The winning entry was an autonomous vehicle prototype developed by post-graduate alumnus Artem Tolstykh and senior lecturer, Dr Masoud Shakiba for use in the primary production sector. 

“It’s been an honour to work alongside Artem and collaborate with both industry and academic sectors to develop the Cloud-based Autonomous AgriTech Vehicle for Horticulture,” says Dr Shakiba. 

“Winning first place in the project showcase is a testament to our team's dedication to sustainable innovation. This recognition fuels our passion to continue driving impactful solutions that contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” he says. 

The cloud-based autonomous vehicle is the first innovation to come out of Unitec’s Internet of Things (IoT) Impact Lab, designed to allow learners to work with startups at the cutting edge of technology to help take a concept towards commercialisation. 

The IoT Impact Lab was launched last year with One NZ as its first corporate partner. The lab focuses on integrating IoT technologies, data and artificial intelligence (AI) to empower local communities in finding innovative solutions for areas aligned with the UN goals. 

In the past year, the prototype has been enhanced by installing more sensors and 5G connectivity with camera and Amazon Web Services connections to be added over the coming semester. This will enable the vehicle to be later used in smart horticulture, including disease detection. 

"Horticulture has enormous potential for sustainable business growth in New Zealand and smart technologies like this vehicle will help to make agricultural robotics more widely available,” says Unitec's Research Partner - Enterprise Gregor Steinhorn.   

“At Unitec’s IoT Impact Lab, we encourage more researchers, students, and industries to join us as we work together on innovative projects that create lasting change."

The Unitec team was awarded a cash prize of $1,500 in recognition of its win.