Student team from Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and Osnabrück University achieves outstanding success at the International Field Robot Competition and demonstrates competence, innovative strength and team spirit
Photo: Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (Andreas Linz)
(lifePR) (Osnabruck(August 23, 2024) The student team from Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and Osnabrück University achieved remarkable success at this year’s International Field Robotics Competition. The team secured one gold and four bronze medals, once again proving Osnabrück’s outstanding expertise in field robotics.
Field robot competition: traditionally innovative
The traditional event took place for the 21st time – this year during the field days of the German Agricultural Society (DLG) at Gut Brockhof in Erwitte. Students – this time there were twelve teams from five European countries – competed in various disciplines. When building and programming their field robots, they used the latest technologies and learned to work together across disciplines and in a goal-oriented manner.
Osnabrücker Team Acorn
The Acorn team consisted of 17 students from the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and the University of Osnabrück. Under the leadership of captains Philipp Gehricke (hardware) and Justus Braun (software), the team members from the computer science, cognitive science and mechatronic systems engineering courses worked closely together. They were rewarded with an impressive third place in the overall ranking – behind the teams FREDT from Braunschweig and Carbonite from the Überlingen Student Research Center, who shared first place. The Osnabrück team was supported by research assistants Andreas Linz (Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences) and Alexander Mock and Isaak Ihorst (Osnabrück University). Important sponsors such as AMAZONEN-WERKE H. DREYER SE & Co. KG, CLAAS KGaA mbH, iotec GmbH and Allied Vision Technologies GmbH also contributed to the team’s success.
Gold medal for classical approach in mobile robotics
One of the most demanding tasks of the competition involved precisely approaching and treating already mapped plants. Here, the robot from Team Acorn impressed with an exceptionally high degree of autonomy. Despite the ban on GPS, the robot was able to approach the specified points precisely. “We used a technology that is otherwise used in classic indoor robotics, i.e. indoors, for path planning and execution,” explains Justus Braun. Philipp Gehricke adds: “For the flower treatment, we constructed a special device in order to be able to spray the referee spray with pinpoint accuracy.” A subsequent test also showed that the Osnabrück robot could work completely independently for hours and even adapt to changing conditions – such as human movements on the field. The team’s performance convinced the international jury of experts and ultimately led to the well-deserved gold medal.
Four bronze medals in various categories
In addition to the gold medal, Team Acorn was able to impress in several other tasks and secured a total of four bronze medals in the categories “Navigation through rows of corn”, “Finding and mapping flowers”, “Freestyle” and in the overall ranking of the competition. Acorn successfully navigated through four rows of corn without damaging a single plant. In addition to an intelligent design, well-thought-out software that analyzed height differences on the field and used this to calculate the drivability of individual routes was crucial. When finding and mapping flowers, the Osnabrück team’s robot examined most of the area of the playing field and also recognized most of the flowers. The team used artificial intelligence for image recognition. Deductions due to inaccuracies led to third place here. In the freestyle competition, the team presented a solution for precise sowing: a drone detected missing grass and the robot independently distributed grass seeds on the bare spots.
Modern technologies for sustainable agriculture
The support team is delighted with the impressive success of the Osnabrück students: “A place on the winners’ podium in a demanding international competition underlines the high level of competence and innovative power of our two universities in the field of robotics,” says Andreas Linz. His colleague Alexander Mock emphasizes: “The student team is setting standards for future competitions. It uses existing and develops new technologies that have the potential to change agriculture for the long term.”
Background:
The Acorn team includes students from Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and Osnabrück University:
Justus Braun (Captain Software), Philipp Gehricke (Captain Hardware), Marco Tassemeier, Simon Balzer, Marc Meijer, Christopher Sieh, Piper Powell, Can-Leon Petermöller, Andreas Klaas, Lena Brüggemann, Lara Lüking, Jannik Jose, Leon Rabius, Thorben Boße, Ole Georg Oevermann, Till Stückemann and Gerrit Lange.
Organizers of the Field Robot Event 2024 were:
The Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences with Prof. Dr. Stefan Stiene, Silke Becker and Andreas Linz The Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences with Prof. Dr. Burkhard Wrenger and Carsten Langohr Agrotech Valley Forum e. V. with Managing Director Robert Everwand, Francisca Wesner and Karen Sommer
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