Interested in some AgRobotics field demos?

Join the AgRobotics Working Group for its Demo Days on the 4^th and 11^th of July!

The AgRobotics Working Group is hosting two demo days for agricultural producers to learn about technology being validated for Ontario’s diverse production systems in fruit, vegetable, specialty crops and more (nursery growers are of course welcome!).
There are two demo days, with the technology showcased on July 11th potentially having some relevance to nursery production practices; but you can be the judge! Registration is required to attend, and you can read more about the different technologies being showcased below to help decide which demo day would be most relevant to you:

Registration for July 4th at the Muck Crops Research Station – Bradford

July 4, 2024 – 1125 Woodchoppers Lane, Kettleby, ON, L0G 1J0.
9:30am-3pm. Please arrive at 9am; demonstrations begin at 9:30am.
Registration required: Click here.

Registration for July 11th at the Simcoe Research Station

July 11, 2024 – 1283 Blueline Road, Simcoe, ON, N3Y 4K3.
9:30am-3pm. Please arrive at 9am; demonstrations begin at 9:30am.
Registration required: Click here.

About the AgRobotics Working Group

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and Haggerty Creek Ltd. established the AgRobotics Working Group in March 2021. This group is dedicated to conducting on-farm demonstrations, fostering networks, facilitating collaboration, and brainstorming current and future technology solutions. The AgRobotics WG has been instrumental in bringing several new technologies to Ontario for testing and demonstration – Naio Orio, Naio Oz, FarmDroid, Nexus La Chevre or the Goat, Agrointelli Robotti and Korechi Innovations HCW etc. The Group meets weekly to discuss ideas, review new technologies, apply for funding opportunities and develop priorities for Ontario Agriculture.

Members include representatives from all agriculture areas to obtain different perspectives and gain expert insight. This includes OMAFRA, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Municipal Governments, Haggerty AgRobotics, University of Guelph, McMaster University, University of Waterloo, Conestoga College, Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association (OFVGA), Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario (FVGO), Holland Marsh Growers Association (HMGA), Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG), Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario (IFAO), Nortera, Korechi Innovations (Oshawa, Ontario), Nexus Robotics (Montreal Quebec), FarmDroid (Denmark), Naio Technologies (France) and Raven Industries (Canada and U.S) and many more.

The overarching goal of the group is to assist both Canadian and international companies in validating their technologies within Ontario’s diverse production systems.

Technology on display on July 4th (Bradford):

Picketa L.E.N.S. https://www.picketa.com/
The LENS system rapidly performs plant tissue analysis in the office or in the field. the data is processed on Picketa’s cloud platform and transformed into nutrient concentrations. Currently able to monitor potatoes and corn, onions under development.

NEXUS Goat https://nexusrobotics.ca/
The Nexus Goat navigates and removes weeds autonomously, integrating a real-time computer vision module, AI-driven algorithms, and self-guidance system, minimizing herbicide use and reducing environmental impact.

Naïo Orio https://www.naio-technologies.com/en/orio-is-the-most-versatile-tool-carrier/
The Orio is an autonomous tool carrier with an RTK GPS guidance system. It works in a multitude of crops including lettuce, onions, carrots, cabbage, leeks, cauliflower, various herbs, and many more. An intuitive user interface makes Orio easy to set up and use. It can be used for seeding, cultivating, weeding, data collecting, spraying, etcetera. With funding through the Agri-Alliance you will see the Orio seeding, weeding, and spraying.

FarmDroid FD20 https://farmdroid.com/
Seeding and inter/intra-row weeding robot. It knows exactly where the seed is planted, enabling it to weed as close to the plant as possible. Guided by RTK GPS. Developed on sugar beets, canola, onions, and spinach in Denmark. It is solar powered with a backup battery and can cover 12-15 acres per day. With funding from the Agri-Alliance you will see the FarmDroid FD20 working in onions.

Technology on Display on July 11 (Simcoe):

Vitirover https://www.vitirover.fr/
Professional robot lawn mower. An effective ecological solution for maintaining vegetation without damaging soil, trees, vines, or plants. Mows within predefined plots, delicately coming into contact with obstacles in order to mow as close as possible to them. Solar powered and autonomous.

Naïo Oz https://www.naio-technologies.com/en/oz/
The Oz works autonomously thanks to its RTK GPS guidance system, freeing up time for other tasks. Multifunctional, with an assortment of implements available – torsion springs, brushes, seeder, Kress fingers, harrow, spiked-harrow, ridger, and more! The Oz is perfect for small plots and market gardens.

AgXeed AgBot https://www.agxeed.com/
Designed for autonomous smart spraying applications in orchards. State of the art safety features and sensors ensure crops and farmers are safe.

The Burro https://burro.ai/
Designed to work alongside people, the Burro is an autonomous mobile platform that can carry, tow, scout, patrol, mow, push, pull, or propel a variety of attachments. Able to travel on a programmed path or follow a person so that it is always where you want it to be.

Vivid Machines Vivid X Vision System https://www.vivid-machines.com/
The ultimate crop load management system for thinning, farm management, and yield. The Vivid X Vision System mounts onto any farm equipment and provides real time data and predictions for every plant. Improve orchard management with up-to-date maps detailing precise tree counts, varieties, and rootstocks, while monitoring blossoms, fruit development, and yield at the block and section level.

Harvest Corp and Triton Innovation Automatic Autonomous Harvesting Unit https://www.harvestcorptechnologies.com/
Able to reduce asparagus crews of 5 or 6 down to a single operator, and harvest 60 spears per minute, up to 30 acres per day.

Korechi Innovations HCW and the Weed Scouting Project https://korechi.com/roamio-hcw/
The HCW is capable of autonomously navigating fields to automate various tasks, with a ground clearance of 32” and adjustable width which could be used with a variety of crops. The Weed Scouting Attachment is designed to autonomously scout lima beans to create weed density maps for herbicide application and harvest avoidance.