Footnote
(Note 1) E-commerce refers to a method of selling through electronic commerce (e-commerce), which is conducted using the Internet or computer networks such as online shopping.
Smart Agriculture Using AI, IoT, and Robotics Technologies
OPTiM Corporation
Industry: Information and communications
| Publication date | August 3, 2022 (Posted on April 21, 2023) |
|---|---|
| Sector | Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries |
Company Overview
Since its establishment in 2000, OPTiM Corporation has been dedicated to create products that provide support to people around the world to equally enjoy the creativity and convenience brought by the Internet, under the concept of "We make the Net as simple as breathing.” Currently, we are promoting the concept "○○×IT", which combines various industries and IT (AI, IoT, etc.) to transform all industries into the 4th Industrial Revolution type.
Climate Change Impacts
As weather patterns and temperatures change due to climate change, changes in growing conditions and increased damage from pests and diseases are expected, making it difficult to maintain the same harvest patterns and yields with the conventional farming methods, experience, and knowledge. The rising temperature is also a serious physical burden on the aging farmers who work under the intense heat and scorching sun.
Adaptation Initiatives
We offer the following services with the aim of building a robust cultivation system through the combined use of AI, IoT, and Robotics technologies.
- Pinpoint pesticide application and fertilizer application technology using large agricultural drones
Pinpoint pesticide application uses AI-based image analysis to detect the occurrence of pests and weeds, and uses drones to apply pesticides with pinpoint accuracy to the corresponding points (Fig. 1).
Pinpoint fertilization detects uneven growth by analyzing plant activity (vegetation condition) from images to determine whether or not additional fertilizer is needed, and the drones will apply fertilizer to the specific area and achieve uniform growth with the minimum amount of fertilizer (Fig. 2). - Seeding technology using large agricultural drones (direct drone seeding)
Direct seeding by drones that can handle various seed coatings and soil conditions (hard, soft, etc.). It is possible to improve the heavy work load of rice cultivation processes, such as seedling cultivation and transplanting (Figs. 3 and 4). - Smart Agri-Food Project
This project aims to cultivate and sell agricultural products with high added value, such as reduced use of pesticides, by utilizing the “pinpoint pesticide application and fertilizer application technology” and “direct drone seeding technology” described above. We reach our consumers mainly through digital marketing and our original e-commerce network (Note 1), but we are also working to build a supply chain that delivers agricultural products directly from the production area to retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers, without going through wholesale markets.
Along with the above, we are working to deploy various smart agriculture technologies to develop a comprehensive cultivation technology system that respond to climate change using digital technology such as AI, IoT, and Robotics technologies. This includes the advancement of disease forecasting technology using AI, or development of a system that provides cultivation methods that respond to environmental and growth conditions by digitizing the data of weather, water level, cultivation history, pests, and growth while monitoring the actual growth conditions.
Effects / Expected Benefits
The combined use of our AI, IoT, and Robotics technologies will facilitate sustainable cultivation by making farming time more efficient and shorter, reducing labor for farming under the hot sun, making it possible to resolve agricultural issues, such as aging populations, labor shortages, high temperature damage to crops due to climate change, and the northward spread of disease.
