BMBF RUBIN – Bündnis Feldschwarm® Ökosystem launches in Saxony
- Jul 3, 2023
- 3 min read
As part of the simul+ forum “Autonomous Mobile Working Machines,” the official launch of the BMBF RUBIN project Feldschwarm® Ökosystem was announced during a ceremonial kick-off event at Schloss Proschwitz in Meißen. It marked a successful and celebratory start to one of the most important and exciting projects in agricultural technology.
Der sächsische Staatsminister für Regionalentwicklung Thomas Schmidt eröffnete das vollständig ausgebuchte Forum mit zahlreichen Ehrengästen aus Politik, Wirtschaft und Landwirtschaft.
The official launch of the RUBIN alliance Feldschwarm® Ökosystem was announced during a ceremonial kick-off event held as part of the simul+ forum “Autonomous Mobile Working Machines” at Schloss Proschwitz in Meißen.
The Feldschwarm® Ökosystem aims, for the first time, to enable the automated and simultaneous operation of multiple agricultural machines as well as modern agrarian robots. At the center of this approach are the operators, who can monitor the entire field operation at any time and intervene when necessary.
Over the next three years, 13 project partners from industry and research will jointly develop a comprehensive hardware and IT control architecture. This system will integrate innovative solutions for the semi-autonomous control of multiple machines, as well as remote and process monitoring. In addition, the partners are researching new technologies and methods in artificial intelligence, remote monitoring, process supervision, and data security to ensure reliable, disruption-free operation.
The innovative control systems will be designed to be manufacturer-independent and implemented in both traditional agricultural machinery and next-generation agrarian robots. Their effectiveness and economic viability will be tested under real field conditions in coordinated operations.
Thomas Damme, spokesperson of the alliance and Managing Partner of LACOS GmbH, emphasizes the project’s significance for agricultural technology and the region:
“The high-caliber consortium brings together leading experts in automation technology, artificial intelligence, and agricultural machinery engineering, many of whom have already been working successfully together for years. With the Feldschwarm® Ökosystem, we aim to leverage regional strengths in skilled labor, semiconductor technology, and sensor systems to create a sustainable competitive advantage for Saxony and beyond.”
Building on a unique foundation of innovation, the project partners are developing coordinated strategic product concepts. These will form the basis for industrialization within the RUBIN program, leading to market-ready system solutions that will be produced and further developed within the alliance region.
About RUBIN – Bündnis Feldschwarm® Ökosystem
The Bündnis Feldschwarm® Ökosystem has consisted since 2021 of the following research partners: Fraunhofer Institute for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology, Technische Universität Dresden – Chair of Agricultural Systems Engineering, Technische Universität Dresden – Chair of Technical Design, and Leipzig University – Institute for Information Systems, as well as the following industry partners: BITSz electronics GmbH, Eidam Landtechnik GmbH, Estino GmbH, Hydrive Engineering GmbH, Indikar Individual Karosseriebau GmbH, LACOS GmbH, Lemken GmbH & Co. KG, and Reichhardt GmbH Steuerungstechnik.
With the RUBIN funding program, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research supports and strengthens strategic collaboration between companies as well as between companies, universities, and research institutions. In particular, regional business alliances develop innovations with high application potential.
The Feldschwarm® Ecosystem project is considered one of the most important current initiatives in agricultural engineering for securing future global food supply and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research with a total project volume of €15 million, covering 70% of the costs.
