About AgriLab¶
AgriLab started end of 2018, as an open Innovation center in Agriculture and FabLab. It wants to be the bridge between Agriculture, FabLab and the opensource world.
With 1200m2, in a huge building on the University UniLasalle Polytechnique campus in Beauvais (France), we are installed in an agriculture exploitation. We can directly test in the field. A full tractor can enter in the Lab. We have cows and chickens next door and a variety of crops to test different prototypes. We even have some facility to host peoples several days. And we have a huge local network: the agriculture chamber is next door, some major constructor of agronomic equipment have their headquarters in the neighbourhood.
AgriLab is composed of a team of enthusiasts.
Location : AgriLab is located one hour from Paris and less than 5 minutes from an airport serving part of Europe. Located on the campus UniLasalle Polytechnic University, AgriLab has a large number of infrastructure and can facilitate access to housing.
UniLaSalle Group¶
UniLaSalle is one of the 204 French engineering schools accredited to award engineering degrees. UniLaSalle group has 4 sites: Beauvais, Rouen, Rennes, Amiens. UniLaSalle offers engineering training in the earth, life and environmental sciences, but also, since its merger with ESIEE-Amiens, in energy and digital technology. From geology to food and health, from agronomy to the environmental performance of companies, from energy to telecommunications, you will find a wide choice of specializations at the heart of global challenges. UniLaSalle has a range from Bac+3 to Bac+5, Bac+6, masters, advanced programs and masters of science allow you to access high-level specialized knowledge. It is a member of the CGE, the CDEFI, the Institut catholique de Paris and the FESIC.
FabAcademy node¶
AgriLab meets all FabAcademy inventory requirements, but goes much further. AgriLab has large equipment for machining because AgriLab is also intended for the agricultural world, Equipment for SMT electronics and composite 3D printers exceed the limited scope of a Lab in urban area. AgriLab is surrounded by agricultural land and allows trying prototypes in real conditions & outside.
Visit AgriLab during this world tour FabAcademy 2021 student’s Bootcamp.
Agriculture¶
Agriculture is a challenging subject. Many peopels have a non realisitic point of view on Agriculture. You can not build a community food process like you grow a basilic plant in your appartment.
Many technical challenges :
Build stuff that resists harsh condition : Humidity, Sun, Wind, Dust, Mud, Snow.
Network coverage : electricity and wireless network are non trivial questions.
Living creature : you can not do projects or tests without respecting life for animal or plants.
Bpex¶
Bpex, a box designed for outside sensors. Adapted to agriculture, it protects against rain but allow electronics to measure humidity, temp, gas… Designed with openscad to be 3D printable and fully parametric : size, thread size, angle… BPEX is for Boitier Parametrique Extérieur. Bpex doc
The solar pannel version called Solar companion for Bpex
RTK tractor¶
A 20-years-old tractor with a self-driving system built and adapted by farmers members in AgriLab.
Tractor tools, PréFabriqué¶
Striptill¶
http://agrilab.unilasalle.fr/projets/projects/strip-till
Small tractor robots¶
Utility robot¶
Utility robot from Théo Gautier , FabAcademy 2021 , https://fabacademy.org/2021/labs/agrilab/students/theo-gautier/projects/final-project/
MilQ¶
MilQ , Antonio Anaya , FabAcademy 2021 , https://fabacademy.org/2021/labs/agrilab/students/antonio-anaya/projects/for_replication/
FabAcademy Regional meetings¶
AgriLab is involved in the Central Europe Regional meeting group with the Waag in Amsterdam , ULB in Brussels and Kamp-Lintfort . Each week, students and instructors meet online and exchange on their progress, discoveries and challenges .
Fab 16 , August 2021 ,
Those moments are more than student work review, we exchange a lot on many subjects. It is also important to keep a friendly and fun atmosphere.
More photo will come with the wild camping and many good moments.
FabX , July 2020 , We succeed to gather during the short pandemic pause during the 2020 summer to do a FabX meeting in AgriLab and had a great time.
This year we expand our regional meeting to other Labs.
Accreditation and European ECTS¶
With accreditation system you will have 2 diplomas : the engineering diploma delivered by UniLaSalle at the end of 5 years of studies and the FabAcademy diploma delivered by FabFoundation. AgriLab deliver 30 ECTS through the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System recognised by european universities.
AgriLab is involved in the European accreditation group for FabAcademy. We meet once a month to improve high education accreditation in Europe. AgriLab recognise for the French engineering studies FabAcademy as engineering studies .
Those meetings help other FabAcademy nodes in the recognition process of FabAcademy as a higher education study by universities. Other discussion are on the exchange of instructors and students through our network for short period.
Ecosystem and Financing¶
This year, some students are in partnership with iTerra , the regional startup incubator.
Pole Emplois, the French governmental agency for unemployed people, provides financial aid to some students.
We are working to find a diversity of financing to help students accessing FabAcademy program.