Future leaders in agri‐food robotics

Food Science and TechnologyVolume 36, Issue 3 p. 62-65 Careers & TrainingFree Access Future leaders in agri-food robotics First published: 01 September 2022 https://doi.org/10.1002/fsat.3603_15.xAboutSectionsPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text full-text accessPlease review our Terms Conditions of Use check box below share version article.I have read accept the Wiley Online Library UseShareable LinkUse link a this article with your friends colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Kate Smith Marc Hanheide describe objectives achievements AgriFoRwArdS EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training. The Training1 (CDT) is at fore nurturing developing next cohort experts sector. Centre, established by University Lincoln collaboration Cambridge East Anglia funded UKRI's Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council, providing fully opportunities 50 students undertake their PhD studies become community. Through industry partners utilising expertise three partner organisations, CDT aims ensure that its work, students, helps transform wider food production industry. Why robotics? Agri-food largest manufacturing sector UK, supporting chain generates over £108bn per annum employs around 3.5m people2. facing many challenges Government has recognised one answers invest solution-focused research. However, autonomous systems (RAS) technologies are still infancy – them within will deliver impact but also provide challenging environment significantly push state art. do just that, transforming ‘from farm fork’ advancing fundamental capacities art RAS. Lettuce harvesting robot, Specifically, global under pressure from number factors, including labour shortages, climate change, population growth, political pressures affecting migration an ageing population. Alongside this, traditional agricultural practices harming natural environment, species wildlife risk extinction decade. Addressing these requires new generation highly skilled researchers interdisciplinary crossroads RAS, computer vision, mechatronics, machine learning artificial intelligence. That where comes in. As world's first dedicated agri-robotics, we home ever RAS specialists farming sector, who be forefront helping shape years come. focuses on five horizontal research areas, mobile autonomy human-robot (Figure 1), ambition integrate validate agriculture domains. strong engagement industrial stakeholders, it tangible value creation increase security sector's productivity, while UK's efforts reduce production. Figure 1Open figure viewerPowerPoint areas focus How works We look passionate about making positive work individuals driven. With limited studentships available, places offered only those real aptitude talent make difference field. Our students’ journeys all start initial year study MSc Robotics Autonomous Systems Lincoln, enjoying guest lectures, seminars workshops supervisors Universities Anglia, plus range additional unique activities (Table 1). Table 1. Year 1 programme (with CATS credits) Stage (PG Cert) methods (15) Artificial intelligence Foundations Robot programming 2 Dip) Computer vision Machine Advanced Frontiers Masters project (60) Following institutions. They benefit internationally leading supervisory across three-university consortium, academic two universities, advisor partners. Students access wide facilities universities. These include laboratories Isaac Newton Building; Observatory Human Collaboration3 Bio-inspired Laboratory4; Productivity East5 Anglia; Lincoln's National Manufacturing Riseholme Campus6 labs working farm. ‘With field.’ Throughout time CDT, objective advance specialising such as crops, mobility environments, soft handling delicate products, ‘co-bots’ maintaining safe interaction farms factories, automated planting precision spraying. enables specialise between four possible career routes, training tailored each directions: Academic researcher looking or professors, Engineer Executive which usually leads into positions Entrepreneur suits interested starting business small enterprise. Whichever path choose, they continue ongoing throughout programme. Associated takes place alongside programmes, upskilling areas. Soft skills, professional personal development, entrepreneurial path, leadership management training, becoming engineer, visits facilities, responsible innovation much more. A flexible approach allows tailor interests future goals. community made up important together combat issues foremost includes students7. well ensuring vibrant engaging them, course recognise part parcel facilitating student experience positive, fulfilling supported. Two-way communication commences enrolment onwards, being given opportunity governance boards, lead peer-support mechanisms activity planning. voice heard forums specific individual, £6k support funds available every student. team great pride during us were pleased see Student Union Awards 2022, ‘Highly commended’ ‘Support Service Year’ category. One current student, Roopika Ravikanna, comments ‘the most sincere understanding team’. Garry Clawson, described team's ‘tireless sure felt ensured none been left concerned any matter’. Supervisors researchers, fields expertise. provides Institute Agri-Food Technology, Systems8, Manufacturing9, Cambridge's Bio-Inspired Lab4 Department10 Anglia. students‘All supported key help drive direction so real-world sector-specific issues.’ industries needs met. All issues. There high level quality participation, projects co-created onward delivery facilitated. delighted able amazing companies organisations including: Farmers Union, Dyson Farming, Syngenta receiving valuable feedback benefits too NIAB (National Agricultural Botany) perfectly capture can partners: ‘Agri-robotics potential solutions some allow develop innovations customers. things would not accomplish own without collaborations programme.’ Industry Advisory Board combines expert opinions scientific, industrial, ethical, exploitation aspects offers effective input independent advice outside consortium. influences policy, ensures research, acts conduit academia industry, communicates government main decision body bolsters consortium sit Board. Thorvald use strawberry Achievements already seen taken forward cohort, 28 having completed far 14 now PhDs. topics very varied, solve world problems faced currently included: investigation fruit clusters simulation model workers aim increasing picking efficiency better assigning tasks creating system detect localise weeds. Callum Lennox presenting his AI weed sprayer Partner few examples ground-breaking undertaken date. proactive promoting other universities international conferences, featured variety publications, taking outreach like UKRAS Robo-lab (June 22) demonstrating school children British Week. shows, Croptec, participated COP26 (the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference), explained CDT. regular knowledge showcase done (both academically industry). monthly online seminar series, quarterly newsletter Annual Conference, collective audience promote cutting-edge undertaken. excited progress continuing forwards add more partners, grow Smith, Project Manager, College Science, Agriforwards email [email protected] Prof Hanheide, Director Professor Intelligent Interactive Systems, More information Training found at: agriforwards-cdt.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk Watch short film youtube.com/watch?v=ohzWj2EVTpQ Recruitment October 2023 begin website. References Agriforwards. 2022. Available from: https://agriforwards-cdt.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/Google Scholar Development Economics. 2017. Contributions UK agriculture. https://www.nfuonline.com/assets/93419Google Collaboration. https://www.ohmc.group.cam.ac.uk/Google 4 Laboratory. https://birlab.org/Google 5University https://www.uea.ac.uk/web/groups-and-centres/productivity-east/facilitiesGoogle 6University Lincoln. Campus. https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/liat/riseholmecampus/Google 7 https://agriforwards-students.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/posts/Google 8Lincoln Systems. https://lcas.lincoln.ac.uk/wp/Google 9University Business services. https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/holbeach/services/Google 10University Agri-forwards. centre doctoral robotics. https://www.uea.ac.uk/research/research-with-us/postgraduate-research/latest-phds-and-research-studentships/partnerships-in-doctoral-training/agriforwardsGoogle Volume36, Issue3September 2022Pages FiguresReferencesRelatedInformation