The agricultural sector has developed into a highly technical area of global significance for food, energy and landscape management. Connect the demand for new ideas for technical solutions to the economic benefits with social and environmental impact is great.

A major platform for the development of autonomous robots is the field from the University of Wakening, launched Field Robot Event. Since 2003, the event not only encourages the development of autonomous field robots, but also for interdisciplinary cooperation and knowledge exchange between all parties involved. From the outset, the University of Applied Sciences Innsbruck, which has hosted the competition this year in June? The robot had to be overcome in specially prepared corn field’s different tasks: Navigating in curved rows of corn, including turning process, the detection of foreign bodies in the form of golf balls and the lowering of corn rows presented challenges in extreme conditions dark.

Intelligent assistants what started out as a gadget comes along to satisfy specific needs in the future of agriculture? Where farmers are under price pressure because the demand for Automatis rung is great. In the spirit of effective field treatment, the intelligent assistant could not only eliminate weeds and spreading seed and fertilizer. Ideally, they also recognize the pests of plants and the ripening of the fruit – and all without remote control. In other areas there is a great need for rationalization. “The self-propelled feed mixer technology is a big issue,” says jury member Dr. John Marque ring. Ten teams have taken upon themselves during the competition in the various tasks. The university itself has participated with the team “Agronauten” in the competition. For months, 15 students tinkered under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Arno Ruckelshaus engineering scientists in their robots and programming the necessary software. “In the weeks before the event we worked twelve to 16 hours a day,” says team member Timothy Brenningmeyer. Chances of overall victory settled the other hand, not from Innsbruck: “This going to be the teams from Brunswick and Helsinki this out among themselves,” suggested Brenningmeyer. And he should keep quite: The students from Helsinki to the robot with the simple name “4M” seasoned with a systematic approach and a very good reaction to the mechanics, electronics and software. The group from the Technical University of Braunschweig came with their robot “Helios” and placed behind the Finns on the 2nd Rank. Three years ago the group was founded at the initiative of the University. In 2006, the nine trying for the first time took part in a competition in Hohenheim in Stuttgart. The base of the robot at that time was from a monster truck that was equipped with appropriate sensors, a camera and software. According to a former position in the midfield, the Group won last year’s total victory.

Practical experience various theses of students have been introduced in the further development of Helios. The work on the robot is not only a practical experience, but also an examination of the team members. The Brunswick have used their free time for weeks on the completion of the robot and made many a night into day. “Had breakfast we have lunch in the cafeteria,” says Mark Robert wink. Students in the tenth semester of practical experience in addition to irritate especially the discussions and professional contacts during the event. And they were plentiful during the event, because in the course of the event was also held an exhibition of companies and institutions. For the students an excellent opportunity to position themselves through their work and have time to get close to potential future employers. Not only for students offered the Field Robot Event ways to present practical skills. For the second time the competition was “Field Robot Junior” discharged, which met strong response: A total of 30 student teams had a deployable robot and provided an exciting and entertaining contest. The robot had to follow a course within the course of a white line. The track was completely flat in the first section, while the second section, however, showed uneven and slopes had. The second task required a drive along a by gangs and artificial corn plants limited range. The top two teams won the Kopi-Rob 1 and 2 of Copernicus Gymnasium in Rheine. Third place was shared by the team’s battle cookies and bubble from the Goethe Gymnasium in Hamburg. Some universities presented to the public autonomous robots that have almost reached the stage of mass production. Among them was the Lawnmower Casmobot, which was developed at the University of Southern Denmark. The mower could be used in football stadiums or in parks.

Sustainable Technology In addition to the competitions and demonstrations of knowledge exchange took place between the participating student groups not to short. In a scientific symposium, the participants exchanged on the current state of development. Overall, was present at the Field Robot Event 2008 Lower Saxony much know-how. Both the student groups and the participants at the Field Robot Junior convinced with advanced services.