Category: MIL-OSI

Last updated: Friday 18 March 2022

Massey University’s AgriFood Digital Lab (MAFDL) is partnering with the NZ Product Accelerator (NZPA) to form a new hub in Palmerston North.

Massey University has been a key partner in the NZPA since it formed with funding under the Ministry for Building, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) Enabling Technology platform in 2013. Since then, the NZPA has worked with around 400 companies, generating product revenues of approximately $175m – an excellent return on MBIE funding of $12.8m. In recognition of this impact, the NZPA was funded for a further four years in the 2019 Wellbeing Budget under the Industry Futures initiative.

Massey’s AgriFood Digital Lab is an industry-focused research centre with a wide research spectrum including horticulture, precision agriculture, robotics, advanced materials, sports analytics and biotechnology. A suite of advanced technologies including electronics, robotics, Information Technology, computer science, data science, 3D printing, material science, sensor development, machine learning, image processing, coding, and industrial design unite the research group. MAFDL projects focus on developing AgriTech solutions to overcome challenges across a number of industries.

MAFDL Director, Professor Andrew East is delighted the university is partnering with the NZPA to form the hub.

“Professor Johan Potgieter, a leader of the facility, is a founding member of the NZPA and has made significant contributions to, and benefited from, the collaboration and its connections, with many of the commercial projects undertaken by MAFDL emanating from the NZPA’s collaborative model. We see this hub as a natural extension of the MAFDL’s capability and an opportunity for Massey to lead the way in areas such as sensing and automation, for which Johan is so well known.”

Massey University Professor of Robotics Johan Potgieter says, “We have created a hub for some of the most outstanding innovation, robotics, IOT, and 3D printing supporting the newly established NZ Product Accelerator Agritech Hub.”

The NZPA Agritech Hub, located within “The Engine” on the AgResearch campus in Palmerston North will support companies and research to accelerate commercial opportunities into local and international markets. The Engine is a new initiative that combines the best of Massey’s academic abilities, along with expertise in the translation of those abilities, to support companies to solve problems and realise growth opportunities.

Associate Professor Mark Jones, co-director of the NZPA, says, “We have developed a ‘pull science’ model of assisting New Zealand companies with technology solutions by tapping into the collective capability in our network and across the New Zealand Research and Development community. Massey’s contribution has played a key role in our success.

“The NZPA core team is based at the University of Auckland’s Newmarket campus and the formation of another hub in Palmerston North formalises the relationship with Massey. This new hub will facilitate easier access to our New Zealand-wide network for companies in the central North Island,” he adds.

“We have another hub being established at Victoria University later this year and we are in discussions with some of our other partners for similar NZPA hubs throughout New Zealand. These hubs will play a major role in creating a more collaborative and expanded technology network for the benefit of NZ enterprises.”

The NZPA is a collaboration of New Zealand universities and Crown Research Institute GNS Science.

Last updated: Friday 25 November 2022

Massey University Engineering PhD students and entrepreneurs, Tyrel Glass and Baden Parr, are creating game-changing technology for the agricultural industry.

Their agri-tech start-up Protag has now raised $1m from investors to fast-track the development of their smart ear tag sensors, which transmit crucial health and location data to dairy farmers within seconds.

Protag’s small internet-enabled device clips onto a cow’s ear, allowing farmers to continuously monitor the animal’s health, grazing and breeding habits. Machine learning is used to process data from the device’s temperature, movement, and location sensors, helping farmers map animal behavioural patterns and detect the early onset of illnesses in real time.

Protag co-founder Tyrel Glass says the company’s small, lightweight device is 100 times more power-efficient than other GPS-based devices using bulkier battery packs.

“We see a future where every farmer has detailed information on the health and wellbeing of every animal. The power of remote sensing in animal health is huge and Protag is the gateway into this data, providing advanced analytics for each animal that can map the whole story of the cow, and at an accessible price point for all farmers.”

