Meeting summary

Quick recap

The September 12th working group meeting was held without Cameron from Real Life Robotics, who had to cancel due to a family emergency, and focused on discussing their recent participation in Canada's Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock where they reported strong engagement and interest. The team reviewed various robotic developments including a UV light robot for strawberry farming and a UVC robot for agricultural applications, with discussions centered on autonomous navigation capabilities and treatment systems. The conversation ended with updates on upcoming events and a presentation from Cameron Waite about his company's software platform that unifies multiple hardware systems, emphasizing collaboration in the robotics industry.

Next steps

• Dan/Bridget to reach out to Sean from Forage to invite him back to give updates on their mushroom picking robots.

• Dan/Bridget to reschedule a full presentation with Cameron from Real Life Robotics.

• Kelly/Siobhan to collect feedback from participants about the OMAFA tent at the Outdoor Farm Show for planning next year's event.

• Sara to incorporate feedback from the group into the upcoming presentation on machine and robotic safety in October.

• Chuck to connect Shari with contacts who might have experience with cameras in dirty environments.

• Joe to connect Shari with Michal at Strongbow regarding cameras in dirty environments like foot baths.

• Konrad to continue working on making the UVC robot's aisle-to-aisle movement fully autonomous.

• Konrad to expand the UVC capacity of their robot to 4 times the current capacity.

• Working group members to vote for the Farmer's Choice Award on the website shared by Kelly.

• Working group members to reach out to Barry with information on tissue propagation technology if they have relevant expertise.

Summary

Canada Farm Show Engagement Report

The September 12th working group meeting was held without Cameron from Real Life Robotics, who had to cancel due to a family emergency. The group discussed their recent participation in Canada's Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock, where several members reported strong interest and engagement, with Garson noting they ran out of promotional materials by the second day. Kelly and Shari highlighted the success of the OMAFA tent and encouraged feedback for next year's event, while also promoting the open Farmer Choice Award voting.

Enhancing Farm Show Engagement

ChuckBaresich shared insights from the farm show, noting the need to keep the event fresh and increase farmer engagement. He highlighted discussions about drone regulations and the potential for educational sessions to enhance the event. The group agreed on the importance of improving farmer participation and suggested adding educational presentations to the show. Dan mentioned remaining funding for the AgRobotics Working Group, encouraging further research proposals before the deadline in March 2026.

UV Light Robot for Strawberry Farming

ChuckBaresich presented pictures and a video of a UV light robot designed for strawberry farming, showcasing its active suspension system and automated dosing capabilities. The robot, developed by Conrad's team, was demonstrated at a recent show and successfully operated as intended, though it requires manual turning between rows and runs at night under timer control.

Autonomous UVC Robot Development

The team discussed the development of a UVC robot for agricultural applications, focusing on autonomous aisle navigation and UVC treatment capabilities. Konrad explained that while the robot currently operates manually, future plans include making the UVC system detachable with its own stand for charging, and expanding its capacity to deliver 200 joules per square meter in one pass at 2 kilometers per hour. The team learned from a recent demo event with 60-70 growers that additional applications beyond UVC treatment are needed to make the system more valuable, and they are evaluating feedback forms to determine which applications to develop next.

Product Updates and Event Planning

The group discussed several updates and upcoming events. Chuck mentioned that a product would be released next week. Konrad confirmed they are considering cutting runners as an application. Barry presented information about a laboratory at the University of Guelph and requested input on jurisdictional scans and technology updates. Sarah announced work on a presentation about machine and robotic safety for October. Shari Van inquired about cameras in dirty environments, and Chuck suggested contacting dirt track racing for expertise. Dan provided updates on upcoming events, including the Agri-Food 2050 event in Niagara Falls and the GC Expo in Ottawa. Cameron Waite, who had a family emergency, briefly introduced his company and offered to give a more detailed presentation at a future meeting.

Robotic Systems Integration and Collaboration

Cameron, a robotics industry veteran with 20 years of experience, shared his company's journey from building delivery robots to developing a software platform called Passenger that unifies multiple hardware systems into a single interface. He explained how they use AI and Google's Gemini platform to provide customers with valuable insights from their hardware investments. Cameron emphasized the importance of collaboration over competition in the robotics industry and highlighted their work with cities like Kitchener and Markham to manage robot operations. The conversation ended with plans to reschedule a more in-depth presentation with Cameron.