may not be enough to work effectively. The FLO3W&reg;, on the other hand, provides continuous measurable and stable levels of ozone that prevents the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms in the water.Because The FLO3W&reg; is so resource-efficient, the water does also not need to be changed as often, resulting in both lower costs and less environmental impact.&nbsp;&nbsp;<img border="0" width="602" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk1MDM4NzM5MDA0LTE2OTUwMzg3MzkwMDQuanBlZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" alt="A machine on a truckDescription automatically generated" class="fr-fic fr-dii"><h2>Protolabs the obvious partner</h2> &nbsp;Arrow Lake has partnered with product development company OIM to create the ozone generators. As <a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-agriculture-0823&utm_content=wevolver-arrow-lake-cs-0923" target="_blank">Protolabs</a> has previously collaborated with OIM, they were an obvious choice to develop the prototype for one of the parts of the ozone generator.&quot;We have worked with Protolabs on many projects and we have very good experience with them. They have great competence and are fast and responsive which really suits us,&quot; said Claes Gustafsson at OIM.As for so many others, the collaboration with Protolabs began with the customer uploading their CAD design to Protolabs&rsquo; <a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/automated-design-analysis/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-agriculture-0823&utm_content=wevolver-arrow-lake-cs-0923" target="_blank" title="Automated Design Analysis">automated solution</a>. There, they received immediate feedback in terms of manufacturability with specific indications about what in the design needed to be adjusted and with recommendations if it was a necessary change or a minor recommendation.&quot;It&#39;s really a solution that&#39;s easy to use and that I&#39;ve used several times before,&quot; said Claes. &ldquo;Based on the recommendations, I made some minor changes and uploaded the model again to check. After a few such iterations the phone rang and it was Protolabs contacting me. They had noticed that it was mostly fine tuning and called to say that the design looked fine and that there would be no problem manufacturing the part. Sometimes it can be difficult to know how a change affects the manufacturing or the material so I appreciated that they were so proactive and reached out unprompted. It saved a lot of time and made the whole process easier.&rdquo;&quot;What&#39;s also so good about Protolabs is that as part of the process they can produce a model, which I can then download and run together with the rest of the design in my computer,&quot; added Claes. &ldquo;This allows me to see how the part works together with the rest of the solution.&rdquo;&quot;What&#39;s also so good about Protolabs is that as part of the process they can produce a model, which I can then download and run together with the rest of the design in my computer.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>To customers all over the world</h2> &nbsp;An <a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/injection-moulding/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-agriculture-0823&utm_content=wevolver-arrow-lake-cs-0923" target="_blank" title="Injection Moulding">injection moulding</a> tool was manufactured and then the prototype. After, a final inspection order for 400 parts was placed and these are now included in the solution which is on its way out to customers all over the world.&quot;It all worked very well and now that there is a tool, it&#39;s just for us to order more if and when needed,&quot; said Arrow Lakes CTO Martin Belohorka.Arrow Lake is now looking towards the future. Other industries where QUBE&reg; and The FLO3W&reg; can be used to advantage include cleaning the water in land-based fish farms.&ldquo;Our solution makes the water crystal clear while helping to save energy by increasing the efficiency of heat exchangers&rdquo;, said J&uuml;rgen Bischhaus, Sales Manager at Arrow Lake.While Arrow Lake is ramping up sales to existing industries such as the food sector, they&rsquo;re also constantly thinking about innovation and where to find new uses for ozone. Ozone is a sustainable and future-proof way of helping the environment, by reducing food waste and reducing the use of both water and chemicals.<img border="0" width="602" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjk1MDM4NzM5MDE1LTE2OTUwMzg3MzkwMTUuanBlZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" alt="A pile of carrots in a containerDescription automatically generated" class="fr-fic fr-dii">&nbsp;<hr>Want to learn more about how&nbsp;<a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-agriculture-0823&utm_content=wevolver-arrow-lake-cs-0923" target="_blank">Protolabs</a>&nbsp;supports similar businesses with CNC machined, injection moulded or 3D printed custom parts?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/resources/case-studies?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-agriculture-0923&utm_content=wevolver-arrow-lake-cs-0923" target="_blank">Click here to check out their other case studies.</a>

Protolabs helps Arrow Lake develop ozone system that cuts costs by 20%

Clean by ozone. It’s a term many may not be familiar with but for Arrow Lake they are on a mission to develop the world’s most efficient ozone technology and energy-efficient solutions with help from Protolabs.

