Research & policyAnnouncement

HARVEST builds robot adoption services on Agri-OpenCore

A new University of Lincoln hub is carrying agricultural robotics software into an adoption programme, combining shared navigation infrastructure with testing facilities and support for UK farms and food businesses.

By Adaptive AgroTech editorial deskSource date 13 Oct 2026Published on World 22 Oct 2026

A compact robot marked DB140 positioned between elevated strawberry rows. — Strawberry-row robotics photograph accompanying the University of Lincoln’s HARVEST announcement. Credit: Electric Egg / University of Lincoln. Publisher image; reuse permission not verified. Confirm permission before publication.

The HARVEST Robot Adoption Hub began in September 2026, led by the University of Lincoln’s Lincoln Institute for Agri-Food Technology. An Agri-OpenCore update says its digital infrastructure will provide navigation services across robot platforms using the project’s ROS 2 stack. Dogtooth Technologies and JABAS.AI are among the partners.

A separate university announcement reports £4.8 million secured within a £7.1 million investment. Based at Riseholme Park, the hub will connect developers and end users with testing facilities and expertise. Planned support includes £500,000 for a robot test track and a £1 million acceleration fund to help businesses address barriers preventing adoption of agri-food robotics.

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