A tiny artificial four-legged friend has landed in Extremadura. And the project called ‘AGRHOUND’ is testing robot dogs that can learn to walk between vineyards and berry tunnels, thus giving farmers very useful information about their crops. The project is still in its early stages, but officials have already given some clues about what they are capable of.
which is happening The Agro-Food Technology Center of Extremadura (CTAEX) is developing a quadrupedal robot with the ability to move autonomously through the lands of this autonomous community. The idea is that it can collect crop data through its sensors, and artificial intelligence algorithms can convert that data into useful information for farmers, such as which areas are ready to harvest or where to take samples.
The initiative is called AGRHOUND. According to the person responsible for the project, Luis Muñoz from CTAEX’s Department of Agricultural Research and Development, the objective is to “put precision agriculture on its feet,” as shared by El Pais.
Mobile data platform. According to El Economista, precision agriculture in the region still relies heavily on tablets, apps and irrigation sensors, systems that CTAEX itself and the regional research center CICYTEX have promoted in recent years.
A walking robot adds a mobile platform that can collect data directly from the crop. They have the advantage of their four-legged mobility, since they can access terrain that other platforms would have difficulty accessing. They will also be integrated with drones to collect data.
How it works. According to Muñoz to El País, researchers are working on making the robot navigate on its own both in open fields and in macrotunnels and greenhouses. The next step is to create crop characteristics and spectral maps in real time. These maps will show how ripe the fruit will be, so the system can suggest optimization for harvesting.
The final goal is for the robot to detect differences between areas of a plot, decide where to go, and collect samples with a robotic arm without human help, according to El Economista. The results will be delivered through a simple application so that farmers and technicians can read the data without needing extensive knowledge of the subject.
on the ground First trials are already underway in the blackberry orchards grown under the macrotunnel at the vineyards of Bodegas Familiars Matarromera in Valladolid and at Social Berries in Huelva. Each environment has its challenges, such as in vineyards the robot must navigate slopes and uneven terrain, while in tunnels it must operate without hitting structures.
Muñoz told the media that the researchers already have a fairly advanced algorithm for Tempranillo grapes thanks to their previous work on precision agriculture, while for blackberries they had to practically start from scratch.
financing. El Economista noted that the project is a test of whether a platform can work in such diverse farming systems. It is also a sign of where the sector is headed. And ‘AGRHOUND’ is part of “Agriculture 5.0”, a model that combines robotics, sensors, digitalization and AI. The consortium includes CTAEX, Matarromera, Social Berries 4.0, SpectralGeo and SOLTEL, with support from the Proditi Foundation. It is co-financed by the European Union through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Spain.
He has a few years left. The project began in June and is expected to run through early 2029, according to El Pais. The focus this year is on collecting data and running algorithms, while the 2027 and 2028 crop seasons will be used to feed the system with more data and test it under real-world conditions. Munoz admits that the main challenge is to demonstrate that the robot is truly useful and profitable for farmers, and to keep it simple enough for everyday farming tasks.
On the other hand, regarding employment, Muñoz clarified that “Our objective is not to replace professionals in the field. With this robot, we can cover more plots in less time and get information that is currently difficult to collect.”
Cover image CTAEX
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