Maynooth University and Irish Distillers are partnering on a pilot research project to develop an autonomous regenerative agriculture platform through robotics and sensing solutions, to improve the sustainability of cereal crop production.
Through a two-year bursary, Irish Distillers will support a research team at MU on a journey to develop an efficient and economically viable solution, using robotics, to support regenerative agriculture and improve the environmental impact of cereal crop production.
The project will use mobile farming robots, sensing solutions and vertical solar panels to monitor and manage cereal cultivation, with the aim of optimising grain yields and resource utilisation while delivering a resilient ecosystem that nurtures soil health, biodiversity, and long-term environmental vitality.
MU is a leader in pioneering theoretical and experimental research into field and service robotics and associated technologies, with a particular focus on applications where robots and humans collaborate to solve problems. The University Campus is home to a 1-hectare Robot Farm and a Sustainability Research Station.
As part of this research project, test plots at the MU Robot Farm were planted this Spring with a variety of crops and monitored regularly throughout the summer with 3D cameras and soil testing before being harvested in Autumn. The robotics team has developed new imaging techniques that use both the shape and colour of the plants leaves to automatically determine plant health.
Graham Caulwell, Head of Sustainability & Compliance, Irish Distillers commented: “We are immensely proud to invest in the next generation to research and develop innovative solutions to address one of the biggest challenges of our time. With the integration of robotics, this pioneering project aims to support regenerative agriculture while enhancing efficiency. This partnership is more than a commercial alliance; it is the fusion of shared visions for a sustainable future.”
Professor Rachel Msetfi, MU Vice President of Research and Innovation said: “Maynooth University welcomes this partnership with industry in supporting the development of sustainable agriculture. This important collaboration aligns with Maynooth University’s focus on sustainability as one of our key beacon research areas under the University’s Strategic Plan. I would like to thank Irish Distillers for this funding and research opportunity.”
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Left to right: MU's Head of Electronic Engineering Prof Gerry Lacey, Irish Distillers' Head of Sustainability & Compliance Graham Caulwell and MU PhD researcher Rana Umair Hameed