ETAROB

Vision

ETAROB was developed in 2016 as the first multi-purpose agricultural robot for vegetable cultivation. An innovative cultivation robot that tackles the challenges of agriculture with a disruptive approach: spot farming. Each plant is observed individually and cultivated according to its needs, enabling mixed crops to be grown on a single plot. ETAROB uses various tools for all cultivation steps, from soil preparation to sowing and harvesting. An ERP system monitors the growth of each plant through sensor data such as climate and soil parameters as well as images and defines the tasks for ETAROB. This ERP system is linked to a web shop in which plants ready for harvesting are offered for sale directly. Customers can customise their vegetable boxes. ETAROB's autonomous navigation is based on a combination of GPS, visual odometry, IMU and compass signals.

Sustainability concept

The development of ETAROB began at Aachen University of Applied Sciences in 2016, and the second generation was presented at AgriTechnica, the world's largest trade fair for agricultural technology, in 2019. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, potential investor deals fell through, so the focus shifted to bridging technologies.

A tool for precision irrigation and fertilisation is being further developed together with a partner, as is the plant monitoring suite. The harvesting tool is supported by an ERDF grant, while the tillage tool is being developed as part of a DBU grant. The AI algorithms have been continuously updated and the ERP system is in the alpha version.  

Certification for unattended autonomy is a crucial step for all agricultural robots, which is still pending in the EU and expected in 2026. Until then, our DAVEGI base station, which can already operate in unattended autonomy, serves as a perfect example of a bridging technology where all processes and tools can be improved and tested without restrictions until certification for ETAROB is available. We are currently focussing on options that work without autonomous driving. 

We are currently focussing on options that work without autonomous driving.