Department of Agricultural, Food Production and Forest Management - GESAAF
Description:
The University of Florence (www.unifi.it ) is placed in Tuscany, Central Italy, and holds 4240 workers in 10 Degree Schools. The Department of Agricultural, Food Production and Forest Management (www.gesaaf.unifi.it ) is part of the School of Agriculture and encloses more than 50 structured researchers, besides technicians, PhDs, found researchers.
The Biosystem Engineering Division of GESAAF is devoted to the whole field of agriculture and forestry machinery. Important researches have been in the following areas: safety in the use of machines and agroforestry devices; innovative machinery and support systems on vineyard and olive; renewable crops mechanization; rural management; precision farming technology; labelling smart tools for LCA footprint indexes in the mechanized agricultural operations; procedures for fleet management; training of farmers and dissemination of innovations;
Close it is the relationship with SME at local and national level (i.e. with Italian Agricultural Machinery Association - www.federunacoma.it ) and with farm machinery dealers, consultants and public administrative organisms involved in machinery surveillance. Wide it is the connection with significant regional farms: as brand farms (especially winery), as small holder & family farms, particularly in high environmental value areas, wine an olive oil production, woody crops, garden tree nurseries.
Permanent it is cooperation with Italian Association of Agricultural & Forest Engineering (www.aiia.it ) and also with Accademia dei Georgofili (www.georgofili.it ) and with the National Institute for Safety and Health of Workers (www.inail.it).
University of Florence, with its unit of Biosystems Engineering (GESAAF), is leading a multi actor consortium which is building up under the name of “AgriSmaRT”. This consortium includes organization of many types (Research Centers, SMEs, Farmers and other) gathering multiple competences, spanning from farmers, to earth observation; thanks to technologies that young people today already dominate, it has the ambition to restore dignity and attractiveness to the new generations of farmers.
Since 1995 Operative Unit of Farm Mechanization University of Florence has developed projects and prototypes on precision farming particularly devoted to farm machinery and equipment.
In 1997 in Warwich was presented the Dosasystem sprayer able to apply a variable treatment by a innovative injection system for high pressure plant as that of the airblast sprayer with pressure pulverization. More recently researches on DTM (digital terrain model) of the perennial crops, created by DGPS and Laserscanner to simulate and optimize machinery behavior in the plants have been developed. Characterization and prescription digital maps (also in different 3D levels) overlayed in the DTM can drive devices, equipment, entire machinery up to robot fleets. An automatized multidevice VRT airblast sprayer has been realized in the RHEA project. The division it is applying in research devoted to overcome the single use of the huge availability of technologies for precision farming in a cooperative and profitable farming system.
Role in the project proposal
The UF unit has wide experience in farm machinery especially on tree crops mechanization and agrochemical spray techniques: equipment and specific devices and controls, precision farming apparatus controllers and automation.
Experience with the RHEA project permits to apply automation and perception system to innovative machinery.
Profile of the persons primarily responsible for carrying out the research & innovation activities
Marco Vieri (male)
Current Position:
• Full Professor on Biosystem Engineering (since 2005)
• Director of the Degree Course in Viticulture and Oenology (2010)
Previous position:
• Associate Professor, University of Florence (2000 to 2004)
• Researcher, University of Florence (1989-1999
Education:
• PhD in Farm mechanization on Developing Countries, University of Florence (1989)
• M. Sc. Agricultural Science and Technologies, University of Florence (1985)
Skills and qualities:
• He has actively involved in several projects on agricultural sciences and more specifically in farm machinery for tree crops. He is author of more than 300 publications and 6 patents on more than 45 financed researches in Agricultural and Forestry Mechanization, Systems Engineering in Farm and Rural mechanization, Health and Safety on Machinery. Marco Vieri is member of the directive committee of Italian Association of Agricultural Engineering and senior member of Accademia dei Georgofili.
Other member:
Daniele Sarri:
Current Position:
• Post-doctoral research fellow, Department GESAAF, Biosystem Engineering Division, University of Florence (2013 to present)
Previous position:
• PhD-student, Biosystem Engineering, University of Florence (2009-2012)
Education:
• PhD in Biosystem Engineering, University of Florence (2012)
• M. Sc. Agricultural Science and Technologies, University of Florence (2006)
• Electronic High School (2000)
Skills and qualities:
• Expert on agronomy, automation, perception systems, software analysis.
