Tractor-mounted sprayers are a familiar sight in our fruit orchards in spring. Chemicals are required at various stages of apple growing both to thin out blossom and to control pests. The problems associated with these are also well-known though and include water waste and pesticide drift (i.e. chemicals being inevitably carried on the wind to unwanted places such as our gardens). The resulting environmental repercussions are prompting the European Union to introduce increasingly stringent regulations and bans. What solutions do farmers have to these issues?

As automated fruit harvesting spreads quickly around the world (suction hoses are used in New Zealand and the USA, and drones in Israel) South Tyrolean start-up Aigritec, based at NOI Techpark, has gone a step further and developed a smart, sustainable robot for complete orchard management. Using a combination of computer vision, AI and advanced robotics, the agricultural process is made fully electric and automated, from inspection (of buds, flowers, and fruit) to treatment (thinning out, maintenance and pruning) and harvesting. A single robot therefore does the job of a team of farm workers, independently taking charge of tree care and pruning, with no additional emissions, waste or drift issues.

With the two Bolzano-based founders, AI expert Elia Bruni and electrical engineer and robotics expert Daniele Facchin, two of Aigritec’s four employees are also owners of fruit orchards. They are convinced that instead of replacing humans, technology will enable them to improve what is no longer sustainable and save time and resources that can be used elsewhere.

In addition to the spaces and services of NOI’s Start-up Incubator, Aigritec also benefits from access to EU funding and European partners. Thanks to the AgROBOfood programme and €300,000 of funding, the start-up has developed TOMMIE, a revolutionary robot that chemically thins out flowers with doses tailored to each tree. The results exceed expectations with 90% water savings, twice the thinning efficiency and a drastic reduction in chemicals and environmental impact. To support such innovative projects, NOI offers strategic advice on how to access European innovation and research funding and helps companies submit and manage projects. As official partner of the EEN network, which includes 600 organisations in over 60 countries, NOI provides a database with thousands of contacts in a wide variety of sectors.

All NOI Techpark services for innovative businesses and start-ups are listed at https://noi.bz.it/it/servizi. The NOI team can also be reached by email or by phone for an initial meeting or consultation: info@noi.bz.it | +39 0471 066 689.