European Enterprise Awards 2021

50 EU BUSINESS NEWS / European Enterprise Awards 2021 , Nov21254 Best Global Agricultural AI Solution 2021 Changing the world through revolutionary technology, Cognitive Pilot is a leader in the European AI industry. Across a plethora of sectors, Cognitive Pilot has built technology that aids in the optimisation of processes, this includes the Cognitive Rail Pilot, the Cognitive TramPilot, and next-generation sensors. The company is headed for a fascinating future as it plans to delve into the relationships between humans and robots. Cognitive Pilot, a company stemming from Russia, is one of Europe’s leading companies specialising in the development of AI-based software for autonomous ground transport, including rail and agricultural machinery. Operating in Russia, Netherlands, China, South Korea, Germany, France, United States and Latin America, it is clear to see that the company provides innovative solutions around the globe. Indeed, the company has worked on ground-breaking projects that have changed numerous industries for the better. Be it working with Russian Railways to develop an industrial autonomous driving system for road switchers and locomotives or creating the world’s first industrial autonomous driving system for combine harvesters that needs no GPS or RTK, Cognitive Pilot works to optimise industry processes. Its products have changed the lives of many – it is on a mission to make the world more convenient, safer, better quality, and more efficient using new artificial intelligence technologies. Through Cognitive Pilot’ solutions, autonomous transport will become safe and convenient, smart combines will harvest more crops, farmers will see an increase in yields, and robotic agricultural machinery will be able to work in areas that are difficult for humans to access. The shining star within the company’s inventory is the Cognitive Agro Pilot – an AI-based crop-harvesting assistant. There are numerous benefits that come along with the new technology, including an 8–13% reduction in direct crop losses, and up to 5% reduction in fuel consumption during harvesting, as well as analysis of crop yield maps and harvesting modes for next-season planning. A world first, Cognitive Agro Pilot sees and understands the situation while driving and eliminates unnecessary passes. The system analyses its path through a video camera, and using a deep learning neural network, determines the types and positions of objects in the direction of movement. From there, the system formulates the trajectories of the combine and transmits the necessary commands to perform manoeuvres. Such innovative projects rely on the motivation and determination of the company’s team. As pioneers in the industry, it is imperative that the staff remain engaged and passionate over the long- term. Henceforth, Cognitive Pilot views its developers as ‘like gods,’ as they turn thought processes into industry-changing products. These ideas are strongly encouraged within the company, and as a result, it uses self- realisation as a key motivator for its staff. It pushes its staff to collaborate, be creative, and, ultimately, enjoy what they do. Further, the company greatly benefitted from the increase in demand caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Whilst many industries struggled to maintain momentum, the AI world took off, as automated operations grew more and more necessary to keep society afloat. The boom was especially seen in the agricultural sector due to the decrease in external labour. During the pandemic, Cognitive Pilot was able to launch the industrial use of autopilots on combines in 35 regions of Russia and began to form a dealers’ network in the USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, as well as numerous Commonwealth of Independent States countries. As such, the company rose to a new level of success, taking over the international markets. Of course, the future is destined to be filled with triumphs. With numerous plans in the works, 2022 is packed with projects for exciting new products, including tractors, irrigation, and other agricultural equipment. Additionally, outside of agriculture, Cognitive Pilot is engaged in the construction of neural mechanisms for controlling complex systems. Noting that one of the most important issues involving the interaction between a human and a robot is the imitation of sensory sensations, the company is opting to focus on developing artificial vision. From there, it aims to explore tactile sensations within artificial intelligence, and develop ground-breaking technologies to enhance this area. Olga Uskova, CEO of Cognitive Robotics, and the company's self-driving combine harvester after a successful fieldwork