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Rural connectivity, ag technology challenges focus of collaboration

Olds College of Agriculture and Technology and SaskTel have signed a memorandum of understanding that will see the two organizations come together to work on solving some of the largest challenges currently facing agriculture technology, including rural connectivity.

According to a press release, their collaboration will leverage the 800 acres Olds College Saskatchewan Smart Farm (Craik, Sask.) to advance and accelerate ag tech development and innovation for producers, learners, and agri-food companies right across Saskatchewan through applied research, technology demonstration, data utilization and commercial-scale validation.

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Designing a Robotic Berry Picker

Video: Designing a Robotic Berry Picker


Since blackberries must be harvested by hand, the process is time-consuming and labor-intensive. To support a growing blackberry industry in Arkansas, food science associate professor Renee Threlfall is collaborating with mechanical engineering assistant professor Anthony Gunderman to develop a mechanical harvesting system. Most recently, the team designed a device to measure the force needed to pick a blackberry without damaging it. The data from this device will help inform the next stage of development and move the team closer to the goal of a fully autonomous robotic berry picker. The device was developed by Gunderman, with Yue Chen, a former U of A professor now at Georgia Tech, and Jeremy Collins, then a U of A undergraduate engineering student. To determine the force needed to pick blackberries without damage, the engineers worked with Threlfall and Andrea Myers, then a graduate student.