Field of interest
About Us: The Remote Sensing and Agroinformatics Laboratory, located within the French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands at the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, is a leading research group specializing in remote sensing applications and data science for environmental studies. Our primary areas of expertise encompass plant and soil sensing, with a dedicated emphasis on sustainable agriculture (agro-informatics) and the assessment of environmental changes resulting from climate and anthropogenic factors (eco-informatics).
Technology and focuses: Our research integrates data from a diverse array of sensors, including imaging spectroscopy (IS), Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), thermal imaging, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), and multispectral data, which we acquire from satellites and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). These cutting-edge technologies find application across various research domains, spanning landscape ecology, engineering, forestry, and precision agriculture. Additionally, we possess specialized expertise in laboratory and field spectroscopy, utilizing instruments such as ASD, FT-NIR, and XRF to analyze plants' nutritional compositions and soils' chemical properties. Our research group has established an extensive spectral library encompassing both plant and soil samples. We employ advanced statistical analysis techniques from this wealth of data, including machine learning, deep learning, image processing, and computer vision, to derive valuable insights from the collected data.
Collaborations: We have strong calibrations with leading remote sensing centers and collaborate closely with international organizations, industrial partners, and governmental institutes worldwide. Our graduate students have a track record of securing prestigious positions in academia, government agencies, and the private sector nationally and internationally.
Join Us. We invite you to follow our work, share our methods, and consider joining our lab if you are interested.
Our lab moved south to the Institute of Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, at the French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands. (10.2022)
Our lab is in the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research at Ben-Gurion University (BGU) of the Negev, Israel, specifically at the French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands (FAAB). Within FAAB, our scientists collaborate to discover innovative approaches to agriculture. This is achieved by developing agro- and biotechnologies to increase food production in dryland areas while safeguarding the environment. The primary objective of the Institute is to develop and introduce new concepts, methods, and systems that advance sustainable agriculture and contribute to the sustainable improvement of production. Through their collective research efforts, Institute scientists play a vital role in addressing the challenge of food scarcity in the context of a growing global population.
