One of the projects on which robotics research associate Anouk Leunissen is working on behalf of her employer Wageningen University & Research is Joyride Horticulture. The project is now about midway through its term. A good time to review the results and progress so far.
With her biomedical engineering education and background, Anouk Leunissen might not seem an immediate fit with a research project in greenhouse horticulture. Until we look at the research questions. Because Joyride Horticulture, the project funded by the Top Sector Horticulture & Starting Materials and the Club of 100, involves many biomedical aspects. Challenging greenhouse climates, increasing work pressure and more physically demanding work have made greenhouse horticulture less appealing as a working environment. Anouk Leunissen and her colleagues want to change that. The Greenhouse Horticulture and Flower Bulbs Business Unit at Wageningen University & Research looks at the technical issues, while Wageningen Economic Research (WEcR) is involved at social level. "The project identifies the current challenges and we explore whether we can address and/or alleviate them using the team's technical and sociological knowledge."
