Robotics & Automation News

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Agriculture

Rising costs, climate change and lack of automation putting pressure on farmers’ profits

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Dramatic increases in labor costs and other input, along with climate change, have put significant pressure on farmers’ profits, according to analysis from McKinsey & Company.

Farmers have reported that the cost of fertilizer and crop protection has risen by 80 to 250 percent over the past few years.

Meanwhile, a warmer climate is resulting in increased weather variability, more frequent acute weather events, longer droughts, and new invasive crops and pests, all of which reduce yields. [Read more…] about Rising costs, climate change and lack of automation putting pressure on farmers’ profits

fruitcore robotics unveils new operating system with integrated ‘AI copilot’

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fruitcore robotics, a developer of industrial automation technologies, has launched what it describes as “an innovative operating system that uses the latest AI technology”.

horstOS is designed to give industrial companies a new tool at their disposal that assists them in “every step” of commissioning entire applications with the intelligent industrial robot HORST while significantly reducing complexity.

With an integrated AI copilot, industrial companies can increase the efficiency of their production processes and save time. [Read more…] about fruitcore robotics unveils new operating system with integrated ‘AI copilot’

Summer Berry Company partners with Tortuga AgTech

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Cibus Capital says one of its portfolio companies, UK berry grower The Summer Berry Company (TSBCo), has extended its partnership with Tortuga AgTech, a provider of commercial harvesting robot fleet.

TSBCo has deployed 52 Tortuga robots in its 26 ha of glasshouses and 140 ha of polytunnels in Southwest England to harvest strawberries, provide forecasting on yields, plant health as well as providing support to their agronomists in fighting pests via UV light application.

Cibus Capital advises on investments that support sustainable agricultural production and the incorporation of disruptive technologies into its portfolio companies is pivotal to its mission. [Read more…] about Summer Berry Company partners with Tortuga AgTech

Swiss agritech startup Ecorobotix raises $52 million in new funding

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Ecorobotix, the Swiss manufacturer of ARA, an AI powered plant-by-plant recognition and a precision smart sprayer system, has completed a $52 million (CHF 46 million) funding round.

The round was jointly led by AQTON Private Equity and Cibus Capital, with additional investments from Swisscanto Invest/Swisscanto Growth Fund I, Yara Growth Ventures, Flexstone Partners, and from existing investors including Swisscom Ventures, BASF Venture Capital, 4FOX Ventures, and Verve Ventures.

The funding will accelerate Ecorobotix’s geographic expansion across new and existing markets and accelerate new product development. [Read more…] about Swiss agritech startup Ecorobotix raises $52 million in new funding

Your gateway to explore vertical farming industry in the Gulf – GVF 2023 will go live this September in Dubai

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As days pass and the Middle East’s largest and only exclusive event – the Global Vertical Farming Show 2023 by TAB group in Dubai happening on 13th and 14th September, gets near – it is being exceptionally acclaimed and talked about amongst the industry professionals.

The summit will bring together experts, innovators, and leaders in the vertical farming industry from across the globe.

The event will serve as a platform for discussions on the latest trends, ideas, and innovative solutions in the field of vertical farming, and its potential to transform the future of agriculture and food industry. [Read more…] about Your gateway to explore vertical farming industry in the Gulf – GVF 2023 will go live this September in Dubai

CNH Industrial unveils ‘first’ electric tractor prototype with autonomous features

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CNH Industrial has unveiled the New Holland T4 Electric Power – which the company says is “the industry’s first all-electric light utility tractor prototype with autonomous features” – at its Tech Day in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, at the start of this year.

A concentrated effort between CNH’s team of experts in the USA (Burr Ridge, Detroit) and Italy (Modena) was able to halve this prototype’s development time thanks to collaboration with CNH’s strategic partner Monarch Tractor – an electrified agtech innovator based in California, USA. CNH says its expertise and resources, in conjunction with Monarch’s disruptive technology, “made this world-first result possible”.

This product milestone is the latest development in CNH’s strategic plan for electrification. The prototype presented is branded New Holland Agriculture, while the commercial model will also extend to the CNH Case IH Brand. It follows the launch of the multi award-winning e-Source power pack – an external generator for electric farm implements. [Read more…] about CNH Industrial unveils ‘first’ electric tractor prototype with autonomous features

CNH Industrial adds new automation and autonomy solutions to agtech portfolio

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CNH Industrial debuted its latest automation and autonomy solutions at its Tech Day in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, at the start of this year.

New Driverless Tillage and Driver Assist Harvest solutions from Raven, and Baler Automation from Case IH and New Holland, deliver automation and autonomous equipment enhancements.

They all help solve farming’s biggest challenges: to increase productivity and to do more with less resources, more sustainably. These latest technology developments form part of our agtech roadmap. [Read more…] about CNH Industrial adds new automation and autonomy solutions to agtech portfolio

iFarm to build ‘world’s largest’ automated vertical farm in Mexico

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iFarm, a vertical farming technologies provider, has agreed a collaboration with Opus 2G Group (Mexico) to build a whopping automated high-tech vertical farm in the Smart City of Tehuantepec in Oaxaca in the south of Mexico.

Built with cutting-edge vertical farming technologies, the farm will have a cultivation area of 38.500 square meters and will become the largest vertical farm in the world.

Smart City of Tehuantepec will be set up by the holding Opus 2G Group in frames of the project The Smart Industrial Corridor Benito Juarez (CIINT). The initiative forms part of the governmental project, Interoceanic Corridor of Tehuantepec Isthmus. [Read more…] about iFarm to build ‘world’s largest’ automated vertical farm in Mexico

Carbon Robotics raises $30 million in funding to scale its AI-powered LaserWeeder platform

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Carbon Robotics, a provider of AI-powered robotics to the agricultural sector, has closed $30 million in Series C financing from new lead investor Sozo Ventures along with existing investors Anthos Capital, Fuse Venture Capital, Ignition Partners, Liquid2 and Voyager Capital.

The funding will be used to expand sales regions in North America, optimize and scale manufacturing, develop new software and hardware products, and launch into international markets. This latest round of financing brings Carbon Robotics’ overall funding to $67 million.

Rob Freelen, managing director of Sozo Ventures, says: “Carbon Robotics’ elegant use of AI, computer vision, robotics and lasers is the only solution that enables farmers to reduce their most expensive line item – weed control – without damaging plants or the soil. [Read more…] about Carbon Robotics raises $30 million in funding to scale its AI-powered LaserWeeder platform

Future of Agriculture: What Does Automated Vertical Farming Look Like?

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Today, automation is revolutionizing productivity and bringing other benefits across almost all industries. Agriculture is also shifting from manual labor towards a highly automated model where almost no workers are required on site.

Challenges faced by conventional agriculture such as limited water resources and farmland have facilitated the development of high-tech greenhouses and indoor vertical farms.

They, in turn, spurred smart technologies for professional cultivation in controlled environments.

Automated indoor farming makes use of modern technologies such as sensors, big data, vertical farming robotics and AI-powered software to increase yield, reduce costs and minimize environmental impact. [Read more…] about Future of Agriculture: What Does Automated Vertical Farming Look Like?

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