Computational Agriculture & Remote Sensing :
Niagara College conducts a variety of research activities using Computational Agriculture & Remote Sensing and virtual reality technologies.
Areas of research include virtual and augmented reality technologies, data driven modeling, real time data management, remote sensing, and human computer interaction. To support applied research activities in this area, the College has developed the Augmented Realty Research Centre, and the nascent Land Use Technologies (LUT) centre. Infrastructure in these centres includes a VR theatre, augmented reality studios, simulation technologies, remote sensing technologies and GIS technologies. In 2007 Niagara College spun off a successful 3D modeling centre, the Centre for Computational Agriculture & Remote Sensing (CFVA Inc.).
Staff expertise at the College exists in systems design, programming, GIS, database development and management, real time remote sensing technologies, and 3D modeling. Applied research projects in this area of specialization include a successful NSERC pilot project (College and Community Innovation program) in the use of VR technologies to support land use decision making; various GIS-accurate visualizations of regional vineyards and farms; disease modeling research; and a wide variety of land use planning and management projects.
The future in this area for Niagara College is to complete the establishment and infrastructure for the proposed Land Use Technology (LUT) centre with support for diverse industries including viticulture, agriculture, greenhouse, waste and water, within an overall context of environmental stewardship.
A major goal over the next several years will be the completion and commercialization of the PrAgMatic precision agriculture data management system. This programming framework is being built as an aid in the conduct of precision agriculture, allowing farmers to manage their properties more efficiently, cost-effectively, and environmentally focused.
Through the use of computers, databases, and sensing technologies, PrAgMatic will be developed to measure, record and monitor natural inputs to a farm such as weather; remote sensed inputs such as aircraft and ground based multi-spectral sensors, and LiDAR for topography and crop health; and farm inputs, such as agrichemicals. Niagara will also investigate the use of remote real time sensing networks in collaboration with university and college partners to develop disease warning algorithms and plant health estimators.
Infrastructure to support this research includes:
- Augmented Reality Research Centre
- Land Use Technologies (LUT) Centre
- VR theatre, AR studio, traffic simulation studio, GIS modeling studio, portable technology
- Simulation and GIS technologies
- State of the market computer laboratories
- Leading-edge visualization software and equipment
- Staff expertise in systems design, programming, database development and management, 3D modeling
Areas of Research Include :
- Data driven 3D modeling
- Real-time data management
- Remote sensing
- Augmented Reality (AR), including Virtual Reality (VR)
- Human Computer Interaction (HCI)
Recent Research Projects
- PrAgMatic
PrAgMatic, a real-time agriculture data management system, will enable farmers to manage their properties more efficiently, cost effectively, and environmentally focused. The agricultural owners will be provided access to real-time remote sensed data and to customized data products that are engineered to their operations. View Research Poster
- SAT: Scene Assembly Tool
By creating the software tool SAT, MTO engineers and planners will have the ability to view bridge aesthetics as well as how bridges will appear when built, generate a 3D depiction of bridges prior to being built, add new bridge components to their library and also allow engineers to build an evaluate bridges using various elements.View Research Poster