Protolabs helps Arrow Lake develop ozone system that cuts costs by 20 percent

<h2 id="isPasted">At a glance</h2>Challenge3D print two different parts for Small Robot Company&rsquo;s latest agri-robot &ndash; an SSD mount (for data storage) and a steering actuator cap (to cover the delicate actuator assembly underneath) &ndash; within a very tight deadline. &nbsp;&nbsp;SolutionCombine the efficiency of Protolabs&rsquo; quoting platform, the expertise of Protolabs&rsquo; engineering team and the rapidity of Protolabs&rsquo; world-leading additive manufacturing service. &nbsp;OutcomeProtolabs helped improve the design to ensure better functioning parts, in particular for the steering actuator cap, along with providing a solution for colouring the part, before rapidly printing the parts using Multi Jet Fusion and shipping them to the customer for testing and evaluation.&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>The Small Robot Company is revolutionising farming. The company&rsquo;s autonomous, precision agri-robots are the 21st century answer to a 21st century problem: the UN says that the world must produce 70% more food by 2050, without using more land or destroying more ecosystems. Using tractors and other similar machinery is no longer the best way to address this vital challenge. The raw technology already exists which could produce food more cheaply, more accurately and with less waste. Autonomous robotic farming is already a familiar sight across parts of our agricultural landscape, from fruit picking robots to driverless sprayers, but the advancements by Small Robot Company are uniquely born out of a collaboration between farmers, professors, service designers and engineers. Their work combines the cutting edge of robotics technology and artificial intelligence, creating a new model for regenerative and profitable farming &ndash; Per Plant farming &ndash; where the Tom V4 robot stands above all others. This is the story of how Protolabs, the world-leading digital manufacturer, supported the development and creation of such game-changing hardware.<blockquote>&ldquo;The Protolabs quoting platform is always really quick and we also get manufacturing feedback from them. The system automatically details any issues which means that we can address those issues before anything goes out for manufacture. That&#39;s really handy and it&#39;s so easy to upload a file.&rdquo;</blockquote>Rhian Griffith, Mechanical Engineer at Small Robot Company The productThe Tom V4 is a scanning robot which scans the crop at a level of detail that identifies individual plants, gathering data on plant and weed distribution to determine the optimum treatment path. This information, via a &lsquo;Per Plant&rsquo; approach, is used to inform variable rate fertiliser applications and to spot-apply herbicides through nozzle control and sectional control sprays. Small Robot Company currently has five manufactured and functioning Tom V4s, which as well as providing a technological service to farming businesses, also serve as a jumping off point for further advancements in agri-robotics. As described by Rhian Griffith, Mechanical Engineer at the company: &ldquo;We built the first Tom V4 in the Summer of 2021 which was our alpha prototype, a proof of concept robot. Whilst highly advanced, it&rsquo;s a modular driving platform that can be used as a base for any of our future robots. The two parts manufactured by Protolabs &ndash; the SSD mount and the steering actuator cap &ndash; are components on this platform and will continue to serve the robot as it advances through its various iterations in the years to come. The core driving platform would remain, whether the robot is further developed for tasks other than scanning, such as planting or herbicide spraying. This flexibility, designed within the robot, whether looking at individual parts such as those made by Protolabs, or looking at the robot as a whole, is vital to its success and endurance.&rdquo; Currently, the robot has a core driving platform with a deployable boom that houses a camera system for crop scanning.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg5NTk5NDM0MTY2LVNtYWxsIFJvYm90LmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 675px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> The steering actuatorIn essence, a steering actuator is a mechanism that provides simple pathfinding for a robot by moving it towards a target object. For the Tom V4, whichever purpose the robot is adapted to in the future, as later generations of the robot are designed, the current form of the steering actuator designed by Small Robot Company will remain a key component in their functionality. Rhian continues: &ldquo;The steering actuator is a sub-assembly within the core driving platform. It is made up of a motor inside, a planetary gear system, some bearings and an aluminium housing around the majority of it. Then on top sits a cap, 3D printed by Protolabs, that seals the unit. The cap helps prevent water and dust ingress because the assembly is quite sensitive so if we did get anything inside, that could potentially cause problems such as damaged parts, binding up or overheating.&rdquo; As well as serving as protection from outside, the cap&rsquo;s design includes a channel that helps secure wires running up to the motor controller, so its multiple functions derive a relatively complex shape which <a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/3d-printing/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-robotics-0123&utm_content=wevolver-small-robot-cs-0723" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">3D printing</a> is an ideal manufacturing solution for. &ldquo;The previous robot didn&#39;t use the same steering actuator. For the Tom V3 we sourced a steering actuator from a third-party, but it was heavy and we had a number of issues with it. So when we came to design Tom V4, we decided to take the steering actuator in house, design the whole steering actuator ourselves including the cap, which meant we could reduce the BOM cost, improve the design and reduce the robot weight.