Picture a farm where robots work through the night, eliminating disease without a single drop of chemicals. It sounds like science fiction, but it's already happening on strawberry farms across Britain and vineyards throughout California, thanks to a remarkable robot called Thorvald. Thorvald is an autonomous robot that uses UVC light as a preventative treatment for crop diseases.

Thorvald's unique horseshoe design allows it to glide autonomously through polytunnels and vineyards at night, emitting precisely calibrated UVC light that damages mildew spores while leaving crops unharmed. The modular platform not only eliminates chemical use but also collects valuable crop data through onboard cameras and machine learning, giving farmers unprecedented insights for harvest planning and yield optimization. Saga Robotics treated roughly 20% of the British strawberry harvest this year, and is expanding to 30% next season. 

We traveled to Lincoln, the UK headquarters of Saga Robotics, to meet Chief Product Officer Damian Flynn and his engineering team. Discover how cutting-edge robotics and digital technology are reshaping the future of sustainable agriculture.

Find out more about Saga Robotics here.

Find out more about Onshape here.

Your host is Paul Haimes from industrial software company PTC.

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This is an 18Sixty production for PTC. Executive Producer is Jacqui Cook. Location recording by Helen Lennard. Sound design and editing by Louise Morris. Music by Rowan Bishop.