Within the Horticulture innovation package we're working on four projects:
Overview of our projects
Agrifood 10
Collective data
This project aims to develop a standardized data infrastructure for the greenhouse industry, focusing on supporting adaptive and autonomously controlled greenhouses. Currently, each company develops its own systems independently, leading to high costs and innovation delays. By establishing a common "language," the Common Greenhouse Ontology, and an exchange platform, the Hortivation Hub, the project facilitates unambiguous information modeling and secure data exchange between (semi-)autonomous systems in the greenhouse. For example, efforts are being made to integrate data from robots and sorting machines into the CGO, add advanced data solutions to the Hortivation Hub, and develop standards for data quality and co-learning.
This project focuses on developing advanced AI solutions for the horticulture sector, emphasizing creating a 'Digital Twin' of the greenhouse environment. This virtual copy allows for the precise simulation and optimization of crop production. The project integrates various data streams, including climate data and direct sensor data, to support better decision-making in the greenhouse. Additionally, methods for 'Advanced and Portable Plant Phenotyping' and 'Integrated Pest Management' are being developed, contributing to more sustainable crop protection and optimization of cultivation. All of this is made possible by the use of connected sensors and autonomous robots.
Agrifood 11
Digital twin
Agrifood 12
Harvesting robot
Agrifood12 focuses on developing a modular robotic platform for horticulture, particularly aimed at 'hands-free' cultivation and harvesting processes in greenhouses. Partners from various sectors collaborate on advanced robotics for crop handling tasks such as leaf cutting and tomato picking. The project integrates AI and other technologies to increase efficiency and anticipate diseases and pests, thereby enabling better decision support and business process integration. The ambition is to achieve a global market share of 60% in robotic horticulture within 8 to 10 years, offering significant economic potential.
The 'After Harvest Robotics' project aims for a revolution in greenhouse horticulture by implementing advanced automation with vision technology and artificial intelligence. This initiative involves not only the deployment of robots but also a revision of infrastructure, methods, and cultivation techniques to align them with new technologies. The ambition is to transform traditional, primarily manual and batch-oriented processes into a 24/7/365 fully automated system, with the ultimate goal of achieving a one-piece-flow process up to the loading dock of a cultivation location. Central to this project is the reduction of costs to strengthen competitive positioning, the reduction of food waste, and ensuring food safety for consumers.