Research Synergy to address major challenges in the nexus: energy-environment-agricultural production (Food, Water, Materials)WP1 Primary Production
iBO | CERTH 6th km Charilaou Thermi Rd.
57001 | Thermi | Thessaloniki | Greecewww.ibo.certh.gr | www.certh.gr
Contact:Prof Dionysis Bochtis
Director
+30 2311 257651 | +30 2311 257650
Introduction and Objective
The NEXUS project aims to develop innovativesystems linking the Energy, Environment andAgricultural Grid (Water, Food, Materials), creatingtechnological bases for sustainable economic andsocial development. The goal is a novel integratedand adaptive low input management system for theagricultural sector aiming at producing rawagricultural materials with resource management inan environmentally and economically sustainableway. The system will integrate all existingtechnologies while using robotic platforms equippedwith appropriate sensors for crop, environmental,soil and climate monitoring systems to fullyautomate data collection, processing, decisionmaking and intervention.
Perception Localization NavigationIn this module the UAV, executes a surveymission using the user provided coordinates andcreates a 2D field representation. Each pixel ofthe digitized field is geotagged with latitude andlongitude coordinates. This information, acts asan input for the UGV mission controller whichenables its automated navigation through thefield. The overall process is available as an optionwithin the FMIS and can be initiated, monitoredand controlled through it.
The InterfaceTo strengthen adoptability, favorable factors weretaken into account to form the user interface. Thecentral point allows a one-look estimation of thecurrent situation by providing a mixture of densegraphical information and textual elements onlywhere the information is best conveyed so.
Project Partners
FMIS architecture
The Information System ArchitectureThe FMIS developed is a system aimed to serve human users whilesimultaneously be able to monitor and control various subsystemswith varying levels of autonomous functions. The resultingproduct provides secure data connections and storage for bothuser and Unmanned Ground or Aerial Vehicles. Finally, the groundfor future development and connectivity to other systems of theagri-food supply chain was laid.
System’s ArchitectureThe proposed architecture serves the needs of theprogram while ensuring that data and processing isavailable in every stage of the implementation. Inmore detail, the information system is hosted on aserver and acts as the central node of the system towhich all subsystems connect to upload or downloaddata. The Farm Management Information System(FMIS) accesses the algorithms that can compiledatasets to secondary data and feed through abidirectional connection the autonomous vehicles andenhance information received from mounted sensors.These feedback loop enables the system to operateefficiently in the complex agri-production environment
System architecture
FMIS interface
Pr. No. MIS 5002496
Algorithmic extraction of actionable information
UAV and UGV operations in real field conditions
System DesignAnalysis and definition of the technical,
agronomic and physiological requirements as prerequisites for the effective
development and implementation of the proposed system.
Robot AdjustmentResearch prototypes as well as commercial
autonomous vehicles-platforms will be adjusted, to create a flexible group
adaptable to different types of production
Data AnalysisProcessing and analysis of the data
collected by the sensors of the autonomous vehicles, using data fusion
and mechanical learning algorithms
FMIS DesignAnalysis of the existing information
systems and setting up the standards for the information system for managing farms
(FMIS).
System ValidationIntegration of all the work of the proposed system to validate that all the subsystems
work efficiently and successfully.
Experimental EvaluationThe system will be evaluated in an orchard,
a linear cultivation, a greenhouse and a livestock building
Sustainability AssessmentThe environmental sustainability of the proposed techniques and production
systems is considered, using appropriate methods.
Dissemination of ResultsDissemination of results to stakeholders
and to the general public through workshops, printed material, web pages,
etc.