FEROX interviews Micael Couciero, Ingeniarius (ING)

What is the main role of ING in FEROX?

Ingeniarius (ING), as a tech company devoted to the design of field robotics solutions, is the leader of WP4. The SME has been driving the development of intuitive user interfaces for seamless human-robot interaction and crafting a sophisticated fleet management system to coordinate unmanned aerial vehicles in dynamic environments. Their expertise is also key in integrating these autonomous systems to enhance operational efficiency and ensure robust performance across forested landscapes.

How does your expertise contribute to the main goals of the FEROX project?

Ingeniarius' expertise in mobile robotics propels the FEROX project towards its ambitious goals. With a focus on developing field robots for demanding tasks, Ingeniarius delivers critical capabilities facilitated by ROS-enabled solutions, covering SLAM, path planning, safe navigation, artificial perception, and multi-robot coordination. This expertise directly aligns with FEROX's objectives, enabling the seamless integration and coordination of autonomous drones in complex forest environments. Therefore, Ingeniarius' role is crucial in bringing FEROX's vision to life, ensuring the deployment of sophisticated, dependable, and high-performing robotic systems that revolutionise forest surveillance and management.

Which are the main robotics challenges that FEROX is facing?

Ingeniarius confronts key challenges in the FEROX project, including the system integration and the seamless coordination of diverse robotic and IoT systems in order to facilitate a robust fleet management. Data acquisition and annotation present another hurdle, critical for AI-enabled robots to precisely identify berries, necessitating extensive data collection and meticulous labeling. Additionally, optimising human-robot interaction is central, striving to devise intuitive methods for users to engage with robotic systems for efficient task execution, from mapping forests to optimising berry picking routes.