The technology centre Eurecat is presenting new predictive agriculture solutions at the Agrobiotech Innovation Forum, combining robotics, sensing technologies, mobile data, artificial intelligence and omics sciences to transform field data into predictive capabilities that help forecast yields, detect diseases at an early stage and assess soil health.
Eurecat is taking part in the leading event for innovation, sustainability and technology in agriculture, which runs until 29 October at Fira de Lleida, showcasing new technologies aimed at the automation, decision-making and sustainability of agricultural holdings.
Among other innovations, Eurecat is showcasing a new intelligent assistant that supports day-to-day farm management from a smartphone, using voice or text, through the application of artificial intelligence and technological solutions in agricultural robotics and precision farming, aimed at improving the efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability of the agri-food sector.
Specifically, the new assistant, called AgroVibe, streamlines tasks such as recording field operations and crop treatments and simplifies interaction with digital farming tools, as it can connect to machinery platforms, management systems and other resources used by farmers, including sensors and external services.
Predictive models, decision support tools and advanced robotics
“The integration of information on crops, soil, water and environmental conditions enables the development of predictive models and decision support tools to support more efficient, sustainable and resilient agricultural practices,” highlights Eurecat’s Business Manager for the Food Market, Carol Benedí.
In the field of robotics, Eurecat is showcasing an autonomous ground robot for monitoring crop conditions and transporting fruit across uneven terrain. The robot is equipped with 3D perception, localisation and autonomous navigation systems that provide environmental awareness and enable safe operation in real farming conditions. Eurecat is also presenting an aerial robot equipped with advanced technologies for real-time crop monitoring.
In the field of collaborative robotics, the technology centre is unveiling a production system with a flexible and modular architecture for handling delicate objects such as bottles, enabling industry to improve efficiency. The solution incorporates advanced machine vision and intelligent algorithms, giving the robot flexible, efficient and scalable adaptive capabilities without the need for complex reconfiguration.
Eurecat is also showcasing innovations in agrivoltaic systems featuring organic, flexible and semi-transparent photovoltaic modules produced using printed electronics, which can be combined with plant growth.
The technology centre has also developed an intelligent platform to optimise production planning in food industry companies, integrating variables such as costs, quality, delivery schedules, traceability, food safety and sustainability.
Technological advances for the sustainable transformation of the region
From its facilities in Lleida, explains Eurecat’s Head of Territorial Development in Lleida, Iolanda Simó, “Eurecat drives the sustainable transformation of the region by combining multidisciplinary capabilities related to digital technologies, cyber-physical systems, materials and manufacturing processes, life and health sciences and technologies, and environmental sciences and technologies into solutions that address the challenges faced by agri-food companies.”
To this end, “Eurecat develops technologies and solutions to preserve soil health and strengthen the region’s resilience and competitiveness. It also develops solutions to optimise water use and address drought conditions, promotes energy efficiency, clean energy and CO₂ capture and valorisation for industrial decarbonisation, and integrates sensors, digital technologies and artificial intelligence to monitor resources, anticipate risks and optimise processes,” points out Iolanda Simó.
Awards for Agro-industrial Technological Innovation
As part of the Agrobiotech Innovation Forum, Eurecat has launched the first edition of the Agro-industrial Technological Innovation Awards together with the Catalan Agricultural Machinery and Production Technology Cluster (FEMAC), Lleida City Council and the Provincial Council of Lleida.
The awards aim to identify functional, demonstrable innovations with a clear practical application across food, bio-industrial and environmental systems, with the goal of turning technological innovation into competitiveness, sustainability and new economic opportunities for the region.
