AI & Robotics Algorithms

The cluster comprises 4 servers with 24 GPUs overall and a NAS. It is installed in a climate-controlled server room; power is distributed via industrial UPS units.

The poultry research barn at Raumberg-Gumpenstein is a versatile research facility designed to conduct a variety of studies with both fattening poultry and laying hens. This multi-purpose barn can be adapted for different poultry types, making it suitable for a wide range of research applications. The barn is equipped with continuous video monitoring to track animal behaviour and a gas measurement system to monitor emissions during experiments.

The cattle research barn at Raumberg-Gumpenstein is a state-of-the-art facility designed to meet international research standards for cattle experimentation. The barn supports real-time data acquisition through sensors and cameras, ensuring precise measurement and observation of animal welfare, behaviour, and productivity. With dedicated spaces for calving, separation pens, and a high standard of hygiene, the infrastructure enables both basic and applied research in animal science.

The Food Pilot helps companies, labs, and governments with their agri-food challenges: product development, process optimisation, or troubleshooting technical production problems. Within a co-creative process we bring solutions in the form of advice, lab analyses, and/or pilot trials performed on semi-industrial processing equipment. We work strictly confidentially. The Food Pilot is a collaboration between ILVO and Flanders' FOOD. More information is available on www.foodpilot.be/en/.

ILVO's TEF Mobile Containers are fully operational, secure, and moveable charging hubs for agricultural robots. These containers, which are standard 20 ft sea containers, facilitate easy transportation of robots. The TEF Containers provide a flexible and convenient solution for charging and storing agricultural robots near fields or other off-site locations. Energy is supplied off-grid through 6 Denim Solar Panels, but the DC-coupled inverter charger also allows for connection to the grid or a generator.

The ILVO Lane Trees facility, featuring a diverse array of 50 trees from four different cultivars and varying stem diameters, provides a unique environment for testing and experimenting with advanced technologies tailored for tree nurseries. This setup allows researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of innovative tools and methods in real-world conditions, ensuring that new developments are both practical and beneficial for the industry. By leveraging this resource, ILVO aims to drive advancements in tree nursery practices, promoting sustainability and efficiency in the sector.

The ILVO Hyperspectral Technology Facility enables advanced applications in agri-food processing, such as quality control, defect detection, grading, and sorting of (raw) products. By comparing spectral and spatial data to reference measurements, we build chemometric models capable of estimating product parameters in real time. The facility hosts a range of hyperspectral and multispectral devices, including spectrometers with customisable probes, hyperspectral cameras, and FTNIRS systems suited for both solid and liquid samples.

ILVO’s fertiliser spreader calibration lab offers services to farmers, fertiliser spreader manufacturers, and fertiliser-producing companies. Two different approaches are used for assessing the performance of centrifugal and pendulum fertiliser spreaders for specific types of fertilisers: collection trays equipped with anti-reflection grids are used for determining spread patterns in field conditions.

The ILVO testing field is a small field with dry sandy loam soil. The testing field is conveniently located next to our workshop facility, allowing us to test and adapt a prototype in quick succession in a real-world setting. Depending on the intended tests, different crops are installed each growing season.

Experimental stables with opportunities for co-creative research in dairy cattle, poultry, rabbit, and pig farming. These facilities are equipped with an extensive array of sensors and cutting-edge technologies to support advanced agricultural testing, experimenting, and validation. The currently available sensors allow us to collect data related to emissions, stable climate, animal behaviour, and food or water intake.