Agriculture Autonomous Vehicle / UGV Robot Manufacturer Software & Algorithm Provider
Saga Robotics Develops Thorvald to Combat Mildew with AI and UVC Light
Original from ROBOTICSandPRODUCTION: Im Kampf gegen den Mehltau

Saga Robotics Develops Thorvald to Combat Mildew with AI and UVC Light

Saga Robotics was established to address two significant challenges faced by farmers: achieving greater sustainability and coping with labor shortages. The solution is Thorvald, an autonomous robot that employs UVC light and artificial intelligence to tackle these issues.

The development of Thorvald is crucial as it represents a technological advancement in agricultural practices, particularly in the fight against mildew. By utilizing UVC light, the robot offers a sustainable method to manage crop health while reducing reliance on chemical treatments.

Looking ahead, the agricultural sector will likely see increased adoption of autonomous solutions like Thorvald. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.

Editor's Note

The introduction of autonomous robots in agriculture, such as Saga Robotics' Thorvald, highlights the industry's shift towards sustainable practices. As labor shortages persist, technology adoption will play a critical role in enhancing productivity and efficiency in farming operations.

RobotToday Initiative

Robotics needs a service framework.

RSF defines a common language for robot service capability, lifecycle operations, certification pathways, and service-provider networks.

Share

Related Articles/News

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Targets Fully Autonomous Humanoid AI Robot by 2030

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Targets Fully Autonomous Humanoid AI Robot by 2030

Kawasaki Heavy Industries has announced plans to develop a fully autonomous humanoid robot, named Kaleido, by 2030. This initiative is supported by a proprietary AI platform currently under development in Japan, marking a significant step in robotics innovation. The introduction of the Kaleido robot is crucial as it highlights Kawasaki's commitment to adv...

Digital Force Technologies Wins $500 Million Contract for Autonomous Drone Defense Systems

Digital Force Technologies Wins $500 Million Contract for Autonomous Drone Defense Systems

Digital Force Technologies (DFT) has been awarded a $500 million contract by Joint Interagency Task Force 401 to supply advanced counter-drone systems. This contract, announced on September 29, supports the Domestic Shield program, which aims to enhance drone defenses for military installations and critical assets. The significance of this contract lies i...

Military
RobotToday Weekly September 28 – October 2, 2026

RobotToday Weekly September 28 – October 2, 2026

AMD buys World Labs for $8.2 billion, Tesla lines up $30 billion in credit, Boston Dynamics reveals a new Atlas hand, Figure melts its F.02 fleet, and IDC counts 25,000 humanoids shipped in H1.

RobotToday Weekly
IROS 2026 Closing Briefing — Pittsburgh, Sep 27–Oct 1

IROS 2026 Closing Briefing — Pittsburgh, Sep 27–Oct 1

IROS 2026 closes in Pittsburgh with 1,900+ papers and 186 exhibitor listings. Humanoids, dexterous hands, tactile sensing and robot data led the show.

Market and Business News
Podcast Discusses Smarter Predictive Asset Management and Its Operational Benefits

Podcast Discusses Smarter Predictive Asset Management and Its Operational Benefits

In a recent episode of Automation World Gets Your Questions Answered, Chris McNamara interviews Steve Kaminski from Banner Engineering. Kaminski discusses how condition monitoring transforms machine data into actionable insights, enabling manufacturers to maintain efficiency and prevent failures. He emphasizes starting with critical equipment like compres...

Sponsored
XAG Advances Autonomous Farming with New Agricultural Robot System

XAG Advances Autonomous Farming with New Agricultural Robot System

XAG is enhancing agricultural automation by developing a new X Series robot system that integrates drones and automated liquid-handling equipment. This system aims to streamline the processes of charging, refilling, and cleaning drones, reducing the need for human intervention. The recent demonstration at XAG’s SuperX Farm in Guangzhou showcased the effic...

Heavy Hitters
Neura Robotics Introduces Physical AI Solutions for Healthcare Challenges

Neura Robotics Introduces Physical AI Solutions for Healthcare Challenges

Neura Robotics is making its entry into the healthcare sector by introducing physical AI and cognitive robots to address significant staffing shortages and capacity constraints. The World Health Organization predicts a shortfall of 4.1 million healthcare workers in the EU by 2030, highlighting the urgency of innovative solutions in this field. The company...

