The student crew of the University of Osnabrück and Hochschule Osnabrück achieves outstanding success at the international field robot competition, showcasing expertise, innovation, and teamwork.
The student crew of the University of Osnabrück and the University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück has achieved a remarkable success at this year’s international field robot competition. The Osnabrück team secured a gold and four bronze medals, thereby demonstrating its exceptional expertise in field robotics once again.
The time-honored occasion had already taken place for the 21st time? Instead of – at this year’s field days of the German Agricultural Association (DLG) on Intestine Brockhof in Erwitte. Students from 12 groups across five European countries competed against each other in various disciplines. When designing and programming their field robots, they leverage the latest technologies and develop a multidisciplinary, goal-oriented approach to collaboration.
The Das Crew Acorn team consisted of 17 students from the University of Osnabrück and Osnabrück University. Under the leadership of Captains Philipp Gehricke (Hardware) and Justus Braun (Software), team members from the departments of Computer Science, Cognitive Science, and Mechatronics Engineering collaborated intensely. You were awarded an impressive third place overall, trailing only the Groups FREDT from Brunswick and Carbonite from the Research Center for Young Scholars in Überlingen, which shared first place. Supported by the scientific staff of Andreas Linz from Hochschule Osnabrück, as well as Alexander Mock and Isaak Ihorst from the University of Osnabrück. Wichtige Sponsoren wie AMAZONEN-WERKE H. DREYER SE & Co. The companies of KG, Claas KGaA mbH, iotec GmbH, and Allied Imaginative and prescient Applied sciences GmbH also contributed to the Group’s success.
To tackle one of the most challenging tasks in the competition, contestants had to precisely locate and treat already mapped plants with precision. The robot developed by the Acorn group demonstrated an exceptionally high level of autonomy. Despite the GPS ban, the robot precisely approached the predetermined points. “We leveraged a technology typically employed for path planning and execution in traditional indoor robotics, adapted it for use indoors,” explains Justus Braun. Philipp Gehricke added: “We designed a specialized device to accurately spray the judges’ spray in flower care.” A subsequent look also showed that the Osnabrück robot was able to work independently for hours and adapt to changing conditions, such as human movements on the field. The group’s performance impressed the international jury and ultimately earned the well-deserved gold medal.
In addition to the gold medal, Crew Acorn impressed with several other accomplishments, securing four bronze medals across categories such as “Navigation through Corn Rows”, “Locating and Mapping Flowers”, “Freestyle”, and the overall competition standings. With ease, Acorn successfully navigated through four corn rows, leaving not a single plant damaged. Decisive factors included the intelligent design of the rail network as well as a thoughtfully developed software program that analyzed height differences on the field and calculated the traversability of individual stretches. During the exploration and mapping of flowers, the robot developed by the Osnabrück Group investigated most areas of the playing field and identified a significant number of blooms. For image recognition, the team employed artificial intelligence from Crew. Discrepancies in accuracy led to a third-place finish here. In a freestyle competition, the crew presented a solution for precise sowing: A drone detected bare patches of grass and a robot autonomously distributed seeds on the barren areas, ensuring optimal coverage.
The mentoring team is thrilled about the impressive success of Osnabrück students: “A spot on the winner’s podium at a prestigious international competition underscores the high competence and innovative power of our two universities in the field of robotics,” says Andreas Linz. His colleague Alexander Mock emphasized: “By setting the bar for future competitions, the student crew is establishing a benchmark.” It leverages existing and develops innovative technologies that have the potential to transform agriculture sustainably.
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, Until Stückemann and Gerrit Lange.
Are the DES Discipline Robotic Occurrences scheduled for 2024?
- Die Hochschule Osnabrück mit Prof. Dr. The authors’ names are formatted in a traditional European style, but may not conform to the standards of some academic or professional circles. A revised version could be:
Andreas Linz, Silke Becker, and Stefan Stiene
- The Technical University of Ostwestfalen-Lippe under Professor Dr. Burkhard Wrenger und Carsten Langohr
- Agrotech Valley Discussion board e. V. With CEO Robert Everwand, Francisca Wesner, and Karen Sommer
