The demand for robot applications in agriculture and forestry is increasing due to the hard and strenuous work in this harsh environment. Additionally, the shortage of skilled workers struggles the increasing tasks caused by climate change. Related research topics and projects at the Institute of applied AI and Robotics (IKR) are soil sampling, weeding and planting seedlings. The technology domains, which are required in industrial robotics, are similar to robotic application for forestal and agricultural robots. AI-based kinematic syntheses and dimensional syntheses are used to generate suitable motion and its manipulator design in order to enable maximum functionality with minimum material input. The consideration of humanoids in industry will also be examined for agricultural challenges. Grasping and manipulating odd objects in this environment must be adapted. Unstructured environments in forests and fields pose major challenges for robot applications. This harsh environment with steep and bumpy ground demand a proper locomotion. It is a main challenge in research and engineering to solve this challenge. Additionally, navigation in unstructured environment is topic in our research at the IKR as a part of the project for herbicide-free weed control. Image recognition is an important topic due to restriction caused by this special environment. Based on the experience gained from the use of mobile and stationary robots in industrial environments, the IKR is investigates on transferring the high level of automation in industrial production to field and forests. The target is to automate existing applications that are still controlled by humans. In the future, these applications shall be carried out autonomously by robots.
Tobias Weiser (2026) studied this question.