In this issue of Global Signals we see how AI is being used in the wine industry to trace wine compounds back to their vine-growing regions, and look at wood chips being an alternative source of synthetic graphite.
We’ve designed this newsletter to deliver interesting signals to your inbox that we believe may influence agritech in New Zealand and beyond.
From creating food from carbon dioxide, to robotic jellyfish that clean our oceans, we’ve explored some impressive solutions in the agritech space this year. If you missed any, check out previous Global Signals newsletters here.
Meri Kirihimete me te hape Nū La, Shane (Callaghan Innovation)
New Zealand-based company CarbonScape has developed a method to produce a synthetic form of graphite, an essential component for lithium ion batteries from wood chips.
While sceptics question the efficiency of biomass-based graphite, CarbonScape claims its process is sustainable. The technology could contribute to diversifying the graphite supply chain and reducing reliance on China, though challenges remain with imposed strict export controls and market scepticism on cost competitiveness.
What other ongoing innovation in battery technology could New Zealand be part of especially given the importance of securing diverse and sustainable sources for critical battery materials?
Researchers have created an AI tool that uses machine learning to analyse wine compounds, tracing them back to their vine-growing region and estate.
Trained on gas chromatography data from Bordeaux wines, the algorithm identifies estate-specific chemical signatures, effectively detecting fraud with 99% accuracy.
The research may enable applications in quality monitoring during winemaking and blending processes, potentially reducing costs for winemakers who pay hefty amounts for wine blending specialists, and reducing wine fraud for consumers.
As this technology continues to improve, what other industries value the adoption of similar tools to trace a product’s origin? Could it contribute to more transparent and efficient processes?
With the implementation of autonomous robots and other advancing technologies, farm equipment is gathering more information than ever before.
NVIDIA the “accelerated computing” company, has started to direct its attention and capability toward some of agriculture's data challenges by developing hardware and software solutions.
Their projects, such as Earth-2 for weather simulations, and Jetson for autonomous robots, demonstrate a comprehensive data driven approach that could be applied to farming (by handling the training, maintaining, and development of autonomous machines in agriculture).
They describe their current innovations as just the beginning, aiming to leverage data science and generative AI to provide farmers with better insights and solutions beyond autonomous robots.
It’s always interesting to me when large tech corporations point at agriculture, what major changes could this unlock for farming?
Researchers at RMIT University in Australia have developed PYROCO, a technology converting organic waste into biochar using high temperatures.
Biochar, a stable form of carbon, is produced from biosolids, preventing their release into the atmosphere. Biochar can be applied in many ways including enhancing soil fertility and serving as carbon electrodes for batteries.
The PYROCO technology, inspired by ancient practices, underwent successful trials in collaboration with water authorities. The team aims to commercialise the approach, potentially transforming wastewater by-products into a valuable, carbon-efficient resource for biosolids treatment in the water industry.
With battery components coming from wood chips and biosolids are we at the tipping point of cleaner solutions for battery technology to use?
"The Wizard of AI" is a 19-minute film commissioned for The Open Data Institute (ODI) Summit 2023, offering a futurist perspective on the profound impact of generative AI on cultural landscapes.
Crafted by Alan Warburton, the film, predominantly AI-generated, serves as a critical exploration of the wonders and pitfalls of this transformative technological epoch.
As AI tools evolve rapidly, the film captures the cutting edge, highlighting the filmmaker's commitment to demystify, educate, and foster critical analysis in this dynamic era. "The Wizard of AI" emerges as a speculative, yet insightful, commentary on the evolving relationship between humans and AI-generated content.
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Don’t forget to share with us any signals or interesting innovations you’ve come across so we can spread the word. We enjoy seeing NZ companies be creative, innovative and push the boundaries, it makes for insightful reading.
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