&rdquo; Protolabs comes on boardThe team at Small Robot Company decided quite early on that they&rsquo;d need to 3D print the cap as there was a strict weight budget for the robot, for two reasons. Firstly, they needed to minimise the entire system weight so that ground pressure was reduced meaning less damage to crops and top soil compaction when the robot is driving through fields; secondly, the core driving platform is designed to support a wide range of payloads, so keeping the platform weight low means more options &ndash; essentially allowing a larger weight budget for payloads. Rhian explains, &ldquo;We were in our alpha system design a couple of years ago when we were building the first prototype of the driving platform. We knew that Protolabs offered 3D printing services, but we weren&#39;t really selecting them as a prototyping supplier &ndash; instead we selected them as a production supplier, due to the relatively low numbers needed but also the fact that Protolabs&rsquo; additive technologies can create end-use parts. &ldquo;We&rsquo;d used their quoting platform in the past and we&rsquo;d had success with that in support of our development procedure. We really like that feature. The Protolabs quoting platform is always really quick and we also get manufacturing feedback from them. The system automatically details any issues which means that we can address those issues before anything goes out for manufacture. That&#39;s really handy and it&#39;s so easy to upload a file. Also, Protolabs&rsquo; 3D printing service usually has a quick turnaround time and sometimes that&rsquo;s vital when it&rsquo;s a matter of urgency. It was a no-brainer to partner with Protolabs.&rdquo;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg5NTk5NTA1MjQ3LVNtYWxsIFJvYm90IENhcC5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 435px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"> Following the initial upload of the early cap iteration, the team at Small Robot Company were struggling to have the wire channel clear from the build material. Also, when attempting to put together the component parts of the steering actuator and put the wires through the channel, this caused assembly problems that clearly needed addressing. But with design feedback and advice from Protolabs, the model was changed making the assembly process easier. In terms of aesthetics, Protolabs worked hard to also deliver a satisfactory result for Small Robot Company. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had a very positive experience with Protolabs where we received some of our caps and they hadn&#39;t come to us as black as we&rsquo;d hoped. We ordered them in a PA12 material, which Protolabs advised has a dark grey appearance &ndash; not something we felt was quite right for the part &ndash; but we wanted to see the result to decide a path forward. On initial receipt of the parts, the colour advice was indeed correct, but Protolabs were very happy to take them back and post-process them with a further spray of black paint. Ultimately, we had the parts back a short time later, so we were in possession of the parts we wanted &ndash; in terms of both functionality and aesthetics.&rdquo;<blockquote>&quot;This is why we like Protolabs so much. You don&rsquo;t have to spend time having thorough design reviews with them. They just give you the information you need via the platform, or in person, then we address the design how we want, and move on to ordering the parts. So simple.&rdquo;</blockquote>Rhian Griffith, Mechanical Engineer at Small Robot Company Multi Jet Fusion &ndash; a 3D printing process for rapid prototyping and end-use partsThe cap for the steering actuator was produced by Protolabs&rsquo; <a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/services/3d-printing/multi-jet-fusion/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-robotics-0123&utm_content=wevolver-small-robot-cs-0723" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Multi Jet Fusion (MJF)</a> process. MJF selectively applies fusing and detailing agents across a bed of nylon powder, which are fused in thousands of layers by heating elements into a solid functional component. Final parts exhibit quality surface finishes, fine feature resolution, and more consistent mechanical properties when compared to processes like selective laser sintering.<img width="534" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg5NTk5NTQ3NzgzLTE2ODk1OTk1NDc3ODMuanBlZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" align="left" class="fr-fil fr-dii" style="width: 615px;"> Common applications for MJF are parts requiring consistent isotropic mechanical properties, functional prototypes and end-use parts with complex or organic geometries.&nbsp;The fourth agricultural revolutionThe fourth agricultural revolution is characterised by the anticipated changes brought about by artificial intelligence and autonomous robots. The overwhelming feedback from farmers is that farming is not working: yields are stagnating, machinery costs are rising, and profit is suffering. The world is also facing an environmental crisis, with heavy machinery and chemical use playing a key part. Small Robot Company is reimagining farming to make food production sustainable. Using robotics and artificial intelligence, they have created an entirely new model for ecologically harmonious, efficient and profitable farming. They call this Per Plant farming and it is representative of the revolution we&rsquo;re currently seeing across agriculture. The future of Tom V4Rhian concludes: &ldquo;Our biggest focus at the moment is actually on cost reduction and engineering tasks now. We&#39;re hoping to refine the design so that we can pass these efficiencies on to our customers. But whether for revisions of existing robots or the development of later generations of robots, we look forward to working with Protolabs to receive their support in the product development phase as well as in production.&rdquo;&nbsp;<hr>Want to learn more about how&nbsp;<a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-robotics-0123&utm_content=wevolver-small-robot-cs-0723" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Protolabs</a>&nbsp;supports similar businesses with CNC machined, injection moulded or 3D printed custom parts?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.protolabs.com/en-gb/resources/case-studies?utm_source=wevolver&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=uk-robotics-0123&utm_content=wevolver-small-robot-cs-0723" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Click here to check out their other case studies.</a>

