The planting machine BraSatt, Södra's investment in new advanced technology for better plant survival, has now been awarded the prestigious Red Dot Awards. The innovation agency Boid and Södra have won the Best-of-the-Best prize in the category “Autonomous”. Södra continuously develops innovations that benefit forest farms, but uniquely for this project have also developed their own technology. With BraSatt, Södra aims to accelerate innovation in planting, as it contributes to significant improvements for family forestry by increasing plant survival and forest growth.
“We have created unique technology for both ground preparation and planting. Through constructive dialogue and an open mind, together with a group of experts, we have quickly moved from concept ideas to showing a prototype in the field. With our investment, rejuvenation technology takes a significant step forward. Going forward, we would like to find more partners to take the next step,” says Anna Wallner, project manager for BraSatt at Södra.
For a more sustainable solution to planting, the consortium has designed a precision-based machine that reflect care and gentleness whilst having a futuristic, intelligent and trustworthy presence. A focus on user experience has guided the project to ensure that the technology is well received by forest owners. The machine's unique design also reflects the advanced technology inside. With the help of AI and sensors, the machine handles different conditions consistently and efficiently with high precision. Each sapling is planted with exact coordinates, building a knowledge bank for the future.
“Our design philosophy was that the machine should convey the same calm and confidence as a colleague in the field. Predictability is crucial when it comes to automation. Therefore, the machine has a calm and responsive design language, while its diagonal cuts give a clear direction. We have ensured that the operator can easily guide and plan the robot's work with a route planner and an intuitive interface, creating a reliable companion in the forest,” says David Lamm, Creative Director at Boid.