From November 12 - 18, 2023, the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) welcomed numerous interested visitors to AGRITECHNICA. This year's trade fair theme was "GREEN PRODUCTIVITY" and the ATB presented the electrically powered mower of the SunBot, an autonomous mowing Hoftrac. Numerous visitors to our booth at the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) took a closer look at our innovative mower. They learnt more about how it works in in-depth discussions. Our technical developments and approaches generated a broad range of interest, particularly from industry.
The SunBot, which we finalised as a functional model after four years of intensive research and development, was funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). It is designed to autonomously carry out maintenance work in soft fruit orchards, taking into account small animals and other obstacles. Fully electrically powered and equipped with state-of-the-art sensor technology, the SunBot enables precise navigation day and night with an accuracy of around 5-10 cm. The use of these autonomous technologies enables more frequent mowing of the undergrowth in the tramline and channels the clippings directly to the plants for nutrient supply. This in turn can have a positive effect on the microclimate of the shrubs and therefore on the yield.
Prominent guest at the booth: Cem Özdemir informed himself about the SunBot project
ATB had the honour of welcoming Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir to its booth. The federal politician was informed in detail about the SunBot project and the research at ATB.
Expert discussions at the Expert Stage Green Productivity
On November 15, talks were held at the Expert Stage Green Productivity, in which ATB researchers also took part. Among them was a Fireside Chat with Prof Cornelia Welzien followed by a panel discussion on the topic of "Ready for Autonomy - Field Robotics in Theory and Practice". Another session was dedicated to the role of digitalisation in the D4AgEcol project for "Smart Agricultural Technology" and the contribution of digitalisation to biodiversity.
AGRITECHNICA 2023 in Hanover was a complete success for ATB. The trade fair provided an important platform for the exchange of agricultural innovations and solutions. ATB is delighted with the positive feedback and the opportunity for interdisciplinary dialogue.
SunBot project contact person: Prof. Cornelia Weltzien
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