Protolabs climbs aboard the fourth agri-revolution by 3D printing two different parts for Small Robot Company's latest agri-robot, the Tom V4. 

Protolabs climbs aboard the fourth agri-revolution

Could you have an IoT device continuously connected without having to do it yourself?The launch of&nbsp;<a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://store.rakwireless.com/products/link-one-lte-m-nb-iot-lorawan-device-based-on-nrf52840-sx1262-and-bg77-arduino-ide-compatible" rel="external noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Link.One</a>, an all-in-one device that combines LoRaWAN and automatic cellular connectivity showed us that continuous connectivity is not only possible but also of great added value.Today, connecting devices require a choice between the long-range-low-power capabilities of&nbsp;<a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://www.rakwireless.com/en-us/technology/lorawan" rel="external noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LoRaWAN</a> and the ubiquitous, high-speed connectivity of cellular IoT.LoRaWAN has many advantages that other wireless connectivity doesn&rsquo;t offer. It can be optimized to operate with low power consumption. It can use batteries for years. It offers long-range and deep penetration indoors, to name a few.But LoRaWAN doesn&rsquo;t meet all requirements. First of all, it is not high-speed. And second, it doesn&rsquo;t solve continuous connectivity.&nbsp;A few challenges away from fully connectedThe demand for continuous, fast, never-uninterrupted connectivity is growing. There are so many industries and use cases that would benefit from a pioneering technology that combines LoRaWAN and automatic built-in cellular connectivity.<ul><li>Transportation and logistics businesses that need to track and manage a fleet of vehicles that is in constant motion,</li><li>Smart agriculture companies that need to monitor and optimize their crops and soil conditions which may not always have access to wireless</li><li>Energy companies that need to manage energy grids and assets</li><li>Even healthcare providers need to monitor patients remotely and collect health data on an ongoing basis.</li></ul>&nbsp;In all these cases, the stakes are high and the cost of losing connectivity is significant &ndash; at times even potentially dangerous for the people involved or the integrity of the product offered.&nbsp;<h3>Introducing Connectivit(ies) Converged into One</h3>With Link.ONE, you can switch between the LoRaWAN and the cloud-based cellular connectivity &ndash; bi-directionally, seamlessly, and automatically. With worldwide coverage (including land, sea, and air, hazardous routes, remote locations, etc.) and easy-to-use features that make it accessible to everyone, Link.ONE makes it much easier to manage and deploy IoT solutions.&nbsp;<img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-2-1024x576.jpg" alt="Link.ONE — Connect to the IoT Network of Your Choice" width="800" height="450" srcset="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-2.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" class="fr-fic fr-dii">&nbsp;<h3>How it works</h3>First things first &ndash; built-in cellular connectivity<img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-3.jpg" alt="Link.ONE — Connect to the IoT Network of Your Choice" width="381" height="389" srcset="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-3.jpg 381w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-3-294x300.jpg 294w" sizes="(max-width: 381px) 100vw, 381px" class="fr-fic fr-dii">Using a&nbsp;<a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://store.rakwireless.com/products/iot-sim-card-for-wisnode-modules" rel="external noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Monogoto SIM card</a> automatically means a 500Mb data package good for 10 years. Plus, with a Monogoto SIM card, your device(s) achieve:<ul><li>uninterrupted connectivity virtually anywhere including global roaming (whenever you have coverage for CAT M1 and CAT BN2)</li><li>built-in security, ensuring that your devices can always stay connected and that your data is always safe.