Fellow co-founder Baden Parr adds, “Mastitis, lameness (leg and foot pain), and reproduction issues are the main ailments dairy cattle face. By detecting these early, Protag paves the way for more sustainable farming and improved animal welfare.”

The newly raised funds will be used to accelerate the company’s product development and validation in preparation for large scale trials planned for later this year, with several expressions of interest generated from farmers in Waikato and the South Island.

While the company has its immediate sights on the New Zealand market, where a farmer’s average dairy herd is 440 cows, Ireland and Brazil have been identified as future markets.

Associate Professor in Computer Engineering and PhD supervisor of Tyrel and Baden, Fakhrul Alam, says, “The students have created potentially game-changing technology for the agri-tech industry. Their engineering smarts, combining cutting-edge remote sensing technology and artificial intelligence, will bring crucial insights to dairy farmers.”

Last updated: Monday 21 March 2022

More than 30 Māori postgraduate diploma, masters and doctoral students were celebrated and will be supported in their learning journey by the Te Rau Angitū Awards Programme, which was previously known as the Pūrehuroa Awards.

Commencing last week over a two-day wānanga, the awards contribute towards students’ study fees, research costs and provides academic, learning support and manaakitanga. The Te Rau Angitū Awards Programme is based on the Te Rau Puawai model that was established by Emeritus Professor Sir Mason Durie more than 20 years ago and is now hosted by the Office of the DVC Māori.

During the two-day wānanga more than 60 Māori postgraduate and doctoral students from across the university assembled together on campus and online to connect and engage in the practices of wānanga and whakawhanaungatanga. Students heard from Distinguished Professor Graham Hingangaroa Smith, Te Toi Ihorei ki Pūrehuroa, and received tailored academic, learning and cultural workshops including raranga (flax weaving) while also being connected with staff from Te Mata o te Tau: Academy for Māori Research and Scholarship, and key academic and support staff in each college.

Te Rau Angitū is led by Dr Monica Koia who also leads Te Wheke a Toi: The International Indigenous Centre for Critical Doctoral Studies, and previously managed Te Rau Puawai, for many years.

Dr Koia says most Māori students study by distance, which makes this level of support so important. “We know these awards, in combination with our support programme, work for Māori because it draws on the exemplar programme Te Rau Puawai, run by Māori and underpinned by tikanga Māori principles like manaakitanga. We provide an holistic programme offering multiple learning support strategies such as wānanga to bring recipients together face-to-face and online, dedicated academic and learning mentors, visits to tauira and many more supports”.

Officer of Te Mata o te Tau and a Te Rau Angitū mentor Associate Professor Fiona Te Momo says the online and on campus wānanga meant Dr Koia and her team “were able to build a physical and virtual bridge through Te Rau Angitū to address the needs of students to engage culturally.”

One student said attending the wānanga helped her feel connected to others. “It was so great to know that I am not alone. Being given the space to share and laugh, was just what I needed to start this year”. Others commented that they were able to make new friends and that it was good to be in “a Māori safe place”. “My hauora has been replenished and my academic learning refilled,” said one student. Another said, “I was lost, coming here I found my way, I found my data analysis framework from our raranga session.”

Dr Koia says the programme is about walking alongside potential and current Māori students and their whānau. “The support is not just 8.30am to 5pm because we know that research does not necessarily stop on a Friday night. This is about making them a part of our Massey whānau and we become a part of their whānau too. We know the programme will help students to feel well supported, less isolated and more connected to other students and key staff members.”

DVC Māori Professor Meihana Durie says the programme is already having positive impact. “Under the leadership of Dr Koia, Te Rau Angitū has provided a critical connection to Masters and PhD pathways for Māori students, setting in place high levels of support and outstanding mentorship.  Te Rau Angitū, like Te Rau Puawai, emphasises provision of manaakitanga, an approach that we know is a major conduit for Māori student success. The influx of Te Rau Angitū participants this year demonstrates the high demand for access to support underpinned by kaupapa and tikanga Māori.”