Marco Rimediotti:
Current Position:
• Post-doctoral research fellow, Department GESAAF, Biosystem Engineering Division, University of Florence (2008 to present)
Previous position:
• PhD-student, Biosystem Engineering, University of Florence (2005-2008)
Education:
• PhD in Biosystem Engineering, University of Florence (2008)
• M. Sc. Agricultural Science and Technologies, University of Florence (2003)
• Agronomic High School (1995)
Skills and qualities:
• Expert on agronomy, phytopathology, agricultural safety and related application techniques..
Riccardo Lisci:
Current Position:
• Specialized Technicians, , Department GESAAF, Biosystem Engineering Division, University of Florence (2005 to present)
Previous position:
• Employed telecommunication SME (2004-2005)
Education:
• Electronic high School (2004)
Skills and qualities:
• Expert on expert in electronic, automation and sensors.
List of relevant projects
RHEA Robot fleets for highly effective crop management in mediterranean agriculture (Collaborative Project FP7-NMP-2009-245986) European Union, 2010-2014 (www.rhea-project.eu )
RHEA is focused on the design, development, and testing of a new generation of automatic and robotic systems for both chemical and physical –mechanical and thermal– effective weed management focused on both agriculture and forestry, and covering a large variety of European products including agriculture wide row crops (processing tomato, maize, strawberry, sunflower and cotton), close row crops (winter wheat and winter barley) and forestry woody perennials (walnut trees, almond trees, olive groves and multipurpose open woodland).
MARS PLUS EU Project PO IT-FR D79E100000850007
Marittime-cross-border project between France and Italy MARS+.Sub-project - Innovative technologies for the mechanization in coastal terraced areas. (www.marteplus.eu - www.martepiumeccanizzazione.it )
Dissemination of knowledge with the participative approach between farmers, retailers, manufacturers, researchers, local authorities and our last experience in particular in Small Scale (Small Holder Farmers and Family Farmers).
FEEDBACK METHOD - The technical recommendations from the feedback study on agricultural tractors (www.etui.org). Cooperation with USL7: Health and Safety Agency of Tuscany.
Wide activity has been done over the year as extension service cooperation with the Regionals health authorities that aims to collect feedback on user contribution to improve the tractor use and the legislation.
Selected publications
Sarri D., Rimediotti M., Lisci R., Vieri M. (2013) The RHEA-project robot for tree crops pesticide application. Proceedings 9th European Conference on Precision Agriculture, Lleida, 7-11 July 2013, Catalonia (SPAIN).
Vieri M., Perria R., Rimediotti M., Sarri D., Storchi P.(2012). The New Architecture in the Vineyard System Management for Variable Rate Technologies and Traceability. Proceedings of the I International Workshop on Vineyard Mechanization and Grape and Wine Quality ISHS Conference Piacenza 26-29 giugno 2012.
Sarri, D., Lisci, R., Rimediotti M., Vieri M. (2012). The RHEA airblast sprayer: studies on a continuous mixer for the VRA. Proceedings of the first International Conference on Robotics and associated High-technologies and Equipment for agriculture. Application of automated systems and robotics for crop protection in sustainable precision agriculture. (RHEA 2012) Pisa, Italy, September 19-21, 2012. Pg. 119-124. ISBN 978-88-6741-021-7
Vieri M., Spugnoli P. (1997). An high pressure injection system for precision application of pesticide. BIOS Scientific Publishers Limited, Oxford 1997. Proceed. first Precision Farming Congress , Warwich, UK.
Recchia L., Boncinelli P., Cini E., Vieri M., Garbati Pegna F., Sarri D. (2011). Multicriteria Analysis and LCA Techniques- Application to Agro-Engineering Problems. Green energy and technology. SPRINGER Verlag London Limited, 201. ISSN 1865-3529.
Description of significant infrastructures and technical equipment relevant to the proposed work
The Biosystem Engineering Division of the University of Florence has laboratories and structures equipped with several instruments and facilities.
In particular for the present research it is important to mention:
complete instrument chains for mechanical and physics tests on tractors and farm equipment: strain cells of different ranges, torquemeter, data acquisition and log, DGPS and related computing software;
laboratory for biometric measures: LAI scanner, portable colorimeter, RFID writer-reader system; kinect detection system; US sensors different ranges, NDVI, temperature IR sensors;
mobile laboratory on 4x4 off road car & trailer;
ATV equipped for in field monitoring;
computers and software analysis systems, DTM (digital terrain model), CAD, Overlay DEM and contour maps. LCA, GHG, ecc. analysis procedure on farm machinery use;
full equipped mechanical workshop;
laboratory of automation.
