How AI is helping winegrowers deal with adversities from climate change

Artificial intelligence (AI) for winegrowers refers to robotics, smart sensor technology, and machine learning applied to solve climate change problems. The Digital Agriculture, Food and Wine (DAWF) research group has developed novel technology based on AI in the vineyard to monitor vineyard growth using computer vision analysis (like VitiCanopy App) and grape maturity based on berry cell death to predict flavour and aroma profiles of berries and final wines.

Smart sensor technology, such as low-cost electronic noses, has been developed and tested to monitor in the vineyard and the winery effects of smoke contamination and smoke taint, AI has also been applied to big data collected by vineyards and on vertical vintage libraries of wines to develop specific models based on machine learning to predict wines' aroma profiles based on weather and management information.

Ground-breaking developments on sensory analysis and biometrics from consumers include emotional response and physiological response, such as heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature, and gesture changes. All these parameters have been used to develop AI-based models to assess back viticultural and winemaking management throughout the grape and wine production chain.

What kind of applications can we expect? Sigfredo Fuentes explains how the information from this integrated AI system (smart sensor and sensory/biometrics) can be used to modify vineyard management strategies, such as canopy management and irrigation scheduling, to target specific consumer preference or wine styles uniformity: a circular application of AI. The same technology can also be applied for traceability, authentication, and counterfeiting measures using blockchain.

Video of the seminar held during Enoforum USA 2021 (4-5 May 2021)

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