Bonus Episode: Revolutionising agriculture with 'grain-swimming' robots

Robot Talk · 21 Sept 2026 · 18m

What this episode covers

Lorenzo Conti, Founder and CEO of Crover, explains how his company developed the world's first subterranean drone to monitor grain storage, addressing safety risks like 'green entrapment' and spoilage. He details the mechanical engineering challenges of moving through granular materials, the discovery of coupled rotational-translational motion, and the development of proprietary propulsion systems. Conti also discusses the company's current stage, recent commercial launch, and ongoing efforts to achieve ATEX certification and deploy autonomous navigation software.

Mentioned

Companies
Crover, National Robotarium, Society of British Sports
Also
UK RAS STEPS, University of Edinburgh

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