</li></ul>&nbsp;Then, add advanced wireless capabilitiesThree powerful technologies work together to provide reliable and efficient communication.&nbsp;1. The ability to take advantage of widespread coverage of cellular networks worldwide and enjoy reliable data transfer rates. It&rsquo;s powered by the&nbsp;<a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://store.rakwireless.com/products/rak5860-lte-nb-iot-extension-board" rel="external noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RAK5860 Cellular NB-IoT</a> and LTE-M module that support CAT M1 and CAT NB2 cellular IoT wireless protocols, enabling you to Support LoRa/LoRaWAN and Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) communication.LoRaWan enables a long-range, low-power wireless communication protocol that enables IoT devices to connect to the Internet without the need for cellular networks or Wi-Fi (think private networks or remote locations). BLE enables short-range communication between devices nearby.&nbsp;2. The ability to have control and visibility over your operations via GPS tracking.<img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-4-1024x904.jpg" alt="Link.ONE — Connect to the IoT Network of Your Choice" width="800" height="706" srcset="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-4-1024x904.jpg 1024w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-4-300x265.jpg 300w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-4-768x678.jpg 768w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-4.jpg 1363w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"> This allows you to track the location of your assets and vehicles in real-time. It is ideal for asset tracking, fleet management, and other applications where location data is critical.&nbsp;3. The ability to have extreme modularity and expandability.<img data-fr-image-pasted="true" src="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-5.jpg" alt="Link.ONE — Connect to the IoT Network of Your Choice" width="975" height="407" srcset="https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-5.jpg 975w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-5-300x125.jpg 300w, https://monogoto.io/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IoT-image-5-768x321.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 975px) 100vw, 975px" class="fr-fic fr-dii"> Based on the&nbsp;<a data-wpel-link="external" href="https://www.rakwireless.com/en-us/products/wisblock" rel="external noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">WisBlock Modular eco-system</a>, Link.One is flexible and expandable. You can easily add sensors and/or other peripherals to your devices by simply plugging them in. &nbsp;With support for cellular, GPS, LoRa/LoRaWAN, and BLE communication as well as expandable modular design, Link.ONE is ideal for countless IoT applications. Powered by Monogoto&rsquo;s built-in cellular connectivity, which offers a wide range of industries a game-changing opportunity to build, manage and operate connected devices, Link.ONE promises continuously secure and available connectivity.

Could you have an IoT device continuously connected without having to do it yourself?

Link.ONE Connect to the IoT Network of Your Choice

Single Board Computers are radically improving indoor agriculture by optimizing environmental conditions, enabling IoT applications, and integrating AI for sustainable, efficient farming.


Applying Single Board Computers (SBCs) in Indoor Agriculture Applications

How SBCs can enhance precision agriculture machinery and optimize production and farmers' resources.


Precision Agriculture with SBCs: Exploring the Benefits and Applications on Machinery

