ARmEO

Starting point / motivation

The sector of agriculture is traditionally characterized by drastic changes and big revolutions. Mechanization, chemicals and fertilizer, plant genetics and, more recently, precision farming, all brought innovations into agriculture. Once more, agriculture is undergoing a big revolution, with the introduction of digital information using remote and field sensors, Big Data, Internet of Things, and innovative ways to analyse and interact with information. The digitalization of agriculture will contribute tremendously to a more efficient and sustainable production.

Today, we have the opportunity to provide useful insights thanks to Copernicus data and advanced models. However, we still fail to effectively deliver this information to the users. Farmers often lack the necessary experience to systematically store, organize and consume valuable information.

Contents and goals

ARmEO focuses on a user-friendly and cost-efficient combination of smart satellite-based tools and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies to allow a precise monitoring and management of crop production.

Methods

To start, we focus on some target-oriented problems (crop performance, nitrogen fertilizer, field scouting and field data collection) and we extend to other sectors in need of Earth observation (EO) data and innovative visualization technologies.

Within this application framework, the main goals of the ARmEO project are:

1. to advance existing satellite-based products and bring them closer to the user by linking them to practical assessment tools and policies, and
2. to experiment innovative AR visualization technologies that will bring EO information to the user in a supportive and intuitive way.

Both activities will be carried out with a user-driven approach including Austrian farmers and business partners, with whom we have been working for many years.

Expected results

ARmEO will give the relevant information (using Copernicus Sentinel-2 data), when and where this is most needed and it will do this by streaming the processed data to smart glasses. It will make the work easier, more fun and productive for all farmers. Our vision is to make Copernicus Sentinel data more attractive for the users and to break down barriers for its actual use.

The main benefit for the farmers is the possibility to optimize water and nitrogen inputs, while improving the workflow and increasing knowledge about field conditions and threats. This makes them more resilient against external challenges (e.g. weather extremes) and more competitive.

Coordinator

University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna

Project partner

• AGROconsulting - DI Detlef WALTER
• create4D
• Fachhochschule St. Pölten ForschungsGmbH

University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna
Universität für Bodenkultur Wien
Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33
A-1180 Wien
Tel.: +43 (1) 47654 - 0
Web: https://boku.ac.at/