Case studyMapping the Sunshine Coast and Noosa food and agribusiness ecosystemChallenge The agrifood supply chain in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and Noosa regions are facing a series of systemic barriers that limit the growth and resilience of local producers and manufacturers. Key challenges include limited access to funding and grants, complex regulatory compliance, inadequate local packaging and transportation infrastructure, and rising input costs, particularly in labour,…
Media CoverageTech-powered banana picking and more at the ARM Hub Industry DayThe Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Hub (ARM Hub) has celebrated half a decade at the forefront of Australia’s tech manufacturing sector with an Industry Day. Queensland-based research institute welcomed leaders and researchers from across manufacturing, AI and robotics to their HQ in Northgate, Brisbane, for a series of talks and networking events designed to help…
ArticleSpi-VSTL: Image data collection platform using off-the shelf hardware for vertically supported crops in state-of-the-art glasshousesHorticulture crop growers are moving from conventional to protected crops, aiming for quality food production utilising fewer resources. Skilled labour for monitoring and maintaining crops in these compact environments has been identified as a major cost and can be reduced using automated image-based crop monitoring. There is a range of protected cropping infrastructures targeting different…
Leafeon: Towards Accurate, Robust and Low-cost Leaf Water Content Sensing Using mmWave RadarHong Jia, Hao Qian, Wenyao Chen, Yihe Yan, Aaron Quigley, Chung Tung ChouPaperLeafeon: Towards Accurate, Robust and Low-cost Leaf Water Content Sensing Using mmWave RadarPlant sensing plays an important role in modern smart agriculture and the farming industry. Remote radio sensing allows for monitoring essential indicators of plant health, such as leaf water content.
MotionLeaf: Fine-grained Multi-Leaf Damped Vibration Monitoring for Plant Water Stress using Low-Cost mmWave SensorsMark Cardamis, Chun Tung Chou, Wen HuPaperMotionLeaf: Fine-grained Multi-Leaf Damped Vibration Monitoring for Plant Water Stress using Low-Cost mmWave SensorsIn this paper, we introduce MotionLeaf , a novel mmWave base multi-point vibration frequency measurement system that can estimate plant stress by analyzing the surface vibrations of multiple leaves. MotionLeaf features a novel signal processing pipeline that accurately estimates fine-grained damped vibration frequencies based on noisy micro-displacement measurements from a mmWave radar. Specifically we explore…
ProjectEvaluation of screening technologies for detection of foreign bodies including soft plasticsThis project investigates advanced sensing technologies to evaluate their effectiveness in detecting soft plastic contaminants. The study focuses on identifying methods that can reliably detect these materials within complex food matrices, enhancing contamination prevention strategies.
ArticlePC4C_CAPSI: Image data of capsicum plant growth in protected horticultureFeeding the increasing global population and reducing the carbon footprint of agricultural activities are two critical challenges of our century. Growing crops under protected horticulture and precise crop monitoring have emerged to address these challenges. Crop monitoring in commercial protected facilities remains mostly manual and labour intensive. Using computer vision to solve specific problems in…
ToolAustralian Tree Crop MapAustralian horticultural industries, including avocado, macadamia, citrus, olive, and banana, have collaborated to develop the ‘Australian Tree Crop Map (ATCM) Dashboard’, a national spatial dataset that accurately identifies the location and area of all commercial orchards larger than one hectare. Built to national mapping standards and openly accessible, the ATCM represents a landmark achievement in multi-industry data sharing and coordination. This project will now expand the map’s value by linking each orchard polygon with detailed industry-specific information such as crop variety, planting dates, management practices, and productivity metrics. By enriching the spatial layer with these attributes, the platform becomes a dynamic decision-support tool for stakeholders across the supply chain. The enhanced ATCM will support a wide array of agricultural outcomes, including improved traceability, market access, biosecurity preparedness, yield forecasting, and assessments of carbon storage and drought resilience. It sets a new standard for spatial data use across Australian agriculture, showcasing the power of collaboration and open-access platforms to drive innovation and build resilience across the sector. Ultimately, this initiative bridges the gap between spatial intelligence and on-ground productivity, reinforcing Australia’s global leadership in agri-digital infrastructure.