<h2 id="isPasted">What Is the Diversification of Primary Industries?</h2>The diversification of primary industries refers to the aim to have producers (primary industries) also perform processing (secondary industries) and distribution and sales (tertiary industries) in order to diversify their management. The purpose of this is to curb price fluctuations with the wholesale of produce to increase added value and to improve the income of producers while revitalizing regions at the same time. This is achieved by integrating the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries.<h2>Current State of Agriculture and the Necessity of the Diversification of Management</h2>The number of agricultural workers is continuing to decline in most countries around the world. For example, it is expected that the number of agricultural workers in the EU will decline by approximately 28% between 2017 and 2030*1. Meanwhile, the number of farms in the US fell from 7.6 million in 1950 to 2.06 million in 2000. That is a reduction of approximately 73%*2. Furthermore, the number of agricultural workers in Japan dropped from 4.82 million in 1990 to 2.097 million in 2015. That is a decline by more than half over 25 years*3. At the same time, the age of agricultural workers is rising. It is said that the average age of agricultural workers in developed countries is around 60 years old*4. The reduction in the number of agricultural workers and their increasing age has led to a decrease in the income of farms. That is a major cause of a worsening vicious cycle.Phenomena like this make it difficult to supply food in a stable manner, which is the original role of agriculture. It also has a major impact on national security.Accordingly, various initiatives are being promoted in each country to realize the diversification of management that integrates production, processing, and sales while promoting the digital transformation of agriculture that proactively utilizes digital technologies. The aim of this is to stop this vicious cycle and to conversely encourage economic development.<ol><li>Latest Outlook on Agriculture by the European Commission&nbsp;</li><li>US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service</li><li>Japan Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries&#39; 2015 Agriculture and Forestry Census Report&nbsp;</li><li>Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)</li></ol><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgxODI0ODIwMjI3LWRpZ2l0YWwtMS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The diversification of primary industries is the key to creating new value&nbsp;<h2 id="isPasted">Benefits from the Diversification of Primary Industries</h2>The benefits from the diversification of primary industries include the creation of jobs, the revitalization of local communities, and the branding of produce in addition to an improvement in income. We describe these benefits here.<h3>Stabilization of Prices and Improvement in Income</h3>Producers consistently perform processing, distribution, and sales. Therefore, earnings are not affected by price changes in the wholesale market. Normally, non-production processes are performed by different business operators. This means the price rises as the number of business operators involved increases. To that end, producers must keep their earnings low to stably provide produce to consumers. In contrast to this, it is possible to reduce intermediary costs by diversifying primary industries. That makes it possible to provide produce to consumers at low prices while achieving an increase in earnings. Furthermore, producers possess the right to determine prices, so it is possible to stabilize their income.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgxODI0ODQxMTQ4LWRpZ2l0YWwtMi5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Cutting intermediary costs improves income&nbsp;<h3 id="isPasted">Creation of Jobs and Revitalization of Local Communities</h3>When primary industries are diversified, producers also perform processing, distribution, and sales. As a result, the volume of business increases, and thus jobs are created in producing areas. Moreover, employees are needed throughout the year in non-production departments. Accordingly, stable employment is possible. Furthermore, as it is possible to ensure non-production revenue all year round, corporate management is stable. In addition, stable employment and the stabilization of management prevents the hemorrhaging of the population to city areas, and thus can greatly contribute to the revitalization of local communities.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgxODI0ODYxNzc1LWRpZ2l0YWwtMy5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The creation of jobs revitalizes local communities&nbsp;<h3 id="isPasted">Branding of Produce</h3>It is possible to brand produce with the uniqueness of the producing area and processing technologies as their selling points by producers performing the processing, distributing, and selling. For example, producers can achieve differentiation from other products with branding by highlighting the use of fresh ingredients and the manufacturing methods they are committed to as their selling points. This makes it possible to improve the added value.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgxODI0ODgxNzk2LWRpZ2l0YWwtNC5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Branding improves added value&nbsp;<h2 id="isPasted">Challenges in the Diversification of Primary Industries</h2>The diversification of primary industries mainly refers to starting new businesses. It is necessary to understand the disadvantages in advance and to solve each challenge when starting a new business. We describe here the challenges of diversification of primary industries.&nbsp;<h3>Large Initial Investment and Running Costs Are Required</h3>As in the past, the stable supply of produce is of the utmost importance even in the diversification of primary industries. It is necessary to invest in automation, mechanization, processing machines, transportation machines, and other areas to stably supply produce. Moreover, it costs money to sell produce as products. Those costs include product development and packing box design to achieve differentiation with other products, responding to HACCP in terms of hygiene management, and investment in marketing.