Assignment

Project 4.0, a collaborative final-year project at Thomas More University, presented a unique opportunity for a group of people to come together from different courses in Thomas More University and make an application for an external client. The company that asked for the project is Vito which does research in Belgium and abroad for the sustainable development of our economy. The problem that we need to solve is to improve the harvest of the strawberries by making a mobile application / website in order to help the farmers.

Approach

Our interdisciplinary team comprised two APP students, two AI students, and two security students. We recognized the need for a solution that would enable farmers to make data-driven decisions to optimize their strawberry production. The way we think application will work is that the farmer can mark his fields on a map overlay. After that he can assign his workers to go take pictures of his field to gather data which our AI model will use to extract data from. It's also possible to upload drone data on the website and gather the relevant information from that source. After the data has been uploaded the farm owner can view it and make better decisions on how to better manage his farm. To ensure the project's success, we followed a structured approach. In the Ideation Phase, we established our team identity, defined project requirements, and created a comprehensive project plan outlining deliverables and timelines. The Concept Phase involved selecting the most suitable technologies for the project and developing a detailed implementation plan. Finally, in the Realization Phase, we adopted the agile scrum methodology, dividing the project into three two-week sprints. This iterative approach allowed us to maintain flexibility, adapt to changes, and ensure continuous progress.

Result

By the end of the project, we successfully delivered both an Android app and a web application, fulfilling the client's initial requirements. The app empowered farmers to efficiently collect and upload field data, while the website provided a powerful platform for data visualization and analysis.

My Input

As an AI student, I played a crucial role in the development of the AI model that powered the application. My responsibilities included data labeling using Roboflow to train the AI model to accurately identify strawberries and assess their condition. I also utilized TensorFlow to train the model, ensuring its ability to extract meaningful information from the collected images. Additionally, I created a promotional video showcasing the capabilities of Strawberry4Life, demonstrating its potential impact on strawberry farming.

What I learned

Project 4.0 proved to be an invaluable learning experience, significantly enhancing my skills and knowledge in several areas. I deepened my understanding of TensorFlow, gaining practical experience in model training and optimization. I also developed effective communication skills, collaborating closely with the client to understand their needs and ensure their satisfaction. Furthermore, I experienced firsthand the benefits of agile development, including its ability to foster adaptability and deliver incremental results.