The fourth edition of Future Trends & Innovations was recently held . Unlike early editions , it was completely online this time , and with more applications than ever before , noticed personal organiser AVAG , TNO , Stichting Hortivation and GreenTech contently .
There was also plenty of discussion from behind the screen , with as an inspiring question at the end of the plenary part whether ' we ' in the sector really know who is further along in robotisation : ' us ' or ' the other rural area ' ?
That doubt arose after a keynote voice communication from Jan de Ruyter , Sector Banker for Plant Sectors at ABN AMRO . Together with workfellow at the bank he introduce a written report this summer with the foretelling that ' the battle for agricultural robots will erupt ' and that ' a tripling of the market for agricultural golem in ten years is possible ' . During his speech , he expanded on this .
Jan de Ruyter gave the keynote talking to
The ' danger ' of the ' vainglorious guys’The well - known phenomenons like the increase of labor price in finish , the world food issue and planetary contender were also touched upon . Competition from the ' boastful guys ' as well , who see grow opportunity in ( greenhouse ) horticulture , where there are obviously chances for robots .
The question is , is that competition a ' danger ' to Dutch gardening engineering companies ? Can they keep their unattackable position in international high - technical school glasshouse gardening when unattackable party come forwards from for instance Silicon Valley or Israel , where Jan notices important investments in robotics ?
Dutch ecosystemThe Dutch ecosystem for robotics growth is doing well , according to Jan and his colleages at ABN AMRO , with hatful of university and innovative companionship that are meddlesome with developments in the field of robotics .
Startups too - Jan , on behalf of ABN AMRO , mark that the camber has a tough time supporting them financially , because it can be laborious to assess where those parties are at and what their potential difference is . connect startup and investors to each other , that ’s a greater strength of the money box .
Netherlands accrue behind?Assessing that potential , and in the main , how far along companies are with their automaton , that ’s not just intemperate for the savings bank . In the livechat during the webinar a merry discussion stand up , about the question whether the Netherlands is getting caught up with by foreign rival in the field of horticultural robotics .
The ' pessimists ' are sure of that . They take heed ( success ) news report about golem from all around the world , while in the Netherlands , greenhouses are far from robot - fill . A coherent intellection , probably resulting from the love for the horticultural sphere that might drastically commute when many parties , some even from outdoor horticulture , will take over the lead positioning .
' What comes from afar , ( sound ) good’On the other hand there ’s the ' optimists ' ( or ' realists ' ? ) who nuance each and every story about the birthing of strange robotics players . " The strange stories about developments often sound further along than they really are " , was noted in the confab . The Dutch saying ' What come from afar , is good ' , was applicable here . This saying mean that something foreign sounds special and therefore mass think it is especial , which might not be rightful at all . In the chat it was immediately followed with : " But we ca n’t resist still ! "
The ' optimists ' point out that the Netherlands is really not doing that . Check the case of , among other thing , multiple ( prototype ) harvesting automaton and robotics for cultivation actions or crop protection . Stories about these proficiency also get out , but the Netherlands is ' pocket-sized ' and ' afield ' is way bigger , so these tale be given to get mislay .
Especially if you start Googling or spy on social media . You find so many videos of ' topnotch fast ' robots . But it stay hard to forecast how far along those party really are in their development .
Being the firstJan , as keynote speaker , got the last word . He noted that the feeling of ' the Netherlands missing out a little ' was cause to publish the report . How do ' we ' secure that the Netherlands keeps the role of horticulture proficiency player , in the field of horticulture robotics as well ?
By involving the raiser , the very good growers here in the Netherlands , in the ontogeny of the robotics , Jan stated . And by ensuring that , where there ’s legislative barriers , they do n’t get in the way of the development too much .
And : by work together and not every piece for himself trying to invent the wheel . That too , working on an individual basis , may be ( one of the ) causes of the ' secrecy ' in the playing field of robotics . Because everyone wants to be the first with the adept automaton there is , and not risking prove something the other one will take off with .
Angela Barendregt , Thijs Res and Pieter Ammerlaan exhibit a movie with their vision on the ' Greenhouse 2030 ' .
Greenhouse 2030The golem , at least large volumes of them , will not be around very presently . But the ontogenesis do not digest still . Members of Young AVAG know that too . At the beginning of the programme , they got to divvy up their vision of the ' Greenhouse 2030 ' .
Pieter Ammerlaan ( Havecon ) , Angela Barendregt ( Hoogendoorn ) and Thijs Res ( VB Group ) present a picture , in which a few of the first members from this gardening technique talent club ( of which a second year will be held , say AVAG president Annie van de Riet proudly ) polish their light on that 2030 greenhouse .
From the outside , that greenhouse wo n’t be that different than the nursery today , but on the interior it will be very different . Greenhouses will be equipped with among other things ( full ) LED , drones and an increasing amount of automated , data - based climate and irrigation systems .
And , after the above discourse , and interesting idea for the futurity : the consumer and/or emptor of a mathematical product might , in 2030 , have some influence on the production of his tomato or cuke in the greenhouse . The grower , still in control , could do more for the personalize ( taste ) wishes of the client .
Enough food for thought , and for those who did n’t have enough yet , a personalised program followed that involved speakers with innovations for the medium term ( 5 - 10 year ) and short term ( 1 - 5 year ) .
pic : Rolf van Koppen Fotografie
© FloralDaily.com/Thijmen Tiersma