The name Te Rau Angitū translates to ‘The many successes’ and signifies the whakapapa connection to the tuakana programme Te Rau Puawai.

The programme has a dedicated Kaihāpai Māori Tauira mentor Suzanne Hepi who provides daily academic, learning and manaakitanga, weekly night sessions on Tuesday from 6pm-8pm for whānau who work during the day, a dedicated space in Te Mata o te Tau and Te Wheke a Toi (Geography room 1.11) and hopefully, at some stage visit whānau in their whare.  The programme is also looking at establishing a tuakana, teina programme from within the awardees.

Last updated: Wednesday 16 March 2022

Research into the science and art of growing plants was shared by Massey staff and postgraduate students as part of the inaugural China-New Zealand Joint Symposium in Horticulture recently.

More than 50 academic staff, postgraduate students and industry representatives from China, United States and New Zealand spoke at the online symposium in an effort to understand each other’s strengths and find common research interests to influence and lead innovation in the horticultural industry.

The symposium was organised by Massey and one of China’s leading agricultural research universities, Northeast Agricultural University (NEAU). Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas opened the event and said it was encouraging despite current restrictions on global travel, there is still a commitment to delivering collaborative online activities for staff and students.

“Both Massey and NEAU are committed to building platforms for young researchers to showcase their work and provide them with opportunities to develop connections. There is also a significant commitment from faculty at both institutions to develop bilingual teaching programmes and research experiences for students as they seek to produce graduates who care about the communities they serve, both local and global.”

There were more than 4200 views for the live stream of the symposium over the two day event. A recording of the symposium will be valid for a year and can be viewed here.

The School of Aviation is off to a flying start to 2022, with training flight hours achieved for January breaking all past records. Approximately 1371 flight hours were recorded for the month, in comparison to 880 in January 2021 and 707 in January 2020.

Chief Flight Instructor Paul Kearney says the record reflects the efforts not only of the instructors, students, and the scheduling team, but also the efforts of the maintenance engineers. Under the close supervision of Maintenance Manager Tom McCready, they keep the aircraft in top shape. “It’s not unusual to see our aircraft start flying at 7am and still going at 9pm, seven days a week. A huge thank you to everyone who did their bit to make this happen,” Mr Kearney says.

Bachelor of Aviation student pilots are required to complete a demanding schedule of training flights as part of their professional development. Achieving this schedule can be challenging as there are a number of factors that influence when flights are able to occur, such as aircraft availability, weather events, staff availability, and accommodating students’ academic obligations.

Despite this, the high number of flying hours achieved in January reflects very high productivity, says Mr Kearney.

He adds that this productivity is also tied to the requirement of keeping aircraft in a safe flying condition at all times, which the team of engineers are tasked with. This means adhering to the standard mandated ground aircraft maintenance inspections by hours, plus regular spot checks and responding to issues on demand as identified by pilots or students during flights.

“Achieving flight hours as submitted means that engineers, flight schedulers, instructors and students all have to work in sync, which is not always an easy task. As well as all that, the weather has to be suitable too.”

Increased productivity and accuracy have also been achieved by developing and adopting a Microsoft Power App to streamline the refuelling of Massey’s aircraft fleet. Via the app, students now submit an aircraft refuelling request and the School benefits from a vastly improved reporting regime on fuel usage and monitoring.

Director of the Bachelor of Aviation programme Frank Sharp says, “With Covid lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, we’ve had significant interruptions to the flying programme here at the Aviation Centre. However, I readily acknowledge the team effort that has resulted in the record flight hours for January and I know that everyone here is focused on continuing the momentum towards graduating more young aviators with a difference.”

This year’s Farmed Landscapes Research Centre (FLRC) workshop looked a little different than previous years, with the entirety of the three-day programme being held virtually due to COVID restrictions.

