New VINNEA project

The Centre for Industrial Equipment Design (CDEI), a member of the Agrotech-UPC Research Centre, is taking part in a cross-border project aimed at promoting the use of advanced digital technologies in viticulture in regions on both sides of the Pyrenees. The aim is to improve specialised training, technical advice and decision-making in vineyard management.

The VINNEA project focuses on integrating digital technologies into the viticulture sector, particularly in areas such as pruning, the study of plant roots and vineyard management in regions on both sides of the Pyrenees. In this context, the CDEI at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) is developing advanced digital tools to digitalise vineyards and automate key tasks, particularly winter pruning. The project is being carried out within the framework of Agrotech-UPC.

CDEI researcher David Caballero, who is participating in the project alongside researcher Alba Pérez, explains that their goal is clear: “to develop technological solutions that make it possible to digitalise vineyards and move towards the intelligent automation of their processes, always in line with agronomic criteria and the sector's real needs”.

On the one hand, they are developing methodologies and systems for the autonomous digitalisation of vineyards that could eventually be integrated into mobile robots equipped with sensors. The aim is to generate structured digital representations of vineyards that efficiently and scalably capture their geometry, condition and agronomic characteristics.

Building on this work, the CDEI is developing artificial intelligence models to support pruning decisions, capable of generating recommendations based on gentle pruning principles. “These models can be applied directly to pruning automation, but they also serve as tools to support training, agronomic validation and knowledge transfer to the sector,” explains Caballero.

In parallel, the CDEI is addressing the automation of the pruning process, exploring the specifications and requirements that robotic systems must meet to carry out these tasks autonomously under real field conditions.

It is also contributing to the development of solutions for monitoring and phenotyping root systems using non-invasive technologies such as ground-penetrating radar (GPR). This makes it possible to characterise root distribution and move towards hybrid models that improve understanding of the vineyard as a whole.

A hyper-realistic experience

As part of the initiative, coordinated by the Public University of Navarre (UPNA), technologies such as 3D modelling, virtual reality and augmented reality will be developed and applied to recreate hyper-realistic immersive vineyard environments. These will incorporate digital twins of vineyards and enable precise interaction with pruning tools, alongside advanced learning assessment systems. The aim is to improve teaching, vocational training, decision-making and the automation of specific viticultural practices.

The work will begin with an assessment of the sector's needs and the tools already available. Based on this analysis, new technological solutions will be designed and subsequently tested through pilot activities involving university students, teaching staff, winegrowers and training centres. These trials will help assess their usefulness in real-world situations, evaluate their impact and refine the tools before they are disseminated.

Hyper-realistic immersive environments

Within the same project framework, the creation of a cross-border cooperation network is also planned to promote knowledge transfer and disseminate results through demonstrations, events, publications and audiovisual materials. Validating and adapting the tools to different contexts, with support from organisations linked to the wine industry and training, aims to strengthen their practical applicability and facilitate their transfer beyond the consortium.

“The project addresses several current challenges facing the wine sector, including climate change, the shortage of skilled labour, the need to preserve and pass on technical knowledge, and the transition towards more sustainable practices. By integrating digital technologies into training and vineyard management, VINNEA aims to contribute to more efficient and resilient viticulture that is better equipped to meet future challenges across the cross-border region,” concludes Gonzaga Santesteban of the UPNA, who leads the project alongside Amalia Ortiz, from the same university's Distributed Systems research group.

Partners and funding

In addition to the UPC and the UPNA, the project involves the École d’Ingénieurs de Purpan in Toulouse, the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE, by its French acronym), the Navarre-based company Viticultura Viva and the French digital-sector company WiDiD. Various other organisations are also participating.

The initiative has a budget of €1.8 million, of which €1.1 million comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), representing 65% co-financing under the Interreg VI-A Spain-France-Andorra programme (POCTEFA 2021–2027).