A robot designed to monitor vines has been hailed a success following trials in Portugal's Douro Valley. The robot, called the Vinho Verde, was developed by scientists at the University of Porto, and is being used for research into vine diseases such as phylloxera. The EU is funding €1.7m ($2.04m) of the €2m project, which is aimed at both improving viticulture and addressing labour shortage issues.
A robot designed to monitor vines has been hailed a success following trials in Portugal's Douro Valley. The VineScout is being developed by Spanish universities in conjunction with port and Douro wine producer Symington Family Estates, using technology from French and British companies. The EU is funding €1.7m ($2.04m) of the €2m project, which is aimed at both improving viticulture and addressing labour shortage issues.