About Us
At AURA, we are driven by a shared vision of revolutionizing agriculture through sustainable robotics. With a passion for technology and a commitment to environmental stewardship, our team strives to create impactful solutions that pave the way for a more sustainable and efficient future in farming.
Revolutionizing agriculture with advanced robotics for a greener tomorrow.
- The AURA project envisions a transformation in agriculture by tackling two of the sector’s most pressing challenges: high energy use and freshwater consumption. In the United States, agriculture consumes nearly 2% of the national energy budget-60% of which is used directly on farms, while the remaining 40% supports the production of fertilizers and pesticides. In Europe, the sector accounts for approximately 3.3% of total energy use. Water consumption is similarly intensive with U.S. agriculture being responsible for 42% of total freshwater withdrawals, and in the EU, estimates range from 25% to 40%, contributing to water scarcity in at least five member states.
- Regenerative agriculture offers a promising solution. This forward-looking approach improves soil health, enhances water retention, sequesters carbon, and reduces dependence on external inputs such as fuel, fertilizers, and pesticides. It emphasizes practices like conservation tillage, the use of cover crops, crop rotation, and composting. However, fully embracing regenerative agriculture requires new types of machinery and innovative farming practices.
- The AURA project seeks to accelerate this transition by leveraging robotics and advanced sensing technologies. Our goal is to develop a fully electrified, automated robotic system capable of large-scale regenerative farming. By building a working demonstrator, we aim to make these sustainable methods economically viable even for low-value cereal crops (valued at less than €2,000 per hectare). Through this effort, AURA is paving the way toward a more resilient, resource-efficient, and decarbonized agricultural future..
Agriculture Robotics
Innovating the agricultural landscape, our project pioneers the integration of robotics, redefining farming practices for enhanced efficiency and sustainability.
Cereal Crops
Revolutionizing cereal cultivation, our project strives to deploy robotics for precision management, optimizing yield and resource utilization in the dynamic landscape of cereal crops.
Smart Farms
Elevating agriculture into the future, our project aims to establish smart farms, integrating advanced technologies for precision farming and sustainable, data-driven cultivation practices.
Plant Treatment
Revitalizing agricultural practices, our project spearheads plant treatment using state-of-the-art techniques, ensuring precise and sustainable solutions for optimal crop health and environmental stewardship.
Regenerative Agriculture
In our agricultural pursuits, we prioritize regenerative practices, working to cultivate a more sustainable and resilient ecosystem by nurturing soil health, biodiversity, and long-term environmental vitality.
Sustainability
At the core of our mission, sustainability guides every facet of our project, ensuring a future where agricultural innovation harmonizes with environmental responsibility.
Our Collaborators
"In collaboration with industry leaders, we leverage expertise from diverse sectors, fostering innovation at the intersection of agriculture and technology. Our partners bring invaluable insights, guiding us to develop sustainable solutions that resonate with real-world needs.
Research
- All
- Agricultural Automation and Infrastructure
- Plant Treatment and Monitoring
Team
Meet the team behind the AURA project!
Prof. Gerry Lacey
Principal InvestigatorI'm a professor and tech entrepreneur specializing in Computer Vision, Human-Robot interaction, and AR. My work applies to healthcare, agriculture, and improving human task performance.
Majid Sorouri
Assistant ProfessorI specialize in agricultural and horticultural robotics, precision farming, and AI-driven automation. My research focuses on autonomous robotic solutions for crop management, harvesting, and regenerative agriculture, enhancing resource efficiency and sustainability.
James Petri
Lead Research AssistantI am the lead back-end developer for Callan and the ROS2 FarmBot codebase, specializing in robot control, software architecture design, sensor integration and robot-environment interaction. My work can be seen in legged and field robotics, covering all R&D stages.
Edward Jakunskas
Research AssistantAfter a year in the industry, I've chosen to return to academia as a research assistant. I specialize in working with large datasets, machine learning, and computer vision. For my final year bachelors project, I programmed an autonomous, litter mapping, aerial drone.
Gregory Mantel
Research AssistantI'm a graduate in Mechanical Engineering, currently carrying out a research masters alongside my work as a research assistant on the AURA project. My research focuses on reducing glyphosate use on cereal farms through targeted weed spraying with high temperature water. I specialise in mechanical systems design as well as 3D modelling and finite element analyses.
Heather Bruen
Research AssistantI’m a Research Assistant focused on human–machine interaction, front-end GUI design, and hardware integration. My work includes developing intuitive interfaces for remote control and on-robot HMI and documenting code for long-term usability.
Cael Timmons
Research AssistantI'm a Research Assistant focused on hardware implementation, localization, and sensor deployment. Responsibilities include developing and integrating sensor systems, deploying hardware in field and lab settings, and designing control systems to support experimental research.
Rana Umair Hameed
PhD StudentI'm a robotics PhD researcher with expertise in designing and developing autonomous systems, particularly in autonomous motion planning and coordination of robotic systems.
Marina Lui
Student InternI’m a software engineering intern from Rochester Institute of Technology working on LiDAR-based perception. I specialize in developing and testing SLAM systems, sensor configuration, sensor fusion and robot localization.
Contact
Have questions or suggestions about sustainable agriculture robotics? Feel free to reach out to us! We're passionate about advancing eco-friendly farming practices and would love to connect with fellow enthusiasts and innovators in the field.
Location:
Bio Science and Electronic Engineering Building, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Email:
gerry.lacey@mu.ie
Call:
+353 1 708 6767