As part of the co-organization of Innovent Forum 2025 in Larissa by the first European Digital Innovation Hub in the Hellenic Agri-food sector, #DigiAgriFood, the University of Thessaly, partner of the Hub, participated in the competitive process of the Hackathon organized by the JOIST Innovation Park and the University of Thessaly, on February 15, 2025.
Three proposals were successfully submitted, and a total of 13 researchers and 2 more experienced mentors participated.
The teams formed submitted proposals in the following thematic areas:
1. Rational management and protection of natural resources in agricultural production
A distributed sensor node system was proposed to monitor important parameters in the field, process data, and, through machine learning, improve the use of irrigation water with the aim of reducing production costs, ensuring production sustainability, and improving the environmental footprint of the products.
2. Food Traceability with Blockchain
Various digital tools were proposed, such as blockchain and machine learning, along with the use of IoT devices and interoperability protocols between different supply chains, to ensure the authenticity of food and verify its geographical origin.
3. AI Applications and Image Analysis in Agri-Food
Technologies for recognizing fruit and its specific parameters were proposed for remote monitoring of fruit development in real-time. The project suggested using remote control technologies to monitor the effects of environmental factors and cultivation methods, along with applying machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to analyze the fruit and train the analysis model.
All proposals were accepted and invited to be presented as part of the final top ten proposals, which was decided collectively by the judging panel.
The experience of participating in the Hackathon, both for the young researchers and their more experienced mentors, was unique, as they witnessed the development of proposals minute by minute, the formation of new ideas, the development of a specific strategy for optimal performance during the presentation, as well as the intensity and enthusiasm they showed throughout the competition.
