A Cornwall robotics business is preparing to deploy technology that could give farmers and land managers a far more detailed picture of environmental conditions across their sites, supported by Wildanet’s full fibre connectivity needed to transfer, review and act on large volumes of sensor data quickly.
Pictured (L-R): Miguel Zamora, engineer at Robotriks; Richard Pyshorn, founder and director of Secure Forests CIC; and Jake Shaw-Sutton, founder and director of Robotriks, with ForestSignal, technology combining environmental sensing, connectivity and AI to help monitor and protect landscapes.
Par-based Robotriks is in the final stages of testing both mobile and stationary robotic systems designed to collect detailed environmental data across rural landscapes. One project, delivered in partnership with Secure Forests, which runs land management and wildlife conservation programmes at Mount Edgcumbe in Cornwall, has been funded by Innovate UK through TechLocal, the UK Government’s flagship local tech skills programme.
Robotriks’ technology combines mobile robots alongside static wireless environmental sensor nodes to collect information from parts of a landscape that may be missed by satellite imagery and conventional sampling. Robotriks is developing the system for use in environmental monitoring, land management and agricultural innovation.
Full fibre connectivity from Cornwall-based broadband provider Wildanet is helping the company complete the final testing phase by enabling Robotriks to move detailed sensor readings, design files and project data rapidly between its workshop, home office and project partners. This means the team can review results as tests take place, identify anomalies sooner, adjust designs remotely and maintain momentum towards live field deployment.
Jake Shaw-Sutton, director of Robotriks and lecturer in Applied Robotics at the University of Plymouth, said:
The work we are developing is about gathering better information from the environment and making that information more useful for the people responsible for managing land.
“Satellite data and traditional sampling methods can give a broad picture, but they can miss important detail. Our aim is to use mobile robotics and sensors to create much higher-resolution environmental maps, helping to identify issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.
“The final stages of testing generate substantial amounts of detailed sensor data, design files and project information. Having dependable, high-capacity full fibre connectivity means we can transfer and review that material quickly, share findings as they emerge and keep the development process moving.
“It has made it much easier to collaborate between locations, respond quickly to what the data is telling us and prepare the technology for use in the field. That is particularly important for a small Cornwall-based business, with team members scattered around the South West, working on advanced technology with potential applications across rural and agricultural landscapes.”
Robotriks has been exploring how environmental sensors could be mounted on mobile robots, including robot dogs and tracked vehicles, to scan land and build detailed heat maps. These could help identify patterns relating to soil condition, crop health, chemical presence and gaseous emissions.
During a previous trial, the technology identified a 15cm chemical ingress in a field that had been affecting crop yields but had not been detected through satellite monitoring.
By collecting data closer to the ground and at a more detailed level, the technology could help land managers identify issues earlier, target interventions more effectively and build a clearer understanding of changing conditions across a site.
Simon Hughes, Chief Commercial Officer at Wildanet, said:
“Robotriks is a powerful example of the great innovation being developed here in Cornwall and of the role that best-in-class digital infrastructure can play in making that innovation possible.
“This is not simply about faster connections. Reliable full fibre broadband is enabling the Robotriks team to work with complex designs and large datasets, collaborate between locations and convert ideas into reality more quickly.
“Innovative businesses can flourish in Cornwall with the digital tools and connectivity they need to develop and grow, and we’re proud that Wildanet’s network is supporting Robotriks as it moves this project from testing to delivery.”
Wildanet recently launched symmetrical full fibre broadband with speeds of up to 2Gbps, providing business broadband in Cornwall with the same fast upload and download speeds. This can support organisations that regularly transfer large files, rely on cloud-based systems or collaborate across multiple locations. Availability and service options vary by location.
