This field of study emphasises research on agricultural mechanisation systems and models in the agriculture and plantation sectors. Design and application of automation includes application of computers, controllers, sensors, remote sensing, GIS, GPS and mechatronics in agriculture and plantation-based industries. Topics include advanced machinery design and development in bio production robots, harvesters, planters, chemical sprayers and other agricultural implements for plantation and agricultural field operations, and impact of design of controllers and automated systems used in bio production and greenhouses. Research also emphasises on the machine vision systems, sensing elements, autonomous travelling devices, master slave tractor, field server, control algorithm, soil conductivity yield mapping, soil mapping and variable rate technology, automatic water blending, soil structure detection and prediction, soil tractability for the application of smart farming and precision farming. Other research topics include robotic engineering (automation, navigation, swarm and assistive).
