Highlights from World FIRA 2024

The Scientific Conference

The scientific conference, co-organized by RobAgri and INRAE, formed the intellectual core of the event. Bringing together industry professionals, researchers, and students, this conference facilitated discussions on the latest advances in agricultural robotics and its potential role in the agroecological transition. Under the theme "Agricultural robotics, a tool for the agroecological transition?", presentations by researchers from the TSCF unit enriched the debates during lectures and poster sessions. Whether focused on environmental recognition, safety, or the adoption of new technologies by farmers, these exchanges allowed for the exploration of new perspectives and stimulated reflection on the future of robotics in support of sustainable agriculture.

The booth

The unit’s booth was the scene of fruitful exchanges, offering visitors the opportunity to discover the latest advances in agricultural robotics research. The focus was notably on Roboterrium: a vivarium of robots in a natural environment, for a new kind of agriculture.

"The goal of this platform is to be able to share with the entire agricultural robotics community prototypes with different characteristics, allowing for the pooling of development tools and the sharing of test data." — Roland Lenain, research director within the TSCF unit.

With a demonstration of the quadruped robot UniTree, the team was able to capture attention and spark interest in their innovative work. It was also the perfect occasion to build connections and explore new collaborations.

The Hackathon

The Hackathon, organized by the Grand Défi Robotique Agricole led by RobAgri and co-organized by Opal RT, 4D Virtualize INRAE, and FIRA, was a true test of ingenuity. The idea behind this Hackathon was to invite teams to propose innovative solutions aimed at improving safety in the field of agricultural robotics.

From December 1, 2023, to January 15, 2024, participants took on the challenge remotely, using a lightweight simulator based on Gazebo and ROS2, leveraging the software framework developed by Roboterrium (see above). The selected teams then took part in the final phase, held in person during World FIRA: 24 hours non-stop to complete simulations and modeling and try to win the first prize worth €5000.
Adrian Couvent, head of the Grand Défi, explains, “This event was open to everyone. It brought together teams of students, engineers, and entrepreneurs, invited to tackle three crucial challenges: efficient coverage of a field by a robotic platform while taking known obstacles into account, pedestrian detection on the field, and avoidance of dynamic obstacles.”

This Hackathon was an opportunity for participants to demonstrate their skills and creativity. From remote development to the final presentation at the event, this new gathering encouraged thinking and collaboration to address future challenges while tackling major issues in agricultural robotics.

The demonstrations

No agricultural robotics fair would be complete without demonstrations of the latest technologies, of course! On the TSCF unit’s side, the robot presented — the result of a collaboration between INRAE and SabiAgri within the LabCom Tiara framework — perfectly illustrated the commitment of research stakeholders in developing solutions for the agriculture of tomorrow. This robot, equipped with a laser-based vegetation detection system and a GPS, is capable of reconstructing a trajectory to follow in real time. Roland Lenain, research director within the unit, emphasizes the importance of this work in developing advanced robotic behaviors.

World FIRA 2024 was an event full of exchanges, discoveries, and innovations. It confirmed the essential role of agricultural robotics in the transition towards more sustainable and efficient practices. Thanks to collaboration between institutions, companies, and researchers, the sector is preparing to meet the challenges of tomorrow.