Infographics have a unique way of transforming complex projects into visually engaging stories. They allow us to digest data, methodologies, and key takeaways at a glance, bridging the gap between intricate research and clear communication.
The infographic here does exactly that, offering a window into the CrackSense project – a groundbreaking initiative tackling the challenge of fruit cracking, a phenomenon that leads to significant yield losses in agriculture.
CrackSense is a Horizon Europe project that leverages cutting-edge sensing technologies and innovative methodologies to provide real-time monitoring and predictive tools for fruit cracking. By combining advanced research with practical applications, CrackSense is paving the way for smarter, more resilient agricultural practices. This infographic captures the essence of the project, breaking it down into three main sections: Driving Forces, Impact & Upscaling, and Timeline & Methodology.
Driving Forces: The Backbone of CrackSense
The project is built on four critical pillars:
- Data Sensing: Leveraging advanced sensors to monitor fruit cracking and related factors at the fruit, tree, plot, and regional levels.
- Scalability: Ensuring solutions are adaptable across different scales – from experimental plots to entire regions or even nations.
- State-of-the-Art Technologies (SotA): Employing cutting-edge tools and methodologies to collect and analyse data with precision.
- Comprehensive Testing & Piloting: Conducting real-world experiments to refine systems and ensure practical implementation.
Impact & Upscaling: Building Blocks of Resilience
The pyramid depicted in the infographic illustrates the step-by-step approach to upscaling CrackSense technologies. The process starts with Fruit Monitoring, where sensors track cracking-related factors. The insights then move to Tree Analysis, providing data on specific plants, and Plot Synthesis, which aggregates findings at the field level. Finally, these efforts culminate in Region Integration, where solutions are deployed on a larger scale, driving widespread impact.
This structured approach ensures the project’s solutions are scalable, allowing them to address localised challenges while delivering broader benefits across agricultural landscapes.

Timeline & Methodology: A Four-Year Roadmap to Success
The project’s timeline is split into Research & Development (Years 1–2) and Piloting (Years 3–4), each with distinct milestones:
- Research & Development Phase:
- Year 1 of CrackSense focused on developing and deploying sensing systems and collecting data from experimental plots during Crop Season 1. This data fuels the creation of predictive models.
- Year 2 emphasises refining these sensing systems and further data collection during Crop Season 2, ensuring the models are ready for broader applications.
- Piloting Phase:
- By Year 3, the refined sensing systems are rolled out in real-world pilot studies, collecting data during Crop Season 3 and implementing initial model refinements.
- Year 4 concludes the process with additional piloting during Crop Season 4, alongside final tweaks to the models and systems, ensuring they are ready for full-scale deployment.
Essential Takeaways from the CrackSense Infographic
Infographics like this serve as powerful tools to convey these multi-layered efforts, helping us grasp the complexity of such initiatives in a clear and concise manner. As CrackSense progresses, it will undoubtedly inspire similar innovations in the pursuit of a smarter, more resilient agricultural future.
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