Defense Secretary Hegseth Proposes New Autonomous Warfare Command for Drones

Defense Secretary Hegseth Proposes New Autonomous Warfare Command for Drones

In a recent address, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined a vision for establishing a new Autonomous Warfare Command. This initiative aims to expedite the integration of drones and robotic systems into the hands of servicemembers, enhancing operational capabilities. The significance of this proposal lies in its potential to transform military operation...

Air Warfare Land Warfare Pentagon
AI's Role in Healthcare Billing Raises Concerns Over Rising Costs and Coding Practices

AI's Role in Healthcare Billing Raises Concerns Over Rising Costs and Coding Practices

AI is becoming increasingly integrated into the healthcare billing system, with Blue Cross Blue Shield Association reporting nearly $1 billion in additional costs attributed to AI-assisted medical coding from 2023 to 2025. This rise in costs is linked to complex coding practices that may not correlate with changes in patient care, raising concerns about t...

Understanding How Autonomous Systems Handle Unexpected Situations

Understanding How Autonomous Systems Handle Unexpected Situations

Recent discussions have emerged regarding the ability of machines and AI agents to respond to unexpected events. For instance, when ChatGPT is faced with a challenging question, or a Waymo vehicle encounters an unusual obstacle, these systems may struggle to adapt as humans do. This highlights a significant gap in the current capabilities of autonomous sy...

Robotics
Ouster and Seneca Collaborate to Enhance Autonomous Drone Technology for Wildfire Response

Ouster and Seneca Collaborate to Enhance Autonomous Drone Technology for Wildfire Response

Ouster, Inc. has partnered with Seneca to integrate its REV8 OS1 Max native color digital lidar into Seneca's autonomous drone platform. This collaboration aims to improve 3D perception capabilities in drones, enabling safer and faster operations in complex wildfire environments. The integration of Ouster's advanced lidar technology is significant as it e...

Ethernet Cabling: Essential Infrastructure for Data Management in Manufacturing

Ethernet Cabling: Essential Infrastructure for Data Management in Manufacturing

The rapid growth of artificial intelligence and digital technology is driving significant infrastructure development to manage increasing data volumes. This trend is particularly evident in manufacturing, where real-time data connectivity enhances operational efficiency and decision-making. As global electricity demand from data centers is projected to do...

Process / Communication

Related Suppliers

SAGA ROBOTICS

Oslo, Norway agricultural robotics company founded 2016 from a Norwegian University of Life Sciences project; builds the Thorvald UV-C and data robot.

Agriculture Autonomous Vehicle / UGV

AIGRO

Autonomous ground robotics for sustainable agriculture and horticulture

Agriculture Commercial Service Robots Mobile Robot (AGV/AMR)

Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI)

German Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants conducting applied research in crop science, plant protection, and agricultural robotics and automation.

Agriculture Education & Research Healthcare & Senior Care

Intuitive Robots

French robotics software company and official European distributor of Boston Dynamics Spot, deploying autonomous robots for industrial infrastructure.

Mobile Robot (AGV/AMR) Robot Manufacturer Industrial

Danish Technological Institute

Taastrup, Denmark non-profit institute founded 1906; its Centre for Robot Technology in Odense runs an Autonomous Robotics Lab and EU RIMA Network testbeds.

Sentera

St. Paul, Minnesota precision-agriculture company builds drone sensors and crop analytics software; acquired by John Deere in May 2025.

IntelinAir

US agri-tech company offering AGMRI, an AI-powered crop intelligence platform analyzing aerial, satellite, and drone imagery to deliver field alerts to farmers.

Agriculture Software & Algorithm Provider Perception & Vision

ADEV Automation

Ohio-based agricultural robotics company developing autonomous strawberry harvesting systems to address farm labor shortages.

Agrobot

Spanish agricultural robotics company based in Huelva developing autonomous strawberry harvesters and insect vacuum robots for labor-scarce farms.

Agrikola AI

Spanish agri-tech startup developing autonomous UVC robots and cloud software to eliminate fungal crop diseases without chemical pesticides.

Xenex Healthcare Services

Maker of LightStrike UV disinfection robots; FDA De Novo-authorized; deployed in 400+ hospitals including Mayo Clinic and MD Anderson.

Healthcare & Senior Care Commercial Service Robots Manipulation & Grasping

Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory 上海人工智能实验室

Shanghai-based national AI research institute founded 2020; develops the InternLM model family and the Intern-Robotics embodied-AI engine.

inJoin the RobotToday community on LinkedIn

Daily robotics news, in-depth analysis, conference highlights, and discussions with professionals worldwide.