Duration: 2025-2030

Project Overview:
AGROBOOST is a pilot driven, 5-year multi-disciplinary project that aims to transform the agricultural sector into a more attractive, sustainable and efficient industry by harnessing the power of advanced robotics, augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), automation and digitalisation revealing the societal and economic benefits for all the people working in agriculture, especially women, young professionals and farmers with moving disabilities. Through the development of cutting-edge, ground-breaking solutions, the project will improve the safety and appeal of agricultural work, reduce environmental impacts, enhance productivity and address labour shortages. AGROBOOST will also emphasize on the development of flexible business models, concrete system analysis tools and training curricula to ensure the widespread adoption and the rapid uptake of these technology innovations. Six
distinct and diverse pilot validation campaigns will be demonstrated in 6 countries across Europe, covering multiple agricultural practices and sectors including (1) tree pruning and flower thinning, (2) mushroom selective harvesting, (3) automated weeding, (4) strawberries gentle picking, (5) animal husbandry and livestock farm management and (6) crop monitoring in steep slope viticulture.
Besides the 6 pre-selected pilot validation campaigns, 8 more validations as part of the project’s funding and implementation strategy will be awarded through an Open Call, enabling a dynamic response to a changing policy and technology landscape. Through the engagement of a diverse range of stakeholders e.g., farmers (young and women), farm workers, advisors, technology providers and scientists in decision-making processes and the incorporation of social sciences perspectives, AGROBOOST will create a more inclusive and forward-looking agricultural landscape, securing a promising and sustainable future for farming.

LCAS contributions:
LCAS, in collaboration will IntLab, plays a central role in the AGROBOOST project, leading the development and demonstration of virtual reality (VR) related technologies aimed at improving working conditions in agriculture. LCAS contributes to Virtual Reality and Robotic Solutions for Increased Safety and Improved Performance through the development of VR systems integrated with robotic platforms for agricultural harvesting, including autonomous robotic platforms, VR-powered training, and VR environments for robotic system control. These solutions enhance safety, provide realistic robot learning, and improve efficiency for field operations like harvesting and pruning.

LCAS leads the pilot on strawberry harvesting contributing to algorithm development, system integration, and field validation, ensuring that the developed technologies meet real-world agricultural challenges. Furthermore, engages in inclusive strategies to facilitate the adoption of these new technologies by diverse user groups, including women, young farmers, and persons with disabilities, thereby supporting the project’s goals of enhancing sustainability, safety, and social responsibility in agriculture.

Consortium:
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN (Coordinator)
NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS
KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
ÉCOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FÉDÉRALE DE LAUSANNE
AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS
INSTITUTO DE ENGENHARIA DE SISTEMAS E COMPUTADORES
TECNOLOGIA E CIÊNCIA
UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR AGRARIAN AND VETERINARIAN RESEARCH
DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET
HARPER ADAMS UNIVERSITY
FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT FÜR BIOLOGISCHEN LANDBAU STIFTUNG
NETCOMPANY-INTRASOFT S.A.
SINOPSIS SOCIALLY INTEGRATED INNOVATION SRL
WISEFOUR INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION LTD
MARTEL INNOVATE GMBH
GREEN & DIGITAL IKE
FEDERACIÓN DE ASOCIACIONES DE MUJERES RURALES
ASSOCIAÇÃO DOS JOVENS AGRICULTORES DE PORTUGAL

Contacts:
Athanasios Polydoros (PI)
Renata Ntelia (Co-I)
Patrick Dickinson (Co-I)