Russian Students Develop AI-Powered Greenhouse Robot for 24/7 Plant Health Monitoring

A student-built robot named Vavilov can patrol greenhouses day and night, diagnosing plant diseases with over 90% accuracy in real time.

Student researchers from Russia’s Timiryazev Agricultural Academy have created a fully autonomous greenhouse robot capable of monitoring plant health around the clock. Named 'Vavilov' after the legendary Russian botanist, the robot represents a leap forward in digital agronomy.

Before designing the prototype, the team toured major greenhouse facilities across the country and consulted with industry experts. The result: a mobile platform that uses cameras and sensors to analyze the condition of leaves and fruit, flagging any issues with greater than 90% accuracy.

When Vavilov detects a potential problem, it instantly uploads its findings to a cloud-based platform. This enables growers to quickly apply the necessary treatments—minimizing crop loss and maximizing efficiency.

Vavilov has already been patented and is no longer just a student project. A commercial version is in development, with experts predicting such machines will soon become as standard as thermal screens or drip irrigation systems in modern greenhouses.

As the agricultural sector embraces automation, Vavilov marks a milestone in Russia’s push to merge robotics and food production.