ArticleMachine vision based plant height estimation for protected crop facilitiesThe increasing demand for quality, year-round food production in limited space has led to the widespread adoption of protected cropping. Effectively monitoring and maintaining crops within these facilities requires substantial labour and expertise. Traditional manual monitoring is labour intensive and time consuming. Therefore, non-destructive image-based techniques, particularly those utilising 3D structural data, have gained attention.…
Media CoverageValue-add food production gets boost with new plantA new $12.2 million food and beverage manufacturing centre in Western Australia will be open to all food and beverage businesses that are looking for low-risk environment to scale up production. The Sustainable Innovative Food Technologies Centre (SIFT) will offer common use of manufacturing equipment at a subsidised rate. SIFT is based at the Food…
Media CoverageSustainable, Innovative Food Technologies (SIFT) Centre at Food Innovation Precinct of WA opening FridayBusiness owners are urged to enjoy a taste of the benefits of a new food and beverage manufacturing centre set to open in the Peel region this Friday. The Sustainable, Innovative Food Technologies (SIFT) Centre is opening in the Food Innovation Precinct of WA (FIPWA) at the Peel Business Park to give businesses without access…
Media CoverageMulti-million-dollar food manufacturing centre open in WAA new innovative food manufacturing centre, which is set to open in Western Australia, will help boost local food and beverage manufacturing, as well as drive growth in the state’s value-added food production. The WA government has invested $12.2 million into the establishment of the Sustainable, Innovative Food Technologies (SIFT) Centre located within the Food…
Media CoverageBanana industry turns to robots and AI for ‘dangerous’ packing-shed task of cutting fruit from stemIt’s often top of the list of Australia’s most popular fruit, finding its way into lunch boxes and smoothies across the country every day. But it takes a bit of effort to get bananas from the farm to the fruit bowl, with growers relying on a significant workforce to pick and pack each harvest. Now…
ProjectBanana dehanding automation technologyThis research focuses on the automation of banana de-handing, aiming to reduce manual labour and enhance processing efficiency. By developing and integrating robotic systems into this core process, the project addresses labour constraints and creates opportunities for wider automation adoption in banana handling and packaging operations.
ReportA national map of protected cropping systemsThe ‘National Mapping of Protected Cropping Systems’ project delivered the first national baseline map of all commercial protected cropping systems (PCS) in Australia, published as the ‘Australian Protected Cropping Map Dashboard’ (Figure 1). The map developed with the Future Food Systems CRC, Protected Cropping Australia Ltd and NSW Local Land Services identifies 13,932 ha of…
ArticleA multifaceted approach to developing an Australian national map of protected cropping structuresAs the global population rises, there is an ever-increasing demand for food, in terms of volume, quality and sustainable production. Protected Cropping Structures (PCS) provide controlled farming environments that support the optimum use of crop inputs for plant growth, faster production cycles, multiple growing seasons per annum and increased yield, while offering greater control of…
Destinations of agricultural commodities originating from the Namoi regionHoon Han, Ripan DebnathToolDestinations of agricultural commodities originating from the Namoi region
ProjectAdvancing the Australian Tree Crop Map for a digitally enabled agricultural futureAustralian horticultural industries, including avocado, macadamia, citrus, olive, and banana, have collaborated to develop the ‘Australian Tree Crop Map (ATCM) Dashboard’, a national spatial dataset that accurately identifies the location and area of all commercial orchards larger than one hectare. Built to national mapping standards and openly accessible, the ATCM represents a landmark achievement in multi-industry data sharing and coordination. This project will now expand the map’s value by linking each orchard polygon with detailed industry-specific information such as crop variety, planting dates, management practices, and productivity metrics. By enriching the spatial layer with these attributes, the platform becomes a dynamic decision-support tool for stakeholders across the supply chain.
ProjectEnhancing Atmospheric Freeze Drying with ultrasound technologyThis research project explores the application of direct ultrasound in Atmospheric Freeze Drying (AFD) to enhance water diffusivity and reduce drying time. By integrating ultrasound technology into the AFD process, the aim is to accelerate moisture migration and improve overall drying efficiency. The project involves both computational modelling and the design and fabrication of a prototype ultrasound-assisted AFD system. The system's performance will be evaluated by analysing the drying kinetics and conducting physical and chemical characterisation of model foods.
ProjectEconomic modelling to guide optimal packaging solutionsThe objective of this project is to develop two economic discrete choice models to determine the economic viability of optimal packaging options and in so doing support researchers in core experiment activiites by providing guidance and direction.
