Gainesville, FL | UF/IFAS researchers are at the cutting edge of artificial intelligence innovations for agricultural, natural resources, and human systems. Three faculty teams were recognized at UF Innovate’s Standing InnOvation Showcase on October 18th for bringing their stakeholder solutions to market via licenses, patents, and disclosures.
There’s an app for that
Dr. Won Suk (Daniel) Lee, professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, and his team developed a mobile app to detect two-spotted spider mites on strawberry plants. These mites are a major pest that damage strawberry plants and result in decreased fruit yield. The current method for detecting the mites is to use magnifying glasses to count the number present a sample of plants. Using the phone’s camera lens and artificial intelligence, the developed app can automatically detect and count the number of two-spotted mites and eggs. Thanks to this innovation, strawberry growers can save time and effort in detecting and managing the pests.
In the weeds
Arnold Schumann, professor at the Citrus REC, and Nathan Boyd, associate director of Gulf Coast REC, developed technology that could greatly reduce agricultural herbicide use. Through cameras and machine vision, the technology can detect weeds among the crops and open or close herbicide nozzles accordingly. This weed detection innovation can produce a better product for consumers and reduce costs for growers through less crop damage and better disease detection.
Work smarter, not harder
Yiannis Ampatzidis, associate professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Southwest Florida REC, and his collaborators have developed the Smart Tree Sprayer. This technology uses camera sensors, GPS, and artificial intelligence to adjust the chemical application rate to fruit trees. The Smart Tree Sprayer assesses each tree’s leaf density to determine the amount of agrochemical and does not spray when a tree is not detected. This technology can even count the amount of fruit on each tree. Smarter chemical application creates more productive and sustainable agriculture by decreasing costs, crop damage, pest resistance, and pollution.
UF/IFAS researchers are driving AI innovation in agriculture, natural resources, and human systems. With support from UF/IFAS Dean for Research programs, such as LIFT AI, and UF Innovate’s tech licensing services, these faculty will continue to make strides in solving evolving problems and creating a better global future.
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ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
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