FIRA 2020 robotics event goes virtual

Since organising ‘live’ events is impossible due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the upcoming FIRA 2020 will be a 100% virtual event. FIRA will provide international participants with online live access to speakers, stand tours and interactions with exhibitors and other participants.

This way, GOFAR, the association organising FIRA, aims to bring together agricultural robotics experts from all over the world despite restrictions due to Covid-19. The virtual edition of FIRA 202 will take place 8, 9 and 10 December 2020.

More than 3,000 participants

For its 5th edition the organisers aspire to gather more than 3.000 participants worldwide (compared to 850 participants in 2019 for its live version). “This virtualisation will serve as a wonderful opportunity for the sector to increase its attractiveness and to offer all agricultural robotics professionals, wherever they are, the possibility to take part in this new deal of the agricultural world, while limiting its carbon footprint,” says organiser GOFAR.

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On demand conferences and round tables

Conferences and round tables will be available live online and “on demand” as soon as they are completed, so as to allow participants, wherever they are in the world, to avoid time zones constraints.

As for the stands, they will be accessible and will offer the possibility to browse through the videos, brochures and photos of the exhibitors, and to chat with them using chat or video.

The 2nd edition of the RobAgri Scientific Workshop is also part of the program. It will be held in a dedicated room and will provide presentations of technical and scientific research projects with view on the poster area of these projects.

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FIRA is an International Forum of Agricultural Robotics. The event is all about robots and their applications in farming. Last year, Swiss ecoRobotix selected FIRA for the world premiere of its new Avo weed control robot. – Photo: René Koerhuis

Covid-19 and agricultural robotics

This year is marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and the global confinement it has led to and we have all faced. According to GOFAR, “This unprecedented situation impacts the agricultural production and further conveys the difficulties of a sector that is demanding but undergoes labor shortage. In that light, how can robotics provide an appropriate and alternative response, without neglecting its integration into an unusual social, economic and environmental context?” The international speakers selected for their expertise will be featured to share their vision and exchange with the participants.

Robot demonstrations

This year, all robot manufacturers will be offering demos in real conditions, presented live and exclusively at FIRA. Registrations for FIRA 2020 will soon be open.

Also read: Robots rule at Fira in Toulouse