University of Florence
The University of Florence (www.unifi.it ) is placed in Tuscany, Central Italy, and holds 4240 workers in 10 Degree Schools. The Department of Agricultural, Food Production and Forest Management (www.gesaaf.unifi.it ) is part of the School of Agriculture and encloses more than 50 structured researchers, besides technicians, PhDs, found researchers.
The Biosystem Engineering Division of GESAAF is devoted to the whole field of agriculture and forestry machinery. Important researches have been in the following areas: safety in the use of machines and agroforestry devices; innovative machinery and support systems on vineyard and olive; renewable crops mechanization; rural management; precision farming technology; labelling smart tools for LCA footprint indexes in the mechanized agricultural operations; procedures for fleet management; training of farmers and dissemination of innovations;
Close it is the relationship with SME at local and national level (i.e. with Italian Agricultural Machinery Association - www.federunacoma.it ) and with farm machinery dealers, consultants and public administrative organisms involved in machinery surveillance. Wide it is the connection with significant regional farms: as brand farms (especially winery), as small holder & family farms, particularly in high environmental value areas, wine an olive oil production, woody crops, garden tree nurseries.
Permanent it is cooperation with Italian Association of Agricultural & Forest Engineering (www.aiia.it ) and also with Accademia dei Georgofili (www.georgofili.it ) and with the National Institute for Safety and Health of Workers (www.inail.it).
University of Florence, with its unit of Biosystems Engineering (GESAAF), is leading a multi actor consortium which is building up under the name of “AgriSmaRT”. This consortium includes organization of many types (Research Centers, SMEs, Farmers and other) gathering multiple competences, spanning from farmers, to earth observation; thanks to technologies that young people today already dominate, it has the ambition to restore dignity and attractiveness to the new generations of farmers.
Since 1995 Operative Unit of Farm Mechanization University of Florence has developed projects and prototypes on precision farming particularly devoted to farm machinery and equipment.
In 1997 in Warwich was presented the Dosasystem sprayer able to apply a variable treatment by a innovative injection system for high pressure plant as that of the airblast sprayer with pressure pulverization. More recently researches on DTM (digital terrain model) of the perennial crops, created by DGPS and Laserscanner to simulate and optimize machinery behavior in the plants have been developed. Characterization and prescription digital maps (also in different 3D levels) overlayed in the DTM can drive devices, equipment, entire machinery up to robot fleets. An automatized multidevice VRT airblast sprayer has been realized in the RHEA project. The division it is applying in research devoted to overcome the single use of the huge availability of technologies for precision farming in a cooperative and profitable farming system.
Role in the project proposal
The UF unit has wide experience in farm machinery especially on tree crops mechanization and agrochemical spray techniques: equipment and specific devices and controls, precision farming apparatus controllers and automation.
Experience with the RHEA project permits to apply automation and perception system to innovative machinery.
Profile of the persons primarily responsible for carrying out the research & innovation activities
Marco Vieri (male)
Current Position:
• Full Professor on Biosystem Engineering (since 2005)
• Director of the Degree Course in Viticulture and Oenology (2010)
Previous position:
• Associate Professor, University of Florence (2000 to 2004)
• Researcher, University of Florence (1989-1999
Education:
• PhD in Farm mechanization on Developing Countries, University of Florence (1989)
• M. Sc. Agricultural Science and Technologies, University of Florence (1985)
Skills and qualities:
• He has actively involved in several projects on agricultural sciences and more specifically in farm machinery for tree crops. He is author of more than 300 publications and 6 patents on more than 45 financed researches in Agricultural and Forestry Mechanization, Systems Engineering in Farm and Rural mechanization, Health and Safety on Machinery. Marco Vieri is member of the directive committee of Italian Association of Agricultural Engineering and senior member of Accademia dei Georgofili.
Other member:
Daniele Sarri:
Current Position:
• Post-doctoral research fellow, Department GESAAF, Biosystem Engineering Division, University of Florence (2013 to present)
Previous position:
• PhD-student, Biosystem Engineering, University of Florence (2009-2012)
Education:
• PhD in Biosystem Engineering, University of Florence (2012)
• M. Sc. Agricultural Science and Technologies, University of Florence (2006)
• Electronic High School (2000)
Skills and qualities:
• Expert on agronomy, automation, perception systems, software analysis.
