{"id":26767,"date":"2024-12-09T09:51:43","date_gmt":"2024-12-09T09:51:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/?post_type=portfolio&p=26767"},"modified":"2025-07-14T07:34:54","modified_gmt":"2025-07-14T07:34:54","slug":"rootbot-an-autonomous-robotic-system-with-radar-for-studying-the-root-systems-of-fruit-trees","status":"publish","type":"portfolio","link":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/en\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-an-autonomous-robotic-system-with-radar-for-studying-the-root-systems-of-fruit-trees\/","title":{"rendered":"ROOTBot: An Autonomous Robotic System with Radar for Studying the Root Systems of Fruit Trees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

20\/12\/2024
Project Header
right
no-repeat;left top;;
auto
20px

RootBot aims to develop and demonstrate an autonomous robotic electromagnetic detection system equipped with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and advanced navigation technologies to map the root systems of fruit trees and soil moisture. This project seeks to optimize agricultural resource management, particularly water, and contribute to more sustainable farming through the use of innovative technological tools.<\/h4>
Project Header
no-repeat;left top;;
auto
20px


RootBot combines mobile robotics, autonomous navigation, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), machine learning algorithms, and pattern recognition to create a robot capable of autonomously navigating agricultural terrains. During its operation, the robot collects subsurface data to generate detailed maps of crop root systems and soil moisture distribution. The system is designed as a precision agriculture tool, providing concrete data on the extent and volume of roots and their position relative to moist areas in the soil. The results can be visualized as a multi-layer map of roots and soil moisture, offering farmers an efficient decision-making tool.

The development of RootBot includes laboratory tests to assess the accuracy of the technologies, calibrate neural network parameters to autonomously interpret GPR data, and adapt them to specific crop scenarios. It also involves field trials under real conditions at the Agr\u00f2polis facilities of the Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Catalunya – BarcelonaTech (UPC). The ability to provide accurate and daily updated information will enable significantly more precise decision-making on crop management and irrigation, resulting in substantial resource savings. Being autonomous, the system can operate while users focus on other tasks, thus increasing productivity. This autonomous robotic system will:



Optimize irrigation: Soil moisture maps will reduce water consumption, improving the efficiency of water and economic resource use.

Enhance sustainability: The technology enables more precise crop management, reducing dependence on invasive methods and minimizing environmental impact.

Boost agricultural digitization: The project promotes the adoption of advanced technologies, increasing the sector\\’s competitiveness and attracting young talent.



RootBot has the potential to transform the agricultural sector by promoting sustainable practices, improving resource efficiency, and laying the foundation for adopting advanced technologies in agricultural management. This initiative positions precision agriculture as a key tool to address the challenges of climate change and resource scarcity.

The project is led by the Center for Industrial Equipment Design – Dynamics of Machines (CDEI DM)<\/a> and the Geophysics and Earthquake Engineering (GiES) group at the UPC, in collaboration with Verdcamp Fruits, Catalan Water Partnership (CWP), FEMAC, ADV Ecol\u00f2gica de Ponent, the INNOVI Cluster, and Ametller Origen. These partners ensure technology transfer to the agricultural sector and help maximize the impact of the results.

The project has a total budget of \u20ac49,990, funded through the Rural Development Program of Catalonia 2014-2022 by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (Generalitat de Catalunya), and will be developed over 22 months (February 2024\u2013June 2026).
Main Text
no-repeat;left top;;
auto


\"rootbotdiagrama\"
full
center

Activity co-financed by the EU through PEPAC intervention 7201 2023-2027
hide

\"logos\"
full
contain
center center
hide

Technology<\/h5>

Digital Transformation<\/a>

Agrotech<\/a>
Tecnolog\u00eda
no-repeat;left top;;
auto
0px

25

Sector<\/h5>

Food, Agriculture and the Marine Environment<\/a>
Sector
no-repeat;left top;;
auto
0px

