Economic and population growth are determining factors in our growing production needs. This is why we have seen a new way of working in agriculture, focusing on innovation and technology.

It is in this context that we find agricultural robots, which are expected to play an even greater role in the agriculture of the future, driving innovation and promoting sustainability throughout the food chain.

Aware of this global trend, Herculano teamed up with INESC-TEC to develop Modular-E, a robot presented at World FIRA 2024, a promising trade fair for agricultural robotics, with several companies presenting innovative solutions aimed at improving the efficiency and sustainability of food production.

This fair featured discussions and workshops dedicated to the challenges and opportunities of robotics in agriculture. Various experts in the field shared their vision of how automation and robotics can help farmers increase productivity, reduce costs and minimize the environmental impact of their operations.

There were also several demonstrations that gave FIRA participants a practical view of how these technologies are being implemented in the field. This equipment showed its ability to work together with farmers, responding to the challenges faced by modern agriculture.

 

 

 

The Modular-E Concept

It is an autonomous modular robot for woody crops with advanced navigation capabilities. Monitoring allows the collection of visual and 3D point cloud data to feed decision support systems.

Equipped with advanced movement systems, Modular-E can move efficiently over a variety of terrains and obstacles. The robot has a variety of sensors, including cameras, a LIDAR sensor and GPS antennas, which provide a detailed perception of its surroundings.

It also works as a fertilizer applicator using variable rate technology and NPK sensors, for soil and leaves. It also has an ultra-efficient electric tool for controlling vegetation growth in row and inter-row crops. Automatic harvesting in terraced vineyards will be available in 2025. And in the future, in addition to harvesting, pruning will also be possible.