The 8th Interinstitutional Meeting of Research Seedbeds was the space where Cristhian Nicolás Figueroa Martínez, Javier Hoyos García, and Juan Sebastián Orozco Monje presented their work, which aims for a comprehensive transformation of the Colombian coffee industry.

With the presentation titled “Coffee Fermentation Monitoring and Analysis System at the Coffee Innovation Technology Park TECNiCAFE,” Cristhian Nicolás Figueroa Martínez, Javier Hoyos García, and Juan Sebastián Orozco Monje participated in the 8th Interinstitutional Meeting of Research Seedbeds, which took place from October 22 to 25 in Cúcuta. This knowledge appropriation event was part of the agenda for the 11th International Week of Science, Technology, and Innovation.

The presentation, delivered by Juan Sebastián Orozco Monje, the main author of the project, focused on the development and results of an innovative monitoring system for coffee fermentation. This system captures and analyzes real-time data through advanced sensors that measure critical variables such as pH, temperature, humidity, and CO₂ concentration—key factors in ensuring the quality of the product.

"I have had the privilege of leading this project, and the experience has been extremely enriching. During the presentation of our research, I felt great satisfaction seeing the audience's positive reception. The analyzed data and every improvement achieved highlight the relevance of technology applied to coffee," said Juan Sebastián Orozco Monje.

The technological context of the project was also presented, emphasizing the influence of Industry 4.0 and the use of IoT technologies and sensor networks in precision agriculture. The proposed system efficiently collects data and offers an intuitive analysis platform through a dashboard, which is capable of displaying graphs, tables, and key metrics. This facilitates coffee growers in making informed decisions to optimize fermentation processes and improve coffee quality.

The project, funded by the TECNiCAFE technology park and supported by the research seedbeds of the University of Cauca—SISMOVIL Mobile Applications Seedbed and SISE Embedded Systems Seedbed, both part of the Telematics Engineering Group of the Faculty of Electronic Engineering and Telecommunications—received additional backing from Cristhian Nicolás Figueroa Martínez, a professor at the University of Cauca, and Javier Hoyos García, executive director of TECNiCAFE.

The system was illustrated with images of the device designed specifically for operation at TECNiCAFE. The presentation highlighted how this solution overcomes current limitations in the industry, such as the lack of historical records and the standardization of critical processes. The initial results were showcased, demonstrating improvements in traceability and the consistency of coffee quality.

"This technological proposal, in line with the principles of precision agriculture and data-driven farming, promises a positive impact on quality control and informed decision-making within coffee production," concluded Juan Sebastián Orozco Monje.

Additionally, the future vision of the project was emphasized, with plans to scale these solutions regionally and nationally, supporting a comprehensive transformation of the Colombian coffee industry by involving small coffee growers and promoting the efficient use of technology.

Editorial: Center for Communications Management