25

Topic<\/h5>

Mobile Technologies<\/a>

Artificial Intelligence<\/a>
Tema
no-repeat;left top;;
auto
30px

40

You want to know more?<\/h5>
Contact Button
no-repeat;left top;;
auto
0px

\n

Button<\/span><\/a>\n



\n

Button<\/span><\/a>\n
no-repeat;left top;;
auto

50

Related Projects<\/h4>
Proyectos Relacionados
no-repeat;left top;;
auto

4
grid
4
date
DESC

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

RootBot aims to develop and demonstrate an autonomous robotic electromagnetic detection system equipped with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and advanced navigation technologies to map the root systems of fruit trees and soil moisture. This project seeks to optimize agricultural resource management, particularly water, and contribute to more sustainable farming through the use of innovative technological tools.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":26768,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"portfolio-types":[1054,930,927,1101,223,1156],"class_list":["post-26767","portfolio","type-portfolio","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","portfolio-types-food-agriculture-and-the-marine-environment","portfolio-types-ia-en","portfolio-types-mobile-en","portfolio-types-agrotech-en","portfolio-types-tecnologias-de-las-tic-en","portfolio-types-water"],"yoast_head":"\nRootBot: Autonomous Robotic System for Studying the Fruit Trees - CIT UPC<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"RootBot aims to develop and demonstrate an autonomous robotic electromagnetic detection system equipped with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and advanced navigation technologies to map the root systems of fruit trees and soil moisture. This project seeks to optimize agricultural resource management, particularly water, and contribute to more sustainable farming through the use of innovative technological tools.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/ca\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"RootBot: Autonomous Robotic System for Studying the Fruit Trees - CIT UPC\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"RootBot aims to develop and demonstrate an autonomous robotic electromagnetic detection system equipped with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and advanced navigation technologies to map the root systems of fruit trees and soil moisture. This project seeks to optimize agricultural resource management, particularly water, and contribute to more sustainable farming through the use of innovative technological tools.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/ca\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CIT UPC\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cit.upc\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-14T07:34:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/RootBot-1024x683.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"683\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@CIT_UPC\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/ca\\\/portfolio-item\\\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/ca\\\/portfolio-item\\\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\\\/\",\"name\":\"RootBot: Autonomous Robotic System for Studying the Fruit Trees - CIT UPC\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/es\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/ca\\\/portfolio-item\\\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/ca\\\/portfolio-item\\\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/12\\\/RootBot.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-12-09T09:51:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-14T07:34:54+00:00\",\"description\":\"RootBot aims to develop and demonstrate an autonomous robotic electromagnetic detection system equipped with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and advanced navigation technologies to map the root systems of fruit trees and soil moisture. This project seeks to optimize agricultural resource management, particularly water, and contribute to more sustainable farming through the use of innovative technological tools.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/ca\\\/portfolio-item\\\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/ca\\\/portfolio-item\\\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/ca\\\/portfolio-item\\\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/12\\\/RootBot.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/12\\\/RootBot.png\",\"width\":1920,\"height\":1280},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/ca\\\/portfolio-item\\\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Cover page\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"ROOTBot: An Autonomous Robotic System with Radar for Studying the Root Systems of Fruit Trees\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/es\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/es\\\/\",\"name\":\"CIT UPC\",\"description\":\"Centro de Innovaci\u00f3n y Tecnolog\u00eda\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/es\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/es\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/es\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"CIT UPC - UPC Technology Center\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/es\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/es\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/04\\\/cropped-logo_positiu_horitzontal_2020_espanol.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2020\\\/04\\\/cropped-logo_positiu_horitzontal_2020_espanol.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"CIT UPC - UPC Technology Center\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/cit.upc.edu\\\/es\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/cit.upc\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/CIT_UPC\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/CITUPC\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flickr.com\\\/photos\\\/181927091@N08\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/cit-upc\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/cit_upc\\\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"RootBot: Autonomous Robotic System for Studying the Fruit Trees - CIT UPC","description":"RootBot aims to develop and demonstrate an autonomous robotic electromagnetic detection system equipped with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and advanced navigation technologies to map the root systems of fruit trees and soil moisture. This project seeks to optimize agricultural resource management, particularly water, and contribute to more sustainable farming through the use of innovative technological tools.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/ca\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"RootBot: Autonomous Robotic System for Studying the Fruit Trees - CIT UPC","og_description":"RootBot aims to develop and demonstrate an autonomous robotic electromagnetic detection system equipped with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and advanced navigation technologies to map the root systems of fruit trees and soil moisture. This project seeks to optimize agricultural resource management, particularly water, and contribute to more sustainable farming through the use of innovative technological tools.","og_url":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/ca\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\/","og_site_name":"CIT UPC","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cit.upc","article_modified_time":"2025-07-14T07:34:54+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":683,"url":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/RootBot-1024x683.png","type":"image\/png"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@CIT_UPC","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/ca\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\/","url":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/ca\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\/","name":"RootBot: Autonomous Robotic System for Studying the Fruit Trees - CIT UPC","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/es\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/ca\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/ca\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/RootBot.png","datePublished":"2024-12-09T09:51:43+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-14T07:34:54+00:00","description":"RootBot aims to develop and demonstrate an autonomous robotic electromagnetic detection system equipped with ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and advanced navigation technologies to map the root systems of fruit trees and soil moisture. This project seeks to optimize agricultural resource management, particularly water, and contribute to more sustainable farming through the use of innovative technological tools.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/ca\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/ca\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/ca\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/RootBot.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/RootBot.png","width":1920,"height":1280},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/ca\/portfolio-item\/rootbot-un-sistema-robotic-autonom-amb-radar-per-a-lestudi-del-sistema-radicular-darbres-fruiters\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Cover page","item":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"ROOTBot: An Autonomous Robotic System with Radar for Studying the Root Systems of Fruit Trees"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/es\/#website","url":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/es\/","name":"CIT UPC","description":"Centro de Innovaci\u00f3n y Tecnolog\u00eda","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/es\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/es\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/es\/#organization","name":"CIT UPC - UPC Technology Center","url":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/es\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/es\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/cropped-logo_positiu_horitzontal_2020_espanol.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/cropped-logo_positiu_horitzontal_2020_espanol.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"CIT UPC - UPC Technology Center"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/es\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/cit.upc","https:\/\/x.com\/CIT_UPC","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/CITUPC","https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/181927091@N08","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/cit-upc\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/cit_upc\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio\/26767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/portfolio"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26767"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"portfolio-types","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cit.upc.edu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/portfolio-types?post=26767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}