<h3>Accurate Inventory Control and Strict Quality Control Are Required</h3>Producers must formulate a clear production plan considering the balance of supply and demand to proceed with capital investment and contracts with sales partners in an advantageous manner. It is essential to have inventory control to accurately understand how much inventory there is in which process in the route from production to sales to formulate a clear production plan. It is also important to have quality control such as with best-before and expiry dates of products in inventory. Supply shortages and surplus inventory will arise without a clear production plan, and can cause a decline in earnings due to the termination of contracts with sales partners and an increase in discarded products.<h3>Specialized Knowledge in Each Field Is Required</h3>In most cases, producers have a wealth of production technology, knowledge, and experience. However, knowledge relating to processing, distribution, and sales that they have not been involved in before is unknown territory for them. Even if products are completed after production and processing, if problems arise with the distribution and sales methods, it can lead to excess inventory. Furthermore, it is of course necessary to have knowledge different from in the past if utilizing IoT technologies aiming for automation, mechanization, and smart agriculture in terms of production technologies.<h2>Examples of Success in the Diversification of Primary Industries</h2>There are many challenges that need to be met to succeed in the diversification of primary industries. We introduce here some examples in which these challenges were solved to lead to success.<h3>Example of Dairy Farming Management That Achieved the Centralized Operation of Initial Investment and a Reduction in Production Costs by Forming a Cooperative Corporation</h3>Multiple dairy farmers formed a cooperative corporation to establish a stock company that performs large-scale dairy farming management. Centrally operating initial investment has allowed those dairy farms to introduce a large number of milking robots. That means they can save labor, perform efficient breeding management, and realize other benefits in large-scale dairy farming management. The corporation also introduced equipment to analyze the ingredients in the raw milk for each specimen in conjunction with the milking robots. This makes it possible to manage diseases and breeding, allowing for improvement of breeding efficiency and the achievement of other advantages.In this way, the dairy farmers could form a cooperative corporation to centrally operate investment even for expensive devices that are difficult for a single farm to introduce. The corporation can also realize initiatives that require advanced digital technologies such as for improvements in breeding efficiency.<h3>Example of a Farmer Achieving Accurate Inventory Management and Strict Quality Control with IoT Technology</h3>IoT refers to the Internet of Things. For example, inventory control of fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, and other agricultural supplies and agriculture produce by humans is inaccurate and complicated.&nbsp;It is possible to measure these items with digital equipment and to then manage them on the Internet by utilizing IoT technologies. That makes it possible to solve problems such as shipping and delivery delays due to labor shortages and errors in filling out handwritten slips or sending products. At the same time, as optimal inventory control is possible, producers can also accurately understand produce with best-before and expiry dates. This means they can avoid troubles such as with shipping and selling expired products.<h3>Example of Utilizing Professionals in Each Field</h3>By working while consulting with experts in each field including product development, package design, processing, distribution, and hygiene management, it is possible to tackle the efficient diversification of management. Also, by utilizing outsourcing to acquire comprehensive knowledge &ndash; including the creation of business plans, application methods for subsidies and grants, the introduction of drones, robots, computer systems, and other digital equipment, and matching of their operators &ndash; it is possible to quickly realize advanced diversification of management.<h2>Digital Technologies Are Essential to Successful Diversification of Primary Industries</h2>Consumer needs are diversifying and the number of primary industry workers is declining while their age is rising. Against this background, the key to achieving growth in the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries is how primary industry workers can accurately grasp the needs of consumers and then efficiently and effectively respond to them. It is essential to utilize management information analysis and parsing tools, perform thorough cost management, and streamline production for that.For instance, it is an essential condition to introduce digital technologies to establish cultivated land management with CO2 sensors and soil sensors and an inventory control and quality control structure utilizing IoT technologies. That is in addition to improving the efficiency of production with robots, drones, and various automated machines.Until now, the eyes of primary industry workers have been turned toward production processes that are upstream of the supply chain from the procurement of raw materials and parts for products to sales. The diversification of primary industries refers to tackling businesses that build relationships with distributors and consumers focusing on the entire supply chain. There are many challenges to implementing this. However, it is possible to reap significant benefits with the success of that.Firmly grasping the basics of business to clarify strategies and properly utilizing digital technologies to develop new services is the secret to success in the diversification of primary industries in terms of creating added value and increasing income.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjgxODI0OTExMTcyLWRpZ2l0YWwtNS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><hr id="isPasted"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjg1MDg2NjcyNTM4LTE2ODUwODY2NzI1MzgucG5nIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" class="fr-fic fr-dii">If you have any questions based on this article that you would like to discuss with an expert at Murata, don&#39;t hesitate to reach out. There&#39;s an entire team ready to support you with your question.<a class="button-main-action" href="https://www.murata.com/en-eu/contactform?&Detail=Wevolver%20request" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">GET IN TOUCH</a><hr>

The diversification of primary industries refers to the aim to have producers (primary industries) also perform processing (secondary industries) and distribution and sales (tertiary industries) in order to diversify their management

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