RoboVine

Agricultural researchers and computer scientists are working on the development of an unmanned robot, equipped with non-invasive advanced sensors and artificial intelligence systems, which will help manage vineyards. This robot will provide reliable, fast and objective information on the state of the vineyards to grapegrowers, such as vegetative development, water status, production and grape composition. A European science consortium comprising Spanish, French Italian and German universities and companies have been working on VineRobot which will conclude in 2016. The first year of the project focused on the robot's mobility in the field and its different sensors. The next year's challenges are to give the robot the autonomy to safely drive between the vineyard lines and integrating a side camera which will provide information about the vegetation.