Demo day helps inspire a new generation of farmer

Robots, AI on display at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre a signal of a new age of agriculture

This robotic tractor paired with an ISA sprayer can automatically spray orchards, promising better efficiency since technology is used to turn individual nozzles on and off so the spray only targets the trees. Luke Edwards photo

By Luke Edwards

With an Xbox controller in their hands, visitors young and old tried to navigate the robot through the rows of corn.

For some, years of video games paid off, while for others a few broken stalks of corn signalled game over. Fortunately, the robot is normally on autopilot, inspecting fields day and night.

“Everybody that we’ve talked to, they want to get their hands on a robot,” said Tanya Franklin, vice president of agronomy and strategic partnerships for Upside Robotics. The company was one of 16 displays at last month’s demonstration day at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre.

Based in the Kitchener-Waterloo region, Upside Robotics was born out of a desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that come from nitrogen applications in agriculture, namely in corn production. The company created a robot that roams corn fields, applying nutrients as needed.

“We found we could cut nitrogen rates back by over 70 per cent on specific farms,” said Franklin.

Historically, Franklin said something in the neighbourhood of 60 per cent of nitrogen that’s applied to corn fields gets lost to the atmosphere. Their robot is able to apply the fertilizer much more efficiently, reducing that number significantly.

“So it’s saving the farmers a lot of money on nutrients, and then not impacting yield at all,” she said.

Following a trial of seven farms that covered a total of 70 acres last year, the company is now looking to calibrate how to cut the nitrogen back and seeing if they can really push yields.

Bryan Lynch, the director of horticultural technology solutions for VRIC, said it was great to see such a turnout. Several industry people came out to the research farm, speaking with the companies displaying their technology and learning where farming could be going in the future.

“It’s showcasing groundbreaking Ontario-based technology,” he said.

Ian Potter, the centre’s CEO and president, said the demo day fit in with their mandate, which is to go beyond simply developing interesting technology.

“Taking that step to make sure it’s impactful to the sector,” he said.

Many of the companies displaying their technology were local to Niagara. Sean Bartlett, business unit manager of NM Bartlett Inc. in Beamsville, was running his combo robotic tractor-ISA sprayer.

As the tractor navigated its way through the orchard, the sprayer’s nozzle came on and off with elite precision.

“The nozzles are turning on and off on their own, and that’s based on these sensors that are on here,” he said.

“It’s basically reading if there’s any green tissue, so chlorophyll, and if it reads it then it turns that single nozzle on.”

Like the Upside Robotics machine, the ISA sprayer improves efficiency and means growers can use less.

In addition to working with the sprayer, Bartlett said the tractor can also be used with a mower or flail chopper.

Meanwhile, Bartlett said they’re also working with Vivid Machines - another company that was at the demo day - to utilize its camera technology to take things a step further. Some trees, like honeycrisp apples, are biannual. With Vivid’s camera technology it can detect fruit loads, which provides an opportunity to more efficiently deploy thinners.

“Do I want to spray this thinner on every tree? No, there’s no value,” Bartlett said.

Collaboration was a recurring theme that came out during the day. Several of the companies are combining their technologies to produce something even better, while VRIC researchers are also offering their expertise to the start-ups.

Bartlett said the partnerships are great, and demo days can also go a long way in making younger people consider agriculture.

“More than anything it can help energize younger generations to want to get back into farming,” he said.

Another local company, Econse, is based out of St. Catharines and run by Derek Davy. He’s worked with companies in different sectors who have water pollution issues, with devices that treat water on site. His involvement with Vineland is focusing on greenhouse operators.

“We’re doing a demo project with vineland to help introduce our technology to the greenhouse sector,” he said. With governments increasingly concerned about water pollution, Davy said the technology can help achieve targets get unwanted elements like phosphorous out of the water.

“What we do is help businesses double their size without doubling their impact on the environment,” he said.

The company is known for its work with Bench Brewing, which uses the technology to treat waste water from the brewing process. What’s left over is used for processes like irrigation.