BIOTECH EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY

The course will introduce and define the concept of “Precision Farming” in its various meanings. From this, we will analyze some technologies that allow to implement this agriculture paradigm. The concepts of automatic control, robotics and devices that allow their implementation (sensors, controllers and actuators) will be introduced. Using the concept of “Variable Rate Agriculture”, optimization and minimization of resources aspects will be considered. In this perspective, some brief notes on the production of small-scale energy from biomass and other kind of renewable energy will be provided.

Definition of terms "Precision Farming" and "Variable Rate Agriculture". Tools for data collection about field conditions and for decision making. Introduction to automatic control. Sensors, controllers and actuators. Automation of agricultural machinery and of some farming operations. Introduction to some elements of cartography. Introduction to GNSS satellite systems: GPS, DGPS, RTK-DGPS; technique to improve accuracy based on SBAS and GBAS. Robotics applied to agriculture. Mechatronics. Outline of autonomous motion of machines and Computer Vision. Use of autonomous aircraft (UAV) in agriculture. Optimization of resources, re-use of biomass, brief notes on bioreactors for the production of small-scale energy. Types of systems and control systems of the functional parameters of the bio-process. Construction features, components, facilities and equipment related to plant for bio-energy production. Some brief notes on other kind of renewable energies.

1- Agricoltura di precisione. Guida pratica all’introduzione in azienda, Bertocco Matteo. Edizioni L’Informatore Agrario.

2- Agricoltura di precisione. Concetti teorici e applicazioni pratiche, Bertocco Matteo; Sartori Luigi; Basso Bruno. Edizioni L’Informatore Agrario.

3- Agricultural Automation: Fundamentals and Practices. Qin Zhang and Francis J. Pierce. CRC Press.

4- Towards Service Robots for Everyday Environments. Prassler E., et al. Springer.

5- Advanced Mechanics in Robotic Systems. Nestor Eduardo Nava Rodríguez. Springer.

6- SISTEMI A BIOMASSE: PROGETTAZIONE E VALUTAZIONE ECONOMICA IMPIANTI DI GENERAZIONE CALORE ED ELETTRICITA'. Bocci Enrico; Caffarelli Alessandro; Villarini Mauro; D'amato Alessio Maggioli Editore.

7- Notes distributed during the lectures; all the recommended books are available at the department library.