Finding Solutions to Pressing Societal Challenges
Academia has an undeniable responsibility to intervene in solving social challenges. The University of Santo Tomas (UST) has been at the forefront of fulfilling this responsibility, staying true to its heritage spanning centuries. Recently, researchers from UST came up with a new agricultural automation technology. Assoc. Prof. Anthony James C. Bautista, DT of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Asst. Prof. Mary Grace Ann C. Bautista, MSc of the Department of Electronics Engineering, and BS Mechanical Engineering alumnus John Raven Red have developed a way to use GPS technology to automate agricultural tractors with the AGROTIS Navigation System. The project was funded by the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD).
According to the researchers, AGROTIS can operate autonomously through GPS-guided navigation or be manually controlled via radio frequency. Developed in collaboration with the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the International Rice Research Institute, it also boasts of a robust safety system. It offers versatile solutions for various tractor types. The technology is incubated at the UST TOMASInno Center, the University’s Technology-based Business Incubator (TBI) and aims to directly benefit local farmers by enhancing rice field land preparation.
AGROTIS was recently tested by the Agricultural Machinery Testing and Evaluation Center (AMTEC), which demonstrated significant benefits. The field capacity of hand tractors was reduced from 31.25 hours per hectare to 20 hours per hectare, while field efficiency was improved from 60 percent to 80 percent. Additionally, a customer validation survey showed a 90 percent acceptability rate among local farmers. As we present our yearly special issue featuring prestigious alumni of the UST, we wish the research team all the best. Do let us know your thoughts.