xTrap device: a product of xFarm research

Eic Accelerator has awarded a EUR 1 million grant to xFarm Technologies. The funds, disbursed through the European Innovation Council - a body created by the European Commission to support high-tech innovations that are considered revolutionary - were granted to continue the development of xTrap, a trap for the automatic monitoring of phytophagous insects, produced by the tech company that developed the App already used by more than 150,000 farms. The xTrap device - which uses IoT (Internet of Things) technology - is equipped with a high-resolution camera capable of detecting certain harmful insects in crops. At the heart of the technology is both the Machine Learning algorithm, which makes it possible to recognise and count insects, and the predictive model, which on the other hand makes it possible to forecast the course of pest infestations. Three versions are currently available on the market: the Delta, which uses pheromones, the Stink, which allows insects to be counted, and the Color, which uses colour sheets. Thanks to this tool, farmers can receive advice, via smartphone and computer, on the timing and pesticide treatments to be used, thus limiting speculation and increasing environmental sustainability. The allocation from the European Innovation Council will be used to improve the algorithm and the forecasting model, but it is possible - reads a note released by the company - that in the near future xFarm Technologies may increase the models in its catalogue.