Bionote
Dr. Jonathan Cox is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Lincoln, specialising in robotics, machine learning, and computer vision for autonomous systems. His research focuses on areas such as semantic mapping and navigation for ground robots and UAVs, low-cost visual navigation, and multi-robot coordination.
Dr. Riccardo Polvara is a Senior Lecturer within the Lincoln Centre for Autonomous Systems at the University of Lincoln. His research focuses on autonomous systems, with particular interests in multi-robot coordination, aerial-ground integration, and robotics for precision agriculture. He explores the deployment of intelligent robotic systems in real-world, unstructured environments by combining AI, mapping, and planning techniques. He has published in leading robotics venues and actively contributes to the international research community through collaboration and mentorship. Furthermore, he also leads LCASTOR, a student robotics team competing in international competitions that bridge research and application.
Presentation Abstract
Efficient deployment and integration of robotic systems in agriculture is hindered by a lack of standardisation in mapping and data storage. We address this challenge with an integrated framework for vineyard digitalisation and robotic deployment. Building upon our previous work, our solution generates robotic navigation maps by extracting post and row locations from UAV images, in addition to providing sensor data acquisition and storage. By establishing a unified platform for managing diverse data types, our framework facilitates informed decision-making and optimised vineyard operations, advancing precision agriculture practices.
Co-Authors: James Heselden, Rajitha de Silva, Marc Hanheide