As part of the top sector policy, Wageningen UR initiated launched the program Precision Technology Horticulture. Within the four-year program, Wageningen UR collaborates with the industry on the realization of a dozen applications in horticulture. In the near future, drones might be hovering around inside the greenhouse, sprayers navigate autonomously, the field is weeded based on vision and broccoli is harvested automatically.
Vision applications for 3D orientation
Besides drones, researchers also work on vision applications for the 3D orientation of vegetables, greenhouse vegetables quality inspection and manipulation using vision of young plants. The four-year program costs €3.5 million, of which more than half is earmarked for research into basic technology by Wageningen UR. Over 50% consists of a cash contribution from the horticulture industry itself.
Quality Detection on the conveyor belt
Parties share common solutions in the basic technology such as the development of safety in autonomous navigation, vision solutions for quality detection on the conveyor belt, making good pictures in the field under all weather conditions and the development of new algorithms and techniques to get more out of the spectral image information.
Coordinator Erik Pekkeriet thinks most projects are very promising and expects findings to be effectively implemented in practice.
Source: WageningenUR