Insects in your greenhouse that don’t help your plants grow, but actually cause damage. This well-known issue in the greenhouse horticulture sector, is what the company PATS wants to address. In 2024, PATS decided to monitor insects in a working greenhouse and to target them specifically (together with Do IoT Fieldlab, TNO, MCS, Tomatoworld, and RoboHouse). That was the initial goal of the project. Two years later, we look back at this practical experiment, as part of the “Do IoT in greenhouse horticulture project”. How did they proceed, and were the goals achieved?
Collaboration
Over the past two years, 5G connectivity has been extensively tested in the Tomatoworld greenhouse. The collaboration between PATS and the partners ran smoothly. According to PATS, the on-site facilities combined with all partners’ strong commitment, ensured this seamless experiment. “Not only did this result in a working solution, but we also gradually gained valuable insights for the next steps,” states Bram Tijmons of PATS.
5G and real-time monitoring in the greenhouse
During the experiment, they examined the effects of the greenhouse environment on the signal, such as crop density and other obstacles in the greenhouse. Furthermore, they investigated the possibility of real-time insect monitoring. The first research objective is achieved: the 5G connection in the greenhouse is stable and functions properly, even in a complex greenhouse environment. The experiment demonstrated that PATS’s technology is suitable for the deployment of 5G technology. As soon as the appropriate infrastructure is available on site, the transition can quickly be deployed.
The second research objective, real-time insect monitoring, has not yet been fully achieved – but PATS has made some progress in this regard. They are currently processing a large proportion of the data in a single batch (for example, at night), but aim to work towards continuous data processing in the long term. The experiments have highlighted the technical steps required.
Successful project
In the coming period, PATS will continue to pave the way towards real-time insect monitoring. They foresee it will become reality in the near future.
“The Tomatoworld greenhouse was a realistic and challenging test environment for us. Working in an operational tomato greenhouse with varying crop density and conditions, gave us firsthand insight in the effect of 5G connectivity on our camera systems. Our efforts have helped make the solution more robust and ready for a transition to this new standard,” says Bram Tijmons, CEO & Co-Founder of PATS.
This project has demonstrated that 5G is well suitable for PATS’ technology. It also highlights the significant potential for the future of data-driven cultivation. The door to new innovations is now truly open.
coverage at sea
How can you best map network coverage above the North Sea? That’s the key question driving the work of start-up Drocean. They are working on a coverage map using professional drones. Over the past few months, they have been able to validate and further refine their concept with support from Do IoT Fieldlab. The outcome? They are now ready to create the coverage map.
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As an entrepreneur, you want to develop something using wireless technology, but where do you even begin? With our Deep Dive, you will have a clear path to your ultimate goal in just a few hours. Together with researchers and technology experts, you will work on defining a clear research question and an experimental plan. How? With a combination of creative problem analysis and targeted technical input.
June and July mark a busy period on the Dutch coastal waters: commercial and recreational shipping, fishing, ferries, and offshore activities… At the same time, connectivity on the open sea is often poor or non-existent.
