Farm Robotics Challenge
The Farm Robotics Challenge registration will open again in Fall 2025
UC Merced & The Farm Robotics Challenge
UC Merced students, join the Farm Robotics Challenge! Embrace where technology meets agriculture to solve real-world problems. Whether you’re studying engineering, agriculture, or any other discipline, this is a prime opportunity to revolutionize the future of farming right from our campus.
Welcome to the Farm Robotics Challenge, where technology meets agriculture to solve real-world problems. This is not just a competition; it’s a movement aimed at revolutionizing the future of farming. Whether you’re a student, professor, university administrator, corporate entity, or an individual passionate about agriculture and robotics, there’s a place for you here. Find out how you can be a part of this transformative experience.
About the Challenge
The Farm Robotics Challenge is an annual, nationwide event that invites student teams from universities and colleges across the United States to develop innovative robotic solutions for real-world agricultural challenges. Organized by the AI Institute for Next Gen Food Systems (AIFS), UC ANR VINE, Fresno-Merced Future of Food (F3) Innovation, and Farm-ng, the challenge aims to accelerate the integration of cutting-edge robotics into agricultural practices. Participants will work with the state-of-the-art Amiga robot, focusing on small-farm applications to make a meaningful impact on local communities.
Process
Team Formation
Assemble your multidisciplinary team and complete the registration process.
Research and Proposal
Conduct market research to identify a real-world agricultural problem and submit a detailed project proposal.
Development
Engage in the coding, fabrication, and initial testing of your robotic solution.
Presentation
Refine your prototype and present your solution to a panel of expert judges for evaluation.
Challenges & How We Judge
Teams are expected to address a variety of production farming topics, ranging from any crop or size of farm. The challenges for the competition are categorized into three main areas: autonomy, artificial intelligence, and attachment. Judging will be based on a range of criteria including accuracy, design elegance, safety, interdisciplinary inclusion, societal impact, and commercial potential.
Categories
Autonomy
Navigate your robot through complex farm terrains autonomously.
Artificial Intelligence
Leverage AI to enhance your robot’s vision and data collection capabilities.
Attachment
Design innovative attachments to perform specific farm tasks efficiently.
Prizes and Awards
The Farm Robotics Challenge isn’t just about innovation and learning; it’s also about rewarding your hard work and creativity. We have an array of prizes designed to recognize excellence in various aspects of the competition.
CHALLENGE GRAND PRIZE:
Grand prize of $10,000 for the team!
Categories of Awards:
Grand Prize: Awarded to the team that excels in all aspects of the challenge, from innovation to implementation.
Elegance in Design: Celebrates to the team that excels in creating a well-designed, user-friendly solution.
Complexity: Honors the team that tackles the most complex challenges with an advanced and intricate solution.
Samll Farm: Recognizes the team that creates a solution specifically tailored to the needs of small farms.
Additional Perks:
Internship Opportunities: Top performers will be considered for internships.
Conference Invitations: Winners will be invited to present their projects at leading agricultural and robotics conferences.
Media Coverage: Exceptional projects will be featured in industry publications and media outlets.
Key Milestones
Competition Opens
Team Formation
Project Proposal Submission
Development Starts
Judging
Get Involved
Ready to make a change in the world of agriculture and robotics? Dive deep into the challenge by visiting the official website.