Meeting Notes - Jay Jayapalan, Woodpecker Microsystems - February 14th, 2025
New Members:
Nick Woolf – AgriTech North
Noah Ray – Area X.O.
Robert Bielby – Untether AI
New members, please be prepared to briefly introduce yourselves and touch on why you joined the group.
Presentations:
Speaker: Jay Jayapalan
Company: Woodpecker Microsystems
Subject: Wireless Sensor Networks for Resource Conservation in Agricultural Environments
Conferences/Meetings/Field Tours/Demonstrations
· Ecorobotix Information Day – Holland Marsh Wineries – February 13th, 2025. https://lepointdevente.com/billets/go7250213001
· Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention – Niagara Falls, ON - February 19-20, 2025. https://www.ofvc.ca/
· London Farm Show – London, ON – March 5-7, 2025. https://www.londonfarmshow.com/
· Ottawa Valley Farm Show – Ottawa, ON – March 11-13, 2025. https://ottawafarmshow.com/
· Grand River Agricultural Society Spark V4 Symposium – April 15, 2025. https://gras.blitzen.com/form/SPARK-V4?_kx=gv4KhsjF7Taf829EsAP_FBSQc6SwAbP_wM0LpF8ox-PLjhd-etCIX4l20HUQLINo.UUrNv6
· AgRobotics Working Group Demo Day – Bradford Research Station – July 8, 2025. Registration details to come
· AgRobotics Working Group Demo Day – Simcoe Research Station – July 22, 2025. Registration details to come
Attendees at recent conferences, please be prepared to provide a brief update to the group.
Project Updates
· Call for speakers/presentations – If you are interested in giving a presentation or have a recommendation of someone who you think would be a valuable speaker, please email Dan or Bridget.
· We have begun to receive research applications for the upcoming season – we will be reaching out to applicants to ask them to present their proposals to the group. If you have not already indicated that you would like to be a member of the research sub-committee, please let us know.
· OCTE (Ontario Council for Technology Education) is quoting on building out a high school level robotics competition for Innovation Farms Ontario, the framework of which will be used to guide a post-secondary competition. Details will be shared with the Working Group as things are more finalized.
Action Items From Previous Meeting(s)
· Please check your email for our survey regarding consent to share contact information
· Based on feedback from last week’s meeting, we have created a private group on LinkedIn for ARWG members. This way we can hold more casual conversations and connect with each other outside of the structure of the weekly meetings. You can find the group at this link here: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/10060197/ . Membership will be strictly enforced so that only members of the working group will be granted access.
· We may also create a shared folder; details are being finalized.
Job Board
Upside Robotics – Junior Software Engineer
Upside Robotics – Junior Agronomist
If you know of any job opportunities, please send the information to us so that we can add them on our website at the below link.
https://www.agroboticswg.com/job-board
Funding Announcements/Opportunities –
· Canada Business App https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/ised/en/canada-business-app
· Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/programs/canadian-agricultural-strategic-priorities - Open until March 2029
· COLLABORATE 2 COMMERCIALIZE https://www.oc-innovation.ca/programs/collaborate-2-commercialize/ - Ongoing
· Agri-Innovate - AgriInnovate Program: Step 1. What this program offers - agriculture.canada.ca - Open until March 2028
· OMAFRA/SCAP Funding Announcement and Program Details Link - Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership | ontario.ca - Open until March 2028
· The Grow Ontario Accelerator Hub : Bioenterprise - Open until March 10
· OCI Critical Industrial Technologies Initiative - https://www.oc-innovation.ca/programs/cit/ - Ongoing
· CAAIN Open Competition - https://caain.ca/funding-calls/2024-open-competition/ - Open Intake
· OCI Sector Adoption Challenge Statement – https://www.oc-innovation.ca/programs/cit/ – Deadline February 14, 2025
· TCS Team Canada Trade Mission to Cambodia & Thailand - https://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/campaign-campagne/tctm-thailand-cambodia_mcec-thailande-cambodge.aspx?lang=eng – Deadline February 14, 2025
· TCS Canadian Technology Accelerator delegation to BEYOND2025 in Macau - https://www.tradecommissioner.gc.ca/cta-atc/macao-entertainment-technology_technologies-divertissement-macao.aspx?lang=eng - Deadline March 31, 2025
· FoodTech Next Program – Program Guide – Intake opens February 24, Deadline May 26, 2025
Round Table
Other Items/Articles
Technology Key To Improving Canada’s Food Security, Says U of G Dean
Abu Dhabi-developed AI robot automates strawberry harvesting with precision
Carbon Robotics Introduces Faster, Lighter and Modular LaserWeeder G2 Product Line
Robotics Plus unveils new multi-use autonomous vehicle for agriculture
Meeting recordings will be posted to our website approximately 4 weeks later. https://www.agroboticswg.com/meetings