INESC TEC researchers led discussions on innovative solutions for vineyards at an event that brought together companies, universities and players in the sector.
What are the latest mechanisation and digitalisation solutions for the wine sector? And how to put them into practice? These were some of the questions addressed during the Mechanisation & Digitalisation: Addressing the Challenges of the Winemaking Sector. INESC TEC did not miss the discussion and joined the conference organised by ADVID – Vine and Wine Cluster.
Representatives of the wine sector, researchers and universities discussed innovative solutions in the fields of sensing, automation, Artificial Intelligence (AI), locomotion solutions, and drones; the event took place at the Alfândega do Porto.
INESC TEC’s first contribution took place during the morning, with the presentation “Innovation at the service of production: solutions by the R&D + Interface + Tech Providers ecosystem to the challenges of economic agents”, by José Carlos Caldeira, consultant to the Chairperson. During the focus groups, INESC TEC researchers Mário Cunha, António Valente and Filipe Neves dos Santos addressed innovations in the fields of automation, sensing and aerial drones.
Sensor-based solutions, automation, AI and decision-support Systems (DSS) marked the group discussion led by researcher Mário Cunha. “Among the aspects addressed, one of the most important related to the economic benefits that automation and AI can bring to wine companies. Producers expect significant benefits, both in reducing costs and increasing competitiveness in the market,” said the researcher.
Another key debate was how automation and AI can contribute to improving the environmental sustainability of companies, since the use of these technologies “promises to optimise processes, reduce resource waste and minimise environmental impact”, while promoting more sustainable practices in wine cultivation and production”.
The researcher Filipe Neves dos Santos led the focus group on the use of drones in agriculture. The group explored the need for more favourable legislation for the use of drones in vineyard spraying operations and strategies to promote said legislation. António Valente led the discussion on sensing.
The “Brokerage Event – Mechanisation & Digitalisation: Addressing the Challenges of the Winemaking Sector” also aimed to encourage synergies by promoting the connection between the supply and demand of skills and technologies, in addition to bilateral (B2B) meetings to explore opportunities for cooperation between entities part of the wine sector.
The researchers mentioned in this news piece are associated with INESC TEC, UP-FCUP and UTAD.
News, current topics, curiosities and so much more about INESC TEC and its community!
