agricultural technology research program at georgia tech type nonprofit industry research and development engineering science founded atlanta georgia 1973 headquarters atlanta georgia usa key people gary mcmurray division chief fptd wayne daley associate division chief fptd doug britton atrp program manager parent georgia tech research institute website www.atrp.gatech.edu the agricultural technology research program atrp is part of the aerospace transportation and advanced systems laboratory of the georgia tech research institute . it was founded in 1973 to work with georgia agribusiness especially the poultry industry to develop new technologies and adapt existing ones for specialized industrial needs . 1 the program s goal is to improve productivity reduce costs and enhance safety and health through technological innovations . atrp conducts state sponsored and contract research for industry and government agencies . researchers focus efforts on both immediate and long term industrial needs including advanced robotic systems for materials handling machine vision developments for grading and control improved wastewater treatment technologies and biosensors for rapid microbial detection . with guidance from the georgia poultry federation atrp also conducts a variety of outreach activities to provide the industry with timely information and technical assistance . researchers have complementary backgrounds in mechanical electrical computer environmental and safety engineering ; physics ; and microbiology . atrp is one of the oldest and largest agricultural technology research and development programs in the nation and is conducted in cooperation with the georgia poultry federation with funding from the georgia general assembly . 2 contents 1 research and development areas 1.1 robotics and automation systems 1.2 advanced imaging and sensor concepts 1.3 environmental and energy systems 1.4 worker safety technologies 1.5 product safety technologies 2 industry outreach 2.1 technical assistance 2.2 technology transfer and outreach 3 references 4 external links research and development areas edit robotics and automation systems edit robotics automation research studies focus heavily on integrated intelligent automation systems . these systems offer major opportunities to further enhance productivity in the poultry and food processing industries . they incorporate advanced sensors robotics and computer simulation and control technologies in an integrated package and tackle a number of unique challenges in trying to address specific industrial needs . 3 4 advanced imaging and sensor concepts edit advanced imaging and sensor concepts research studies focus on the design of systems for grading and inspection using stereo 3d time of flight visible ir and uv imaging modalities . the program has already introduced several commercially viable designs . two recent examples include improving the deboning of chicken and the baking of buns . 5 6 environmental and energy systems edit environmental and energy research studies focus on emerging technologies that help to reduce water usage and waste generation while also facilitating the recovery of waste heat and value added byproducts from processing operations . 7 improved recycling technologies in particular are pursued to assist not only in recycling water but also in recycling marinades brines etc. thereby reducing their impact on waste treatment operations . studies also focus on understanding of how waste is generated and how to more effectively remove it from air and water streams . researchers have also begun to develop new processes designed to enhance the conversion of low quality waste oils and grease to high grade fuels . 8 worker safety technologies edit worker safety research focuses on finding new ways to reduce the risk of injury . research conducted by the program into ergonomic risk quantification demonstrates the value of technology in addressing this challenge . in an effort to help the industry pursue a scientific base for assessing and controlling injury researchers have developed an ergonomic work assessment system ewas to measure exposure in the actual processing plant . 9 product safety technologies edit product safety research focuses on technologies to improve control of process and product quality . the program s innovative biosensor development is being used in studies with other sensing technologies as screening and control systems for microbial chemical intervention and water recycling processes . 10 industry outreach edit technical assistance edit atrp engineers provide engineering technical assistance at no charge to members of the georgia poultry industry . designed to help companies and individuals who do not otherwise have access to engineering expertise this program draws upon engineers and consultants from the georgia tech community in a variety of specialized areas such as automation waste management ergonomics economic impact and plant safety and health . more than 30 technical assists are provided annually to firms and individuals across the state . citation needed these assists range from simple inquiries regarding information or help needed to address a problem to extensive on site consultation in which researchers analyze a problem and provide a full report of their findings and recommendations . the program uses input from these assists to gauge opportunities calling for new research initiatives . technology transfer and outreach edit atrp uses newsletters seminars research reviews topical reports research reports technical papers and articles in industry trade publications to transfer its research findings and expertise . specifically the program produces poultrytech a newsletter published three times a year and distributed free of charge to subscribers . atrp in conjunction with the georgia poultry federation the national chicken council and the national turkey federation annually hosts the national safety conference for the poultry industry . 11 each year more than 90 safety professionals and exhibiting vendors from across the united states attend the three day conference which provides a national forum for information transfer on safety management in the poultry industry . 11 references edit technology for the poultry industry . gtri 75 years . georgia tech research institute . retrieved 2011 04 13 . agricultural technology research program brochure pdf . agricultural technology research program . retrieved 2011 04 06 . developing a washable robot for poultry processing . georgia tech research institute . retrieved 2011 04 06 . washdown ready robot undergoes in plant tests . themeatsite . august 2009 . retrieved 2011 04 13 . cone line screening improved yield no bones about it . worldpoultry.net . 2011 04 05 . retrieved 2011 04 13 . perfect buns imaging system controls baking process on production line to improve sandwich bun quality . georgia tech research institute . retrieved 2011 04 06 . energy efficiency in poultry processing pdf . international poultry exposition sustainability summit . u.s. poultry & egg association . jan 2011 . retrieved 2011 04 13 . byproduct applications turning poultry waste into fuel . georgia tech research news press release . georgia institute of technology . 2009 05 26 . retrieved 2011 04 15 . field trials demonstrate potential value of repetitive motion exposure assessment tool . georgia tech research institute . retrieved 2011 04 06 . prototype sensor under development to automatically detect chlorine levels in poultry chiller water . georgia tech research institute . retrieved 2011 04 06 . a b national safety conference for the poultry industry . georgia tech research institute . retrieved 2011 04 15 . external links edit agricultural technology research program food processing technology division v t e georgia tech research institute laboratories aerospace transportation and advanced systems advanced concepts applied systems cyber technology electronic systems electro optical systems information and communications sensors and electromagnetic applications directors w. harry vaughan harold bunger gerald rosselot herschel h. cudd paul k. calaway james e. boyd robert e. stiemke wyatt c. whitley maurice w. long thomas e. stelson donald j. grace richard h. truly edward k. reedy stephen e. cross tom mcdermott robert mcgrath andrew gerber retrieved from https en.wikipedia.org w index.php title gtri agricultural technology research program & oldid 647153340 categories georgia tech research instituteindustrial agricultureagricultural roboticshidden categories all articles with unsourced statementsarticles with unsourced statements from april 2011articles created via the article wizard navigation menu personal tools not logged intalkcontributionscreate accountlog in namespaces article talk variants views read edit view history more search navigation main pagecontentsfeatured contentcurrent 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