Vertical farming is an innovative approach that is helping to tackle some of the biggest horticulture challenges today. Freddie Reed, Product Manager at Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS), gives us a taste of his upcoming talk at KTN’s Robotics & AI Industry Showcase, 25–27 May, by explaining how automation can take vertical farming a step further.
This method of growing is highly controlled and highly efficient. However, when you’re dealing with living things, “perfect” is hard to achieve, though the humidity and temperature are controlled, doors still open and close, workers move in and out of the space to transfer plants, breathing in and out and taking in air with them all the while, creating opportunities for pests and diseases to creep in. But, with robotic automation, we can take humans out of the growing environment and get one step closer to “perfect”.
At IGS, we have developed our vertical farming system around an automation platform, drastically reducing human intervention, energy use, waste, and improving biosecurity in what is already a really controlled growing method. With the fertigation, remote monitoring and transfer of crops all handled robotically, the need for manpower is reduced, saving costs and protecting the growing environment just that much more.
Over the years, we have developed a really robust system, in part due to our participation in the KTP program, and there have been major learnings along the way. The Robotics & AI Industry Showcase gives us an opportunity to explore potential AI applications to our system and meet and collaborate with new tech suppliers which is always really exciting, but it’s also a chance for us to give back, share our issues and solutions and boost robotics and AI innovation across all sectors.
To register to attend, visit, www.raishowcase.com.