IT wasn't so long ago robots were the fodder of science fiction movies and seen as far-removed from the real world.
But a quick stroll around the EIMA Digital pavilion last November at EIMA International in Bologna, Italy, demonstrated those days are long gone.
From sensors to software, there was plenty to see inside EIMA Digital but the main topic of conversation according to FederUnacoma digital agriculture technical officer Alessio Bolognesi was robotics.
"The digital area wants to promote the digital components and solutions for agriculture and all the technology used to integrate the different parts of the activities," Mr Bolognesi said.
"Robotics is becoming one of the major topics around the world; we have about 20 here and we have a dedicated area for robots."
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Mr Bolognesi said the early days of smartphones were a good example of the attitude towards robotics and that was why it was important for the sector to "light up some minds to start trying these machines".
However, he said the space was quickly evolving and the younger generation were more oriented towards these solutions.
"Everybody was scared of the first Blackberry and only managers were using them," Mr Bolognesi said.
"Then Apple came out with the iPhone and then everybody started using the iPhone because it was simple.
"Robotics has to do the same. It should be simple. Farmers are not astronauts or engineers so we need to make the things simple."
Mr Bolognesi said in order to increase the uptake of robots it was important to create occasions where farmers could touch and see these machines working in the field.
"They need to touch the machines, understand they are very simple to use, compared to a tractor which is now a star ship more or less, and then iPhone style you set some parameters and your machine is set to go," he said.
Some of the robots on show at EIMA Digital made a double appearance and were also displayed in the Quadriportico as part of the Technical Innovation competition.
The competition recognises high-tech solutions and this year 25 machines received the title of Technical Innovation and a further 37 received a mention.
FederUnacoma technical service manager Davide Gnesini coordinated the contest and said the development of hybrid and full electric tractors had also been a hot topic at EIMA.
"We have seen interesting solutions about electrification, about improvements in productivity and about digital agriculture," Mr Gnesini said.
"Among these my personal preference is for a robot which is autonomous, electric and it gets the energy from the sun with solar panels and it works to remove weeds in rice cultivation.
"Another of my favourites was an automatic greenhouse for strawberries."
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