Students Design Robots for Flower Growers

Around 150 master’s students in Robotics presented their end of year project: a robot designed to support flower growers in their daily work. The robots help monitor flowers, detect pests and measure greenhouse conditions, and can also communicate with greenhouse staff. The project marks the end of their first year and was assessed by a jury.

The robotics hall of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering has rarely looked so colourful. Artificial dahlias are arranged throughout the space, giving it an almost serene atmosphere. Yet that calm is deceptive: between the flower beds, students move around with tense expressions, making last minute adjustments and hoping their robot will perform exactly as intended.

Efficient Flower Cultivation

“The theme this year is floriculture,” says assistant professor Chris Pek. “It is a global industry in which the Netherlands plays a leading role. About half of the world market is located here, with a production of roughly 200,000 flowers per hour.” That success is partly driven by innovative technology, which helps growers continuously optimise their processes.

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