AIRoV 2026 Workshop • 3 hours

Digital Transformation of Agriculture & Animal Science (DTA2S)

The DTA2S workshop, continuing the tradition of previous workshops of AI and Robotics in Agriculture and Digital Transformation of Animal Science Research, provides an interdisciplinary platform to explore how digital technologies can revolutionize animal science and agricultural research. The workshop bridges the gap between fundamental research in AI, robotics, and vision and their practical application in complex biological environments. By uniting academic researchers, industry innovators, and practitioners, it fosters a multi-disciplinary community that moves beyond siloed approaches to create integrated systems that are technologically advanced, ethically sound, and economically viable.

Organizers

Sebastian Gruber*, Mark A.M. Kramer#, Peter Riegler-Nurscher+, Peter M. Roth§,#

* FH Wiener Neustadt / Campus Francisco Josephinum
# Vetmeduni, Wien
+ Josephinum Research § Webster Vienna Private University

Workshop Description

The agricultural sector faces several critical challenges, including increasing food production for a growing population, reducing environmental footprints under climate change, transitioning to sustainable agricultural practices, and meeting rising animal welfare standards. Addressing these demands requires fundamental digital transformation rather than incremental change. AI and robotics are increasingly recognized as key technologies to enable resource-efficient farming, automate labor-intensive tasks, and support climate change adaptation, significantly contributing to environmental protection while enhancing productivity and resilience.

Through interdisciplinary collaboration, the workshop aims to accelerate the integration of advanced digital solutions into animal science and agricultural practice. Attendees will gain insights into current trends, challenges, and future directions at this rapidly evolving intersection, ultimately contributing to more efficient, sustainable, and resilient food production systems. The workshop will act as a catalyst for new collaborations, ensuring that the Austrian and international research landscape remains at the forefront of the global AgTech revolution.

General topics of interest include but are not limited to:

  • AI and Robotics in livestock, Precision Livestock Farming (PLF)
  • Smart implements, Edge AI
  • Digital twins
  • Benchmarks and datasets
  • Privacy and ethics of agricultural data
  • Robotics in weeding and plant protection, harvesting robotics
  • Remote sensing and modelling
  • Pest and disease detection
  • Yield prediction
  • Decision Support Systems
  • Animal and Plant Phenotyping
  • Climate-resilient farming systems
  • Soil monitoring and management

Keynote Speakers

  • Prof. Dr. Holger A. Volk, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover (cancelled due to private reasons)

Important Dates

  • Paper submission deadline: 2026-03-14 (extended)
  • Notification of acceptance: 2026-03-24
  • Date of workshop: 2026-04-15

Program

Time Paper Title Speaker/Authors
09:15–09:30 Opening (General + Session I) Peter M. Roth
9:30–9:55 Vision-based detection of pain and nest-building behaviors in sows within commercial farrowing pens Peter Helf and Maciej Oczak
09:055–10:20 Online adaptive path planning of UAVs for weed detection Wolfgang Pitzl, Lukas Lachmann, Raphael Völker, and Peter Riegler-Nurscher
10:30–11:00 COFFEE BREAK
11:00–11:05 Opening (Session II) Sebastian Gruber
11:05–11:30 Lightweight Classification of Canine Eye Diseases Isselmou Abdarahmane and Peter M. Roth
11:30–11:55 Measuring the Specific Gravity of Urine of Dogs Using Digital Refractometers Martina Jezik and Peter M. Roth
11:55–12:20 Interactive VetMap of Austria Valentina Dolin, Gudrun Kinz, Martina Jezik, Mark A.M. Kramer, and Peter M. Roth
12:20–12:30 Discussion and Closing Mark A.M. Kramer