The 34^th annual event covered topics such as future farming opportunities, farm environment planning, soil conservation and management and smart tools and technologies. FLRC Research Officer Dr Christine Christensen was involved in organising the event, and says the workshop attracted around 240 registrants.

“Although the industry was excited about meeting in person at Massey after a two-year gap, when this option was taken away the move to the online format allowed many others to join and gave the speakers the platform they deserved. They were able to speak, present their work and participate in question and answer sessions without having to wait another 12 months. FLRC is proud to have delivered a thought-provoking and valuable programme, through a professional online format.”

Keynote speakers included Dr John Roche from the Ministry for Primary Industries and Bryan Smith from the Ministry for the Environment. Minister of Agriculture Hon Damien O’Connor also addressed the workshop, speaking of the importance of soil health and initiatives that the Government is taking in the agriculture space.

FLRC engaged the services of Event Dynamics for the facilitation and administration of the Workshop. With the move online, Streamliner Productions streamed the event out of their studio in Wellington, with Dr Christensen and Associate Professor Lucy Burkitt chairing and running the sessions from the studio. FLRC Director Professor Chris Anderson said the overall result was high quality and professional.

The workshop demonstrated progress with He Waka Eka Noa, the Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership, and discussion throughout the three days explored the partnership between science and Te Ao Māori in underpinning a sustainable and prosperous future for New Zealand. With almost 90 papers presented, the industry continues to see value in submitting papers for the annual workshop.

Dr Christensen says the aim of the yearly workshop is to showcase Massey and FLRC as thought-leaders. “The data and information shared through the three days highlighted the important role Massey plays in New Zealand’s primary production sectors. Despite the online format, we provided the professional and valuable forum that our partners have come to expect from FLRC over the past 34 years.”

The event has garnered significant media coverage by Rural News Group and Farmers Weekly.

FLRC values the long relationships with AgResearch, Ballance Agri Nutrients, Beef and Lamb New Zealand, Hill Laboratories, Horizons Regional Council, NIWA, Ravensdown, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, the Nutrient Management Adviser Certification Programme and the Foundation for Arable Research, through research and teaching activities over the years. Their ongoing support including sponsoring this event is appreciated.

Last updated: Thursday 17 March 2022

Last updated: Tuesday 22 March 2022

Last updated: Monday 28 November 2022

New research indicates anthropogenic climate change will result in a quarter of Aotearoa New Zealand’s alpine grasshopper species becoming extinct. Species that are already endangered and others that are currently widespread could lose all of their current habitat due to global warming.

The research paper, recently published in Royal Society Open Science journal, suggests devastating impacts on all 12 alpine grasshoppers in New Zealand.

The paper, co-authored by Massey University PhD graduate Dr Emily Koot, Professor Mary Morgan-Richards and Professor Steven Trewick from the School of Natural Sciences, infers the future distribution of the species by projecting current niche models onto the predicted New Zealand climate, with one or 3.7 degrees Celsius warming.

“The conclusion was that most of these alpine species that occur nowhere else on the planet, would lose at least 30 per cent of suitable habitat. Even with just one degree warming, both the green rock-hopper [Brachaspis collinus] and the endangered Alexandra grasshopper [Sigus childi] would have nowhere to live.”

Professor Trewick says temperatures on Earth have risen by 0.66 degrees Celsius in the past twenty years. “The one degree threshold will soon be passed, when we can expect the green rock-hopper will be extinct and our other widespread flightless grasshopper species will have reduced and fragmented habitat. Our model projections show that the only habitat available for the endangered Alexandra grasshopper will be outside of its current range, so will require human transportation if it is to be saved.

“Most of our alpine animals have populations that are restricted to high-elevation ‘islands’ and cannot jump or fly the gap to unconnected mountain habitat. This means that as the Earth warms alpine species will find their habitat dwindling. In Aotearoa New Zealand, most of our alpine plants and animals are found nowhere else in the world. When their habitat shrinks, we are set to lose a quarter of all our endemic alpine biodiversity,” Professor Trewick says.