Priva is the market leader in high-tech greenhouse horticulture, with the long-term vision that comes with a family business. I’ve been following them for a few years now. In 2016 I spent two days at Priva and visited UrbanFarmers De Schilde and BrightBox in Venlo. Continue reading Working at Phil
Over 6 months ago I started my MSc thesis – and now the project’s finished. This is a cursory but technical article where I share some of the results with you. A quick recap: There are many ways of controlling Continue reading Climate Control Using a Genetic Algorithm (Part 2)
Back in 1947, computer science pioneer Alan Turing foresaw machines that could learn from experience. 73 years later, everyone seems to be yapping on about ‘big data’ and ‘machine learning’, as I have on this blog as well. Where conventional programming starts Continue reading LetsGrow Using Data in Greenhouses
Two Saturdays ago I went to TechnoHouse, an event organised at Rijk Zwaan’s headquarters in Westland, for sharing knowledge, networking, and showcasing the latest in breeding vegetable crops and greenhouse horticulture. Continue reading TechnoHouse at Rijk Zwaan
Greenhouse climate control consists of lots of if-then statements, basically decision trees. Can a genetic algorithm optimise these trees? I am about to find out in my MSc thesis. Continue reading Rule-Based Climate Control Using a Genetic Algorithm
Last month, I started the course Precision Farming at Wageningen University. Precision farming is about applying the right dosage, at the right place, at the right time, which is easier said than done. Over the past few weeks, we have Continue reading Delphy: Applying Precision Farming to Greenhouses
Agricultural systems are complex. Data and machine learning can help. But how exactly? Believing something can be useful and knowing how are two different things. PlantGeek are applying data and machine learning to automate aquaponics systems. Continue reading PlantGeek: Machine Learning and Aquaponics
Finally, it’s time to go back to being a normal student again. Last week I finished my BSc thesis. Here’s a quick but technical article summarising what I did and what I found. The Dutch greenhouse horticultural industry is extremely Continue reading Nutrient Emissions in Greenhouses: A Model-Based Approach
At Aquafarm 2018, Zjef Van Acker had been talking about his latest brainchild, the Virtual Vertical Farming Lab (ViVe Farm Lab), an online platform for sharing data and knowledge. On the way back at the airport, he showed me some Continue reading AMI’s Farm Lab and the First Vertical Farming Festival
Last week, Nederlandse Vereniging Techniek in de Landbouw (Dutch association for technology in agriculture, NVTL) organised their annual Studiedag, a day filled with interesting tours and talks by people at the forefront of agricultural technology. This was an opportunity not Continue reading NVTL Studiedag