Marco Rimediotti:
Current Position:
• Post-doctoral research fellow, Department GESAAF, Biosystem Engineering Division, University of Florence (2008 to present)
Previous position:
• PhD-student, Biosystem Engineering, University of Florence (2005-2008)
Education:
• PhD in Biosystem Engineering, University of Florence (2008)
• M. Sc. Agricultural Science and Technologies, University of Florence (2003)
• Agronomic High School (1995)
Skills and qualities:
• Expert on agronomy, phytopathology, agricultural safety and related application techniques..
Riccardo Lisci:
Current Position:
• Specialized Technicians, , Department GESAAF, Biosystem Engineering Division, University of Florence (2005 to present)
Previous position:
• Employed telecommunication SME (2004-2005)
Education:
• Electronic high School (2004)
Skills and qualities:
• Expert on expert in electronic, automation and sensors.
List of relevant projects
RHEA Robot fleets for highly effective crop management in mediterranean agriculture (Collaborative Project FP7-NMP-2009-245986) European Union, 2010-2014 (www.rhea-project.eu )
RHEA is focused on the design, development, and testing of a new generation of automatic and robotic systems for both chemical and physical –mechanical and thermal– effective weed management focused on both agriculture and forestry, and covering a large variety of European products including agriculture wide row crops (processing tomato, maize, strawberry, sunflower and cotton), close row crops (winter wheat and winter barley) and forestry woody perennials (walnut trees, almond trees, olive groves and multipurpose open woodland).
MARS PLUS EU Project PO IT-FR D79E100000850007
Marittime-cross-border project between France and Italy MARS+.Sub-project - Innovative technologies for the mechanization in coastal terraced areas. (www.marteplus.eu - www.martepiumeccanizzazione.it )
Dissemination of knowledge with the participative approach between farmers, retailers, manufacturers, researchers, local authorities and our last experience in particular in Small Scale (Small Holder Farmers and Family Farmers).
FEEDBACK METHOD - The technical recommendations from the feedback study on agricultural tractors (www.etui.org). Cooperation with USL7: Health and Safety Agency of Tuscany.
Wide activity has been done over the year as extension service cooperation with the Regionals health authorities that aims to collect feedback on user contribution to improve the tractor use and the legislation.
Selected publications
Sarri D., Rimediotti M., Lisci R., Vieri M. (2013) The RHEA-project robot for tree crops pesticide application. Proceedings 9th European Conference on Precision Agriculture, Lleida, 7-11 July 2013, Catalonia (SPAIN).
Vieri M., Perria R., Rimediotti M., Sarri D., Storchi P.(2012). The New Architecture in the Vineyard System Management for Variable Rate Technologies and Traceability. Proceedings of the I International Workshop on Vineyard Mechanization and Grape and Wine Quality ISHS Conference Piacenza 26-29 giugno 2012.
Sarri, D., Lisci, R., Rimediotti M., Vieri M. (2012). The RHEA airblast sprayer: studies on a continuous mixer for the VRA. Proceedings of the first International Conference on Robotics and associated High-technologies and Equipment for agriculture. Application of automated systems and robotics for crop protection in sustainable precision agriculture. (RHEA 2012) Pisa, Italy, September 19-21, 2012. Pg. 119-124. ISBN 978-88-6741-021-7
Vieri M., Spugnoli P. (1997). An high pressure injection system for precision application of pesticide. BIOS Scientific Publishers Limited, Oxford 1997. Proceed. first Precision Farming Congress , Warwich, UK.
Recchia L., Boncinelli P., Cini E., Vieri M., Garbati Pegna F., Sarri D. (2011). Multicriteria Analysis and LCA Techniques- Application to Agro-Engineering Problems. Green energy and technology. SPRINGER Verlag London Limited, 201. ISSN 1865-3529.
Description of significant infrastructures and technical equipment relevant to the proposed work
The Biosystem Engineering Division of the University of Florence has laboratories and structures equipped with several instruments and facilities.
In particular for the present research it is important to mention:
complete instrument chains for mechanical and physics tests on tractors and farm equipment: strain cells of different ranges, torquemeter, data acquisition and log, DGPS and related computing software;
laboratory for biometric measures: LAI scanner, portable colorimeter, RFID writer-reader system; kinect detection system; US sensors different ranges, NDVI, temperature IR sensors;
mobile laboratory on 4x4 off road car & trailer;
ATV equipped for in field monitoring;
computers and software analysis systems, DTM (digital terrain model), CAD, Overlay DEM and contour maps. LCA, GHG, ecc. analysis procedure on farm machinery use;
full equipped mechanical workshop;
laboratory of automation.