Summary:
An Italian company is a major player in machinery manufacturing for the gardening and agriculture sector; they are seeking new technology solutions, preferably at TRL 6, to improve their autonomous grass-cutting and floor-cleaning machines by reducing system redundancies and increasing the machines' energy autonomy. Partners will work together in proofs of concept or pilot projects under technical cooperation agreement. This request is part of an open innovation challenge.
Description:
An Italian company is one of the global leading players offering innovative solutions for gardening, agriculture, forestry and industry. They manufacture and distribute machines, components and accessories of high technological value in several business areas, including outdoor power equipment, manufacturing and distributing machines for gardening, forestry and agriculture applications.
The company is working to make autonomous grass-cutting and floor-cleaning machines smarter and more efficient, specifically by installing autonomous driving systems for both outdoor and indoor applications, thereby reducing system redundancies and increasing the machines' energy autonomy.
To date, there are already products with autonomous driving on the market, but they are mainly based on redundant navigation systems and perimeter marking. No product so far has included sensors able to detect the height of the grass and therefore determine the direction of navigation.
The Italian company is interested in collaborating with start-ups or scale-ups, from any country, to discover smarter and more efficient autonomous navigation solutions, applicable to gardening and agriculture power equipment.
Under technical cooperation agreement, the aim is to co-develop proofs of concept or pilot projects for the development and testing of the solution.
--- IMPORTANT: This technical cooperation request refers to an open innovation challenges program published on a separate online platform (b2match). If an organization expresses interest before the program closing date, it will be guided towards the open innovation platform.
During registration, interested organizations will be asked to select the challenge that corresponds with this technology request profile. If admitted to the programme, start-ups and scale-ups will benefit from training and will be able to create their (presentation) profile to connect with the companies in order to organize 1to1 matchmaking meetings.
The company will select the organisations that they would like to meet for the development of the solution.
The challenge closes on November the 30th 2021. Once the challenge is closed, expressions of Interest for this technology request will be treated in the traditional way.
Type (e.g. company, R&D institution…), field of industry and Role of Partner Sought:
Potential partners are start-ups or scale-ups from any country, with knowledge and/or expertise in autonomous navigation systems for outdoor and indoor power equipment, to be applied to gardening and agriculture.
Start-ups and scale-ups are required to propose innovative ideas and/or solutions for the development of a new intelligent smart system that can help the Italian company reduce system redundancies and increase the machines' energy autonomy.
Suitable companies are invited to propose their expertise. After being selected, the goal is to co-develop PoCs (proofs of concept) or pilot projects, under technical cooperation agreement, for the development and testing of the new technology.
Technical Specification or Expertise Sought:
The technology sought is an intelligent “visual” system that exploits smart navigation algorithms and sensors as opposed to the traditional physical sensors, markers or perimeter cables. The solution should work in systems for both outdoor and indoor power equipment.
The solutions proposed should have a minimum TRL of 6 - System/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment (ground or space) - but the company is also interested in exploring lower TRL solutions.
External code:
TRIT20211026001
