Agricultural Machinery and Robotics: Design, Control and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Over the last few decades, the agricultural sector has faced fast growth in terms of the utilization of robots as well as in the investigation of autonomous agricultural machines. Moreover, attention on precision and smart farming is increasing, with the ultimate aim of achieving sustainable development objectives and decreasing operational expenditures in agricultural operations. In addition, the use of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and digital twin processes is increasing incessantly. This significant improvement in technologies, processes and equipment in the agricultural sector is also due to the activity of many researchers around the globe. Moreover, these new technologies applied to agricultural machinery contribute to improving safety levels in a sector characterized by a significant number of accidents. Furthermore, smart equipment and robots play significant roles in the reduction of exposure to potentially hazardous atmospheres, in the improvement of ergonomic working conditions and in the reduction of adverse impacts on the environment.

This Special Issue will be devoted to state-of-the-art research on agricultural machinery for smart and precision farming, as well as the use of robots and cobots in agriculture. Prospective authors are invited to submit original papers to this Special issue.

The topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• machinery and equipment for smart farming;
• autonomous agricultural machines;
• robots and cobots in agriculture;
• smart vision and image recognition in the agricultural sector;
• safety devices for operator and environment protection.

Dr. Leonardo Vita
Dr. Davide Gattamelata
Prof. Dr. Massimo Cecchini
Guest Editors

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