Description

MIRAGE, a project developed by Osiris Agriculture in France, revolves around an automated robot armed with artificial intelligence for precise water irrigation in fields. The ultimate goal is to enhance water usage efficiency and relieve farmers from related manual tasks.

Technical Progress

The journey began with a prototype water irrigation system, "OSCAR" at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5. The aim within agROBOfood was to refine this system into a commercially viable product by boosting its efficiency and upgrading it based on farmers' feedback. A new prototype was completed during the development phase, integrating it with a ground-penetrating radar prototype inclusive of machine vision. This system was operational at the season's commencement, allowing extensive testing which led to several improvements. By the final report, the system had reached a TRL of 7, capable of performing water irrigation autonomously, receiving real-time data on water needs, and reducing water and energy consumption by 10% and 20% respectively. Further, it automated labour-intensive irrigation tasks, decreasing manual work by up to 80%. The use of ground-penetrating radar technology for soil moisture information collection could potentially lead to additional water savings of up to 45%.

Network Progress

Throughout their agROBOfood participation, MIRAGE connected with two SMEs. A partnership with Sensar Consulting in Belgium provided them access to needed technology for their ground-penetrating radar technology. Further, they collaborated with GITEP80 in France, an end-user that provided a location for field tests and served as a demonstration point for connecting with other farmers. By the final report, MIRAGE had sold three robots as service contracts for 2024 and received fifteen letters of intent from interested farmers. They also engaged in talks with distributors in France, Belgium, Poland, and Switzerland, showcasing their efforts to broaden their market.

To spread their results, MIRAGE participated in press articles, TV interviews, and attended a conference day organized by the Société Publique de Gestion de l'Eau. They also interacted with over 50 farmers at the Chambre de l'Agriculture de la Somme Conference and prepared a scientific journal article, "Ground-penetrating radar full-wave inversion for soil moisture mapping in trench-hill potato fields for precise irrigation". Lastly, they conducted demonstrations of their technology at several exhibitions and field days, and established contact with an irrigation machine reseller.

Start Date: September 2021

Duration: 17 months

Contact Person: Mr. Henri Desesquelles