New technologies and innovative approaches in Agri-food and Tourism to enhance excellence in Western Macedonia (AGRO – TOUR)
Work Package 2: Intelligent Bean Cultivation Optimization System in the context of Precision Agriculture – VELOS
AGRO-TOUR focuses on the fields of agri-food and tourism, including actions aiming at the priorities of the Regional Strategy for Smart Specialization, and at the same time contribute to the development of modern research infrastructures with the aim of strengthening innovation and promoting excellence in the region. The project’s activities include bioeconomy in relation to agri-food, development of innovative applications for precision agriculture and livestock, while in the field of tourism the study of related policies in the region of Western Macedonia and the development of innovative mixed reality applications and serious games for the development of special types of tourism (such as walking and thematic tourism) and the promotion of modern culture.
WP2 research project aims to capitalize research results in the field of Internet of Things (IoT) and Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) to create a smart ecosystem. The viability of livestock companies requires a shift from profit maximization to reduced production costs and improved product quality. The integration of new Information Communication Technologies (ICT) in the production process allows the monitoring and recording of critical parameters, their processing and utilization for the production of new knowledge and support in decision making and contributes to the to the rational management of the production cycle. The development of intelligent automated management systems and a new innovative value-added chain based on product quality and traceability is a critical challenge to increase the competitiveness of companies in the region of Western Macedonia.
IoT technologies, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), robotic mechanisms and machine learning, will optimize the usage of chemicals for plant protection in agriculture. The “smart ecosystem” will consist of a) an innovative, easy-to-install and fully-parameterised LPWAN network, b) an automated drone management system c) wireless energy autonomous sensors for real-time sampling, d) robotic mechanisms, e) a platform that collects data, correlates it with open data, processes, analyses and creates forecasting models and a system for predicting the qualitative and quantitative change in production and smart decision-making regarding the usage of pesticides and fertilizers. Finally, the proposed platform provides ongoing control of quality and product tracking allowing for integrated management. The pilot installation of the system in selected fields will contribute to the future implementation on a larger scale to increase the desicion-making capacity of plant protection and fertilization decisions.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE WORK PACKAGE 2
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Telecommunication Networks & Advanced Services Laboratory
- Digital Systems & Computer Architecture Laboratory
- Intelligent Systems and Optimization Laboratory
- School of Agricutlure
Co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and national funds through the Operational Programme “Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation” (EPANEK), National Strategic Reference Framework (ESPA) 2014-2020
Duration: November 2020 – May 2023