I am Jefferson, a 25-year-old Ecuadorian researcher and Mechatronics Engineer, driven by a strong purpose to support agriculture and sustainability through innovation and artificial intelligence, alongside my team. As a leader and mentor in robotics and AI projects, we have won high-impact national and international challenges focused on reducing costs and improving productivity in agriculture and industry. I aspire to a world where everyone lives with dignity, has access to sufficient food, and uses technology to promote sustainable agriculture. I am fluent in Spanish and English (spoken and written)
Email: jefravil at espol dot edu dot ec
The CacaoHealth Detector project, led by Mechatronics Engineer Jefferson Ramírez, received a formal invitation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Ecuador to participate in a working session aimed at fostering research and development initiatives in the agricultural sector.
The purpose of this invitation is to coordinate collaborative actions between academic institutions and the government, with the goal of strengthening agricultural technification, rural extension services, and knowledge transfer to producers.
This space will address topics related to low-impact agriculture, promoting the development of innovative solutions that contribute to the sustainable growth of the country’s agroproductive sector.
The CacaoHealth Detector project, led by Mechatronics Engineer Jefferson Ramírez, received a formal invitation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Ecuador to participate in a working session aimed at fostering research and development initiatives in the agricultural sector.
The purpose of this invitation is to coordinate collaborative actions between academic institutions and the government, with the goal of strengthening agricultural technification, rural extension services, and knowledge transfer to producers.
This space will address topics related to low-impact agriculture, promoting the development of innovative solutions that contribute to the sustainable growth of the country’s agroproductive sector.
Our proposal is an autonomous robot equipped with two side cameras powered by artificial intelligence that analyzes the
condition of cocoa plants, detecting health issues and pests. This robot automates the monitoring of plantations, eliminating
the reliance on manual inspections, which are slow and ineffective. Additionally, it allows for the digitalization of reports and
optimization of resources, reducing unnecessary pesticide use. With this, we aim to improve the productivity and
sustainability of the cocoa sector in Ecuador, one of the largest producers in the world, covering approximately 609,700
hectares. By offering pest analysis and detection services, selling the robot, and commercializing crop traceability data, our
solution will positively impact small, medium, and large producers. This project contributes to four SDGs: Zero Hunger, Decent
Work and Economic Growth, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Climate Action, promoting sustainability and
economic well-being.
Dream Team Members & Roles:
Jefferson Ramirez (Stundent of Mechatronics Engineering - CIDIS Researcher - Field: Agricultural Robotics and Computer Vision)
Role:
Project Leader and Computer Vision Leader, member of the Electronics, Mechanics and Navigation Team.
Juan Saeteros (B.Sc. Mechatronics Engineering - RAMEL Researcher - Field: Dynamic Control in Robotics)
Role: Electronics Leader, member of the Mechanics and Navigation Team. (He belongs to a family of farmers and is our
connection between the farmers and us.)
Erick Mendoza (B.Sc. Mechatronics Engineering - RAMEL Researcher - Field: Industrial Robotics)
Role:
Mechanics Leader, member of the Navigation Team.
Joshua Cobos (Student of Mechatronics Engineering - CIDIS Researcher - Field: Computer vision for the conservation of
natural reserves)
Role:
Navigation Leader, member of the Electronics, Mechanics, and Computer Vision Team.
Milena Rodriguez (Student of Mechatronics Engineering - Intern in the Ecuadorian Navy focusing on process automation)
Role:
Member of the Mechanics and Navigation Team.
Rolando Mendieta (B.Sc. Electronics and Automation - Technician and Researcher of CIDIS - Field: Sensor network for pest
control in Ecuadorian forests)
Role:
Member of the Electronics and Navigation Team. (As a technician, he provides us with tools for the development of the
project and connects us with agricultural engineers, whom we use to train ourselves on cocoa crops and their pests. He also
arranges technical visits to the farms for us.)
In this project, an application was developed in Android Studio that allows users to download it and create an account to create new player for de game. In the app, users can enter their player's data, such as name and age. Once saved, this data is stored in Firebase. Users can also see their score.
The project aims to develop an interactive memory game using a 4x4 RGB WS2812B LED matrix, controlled by a joystick. The system includes a user interface with a menu that allows playing, viewing scores, and entering new players, storing the data in a database via a Wi-Fi connection. The LED matrix lights up with pairs of colors for 10 seconds before turning off, leaving one white LED on to represent the player. The player moves across the matrix with the joystick, revealing colors and trying to match pairs. The system is powered by 3.7V rechargeable batteries and uses One-Wire communication for the LEDs. The project design considers an operating temperature range of -20°C to 50°C, a voltage range of 3.3V to 7.4V, and IP20 protection for indoor use.
Game Rules for Kids
Game Scores:
Local Score: The score you achieve while playing.
Global Score: The score stored in the cloud that shows your total progress.
How to Earn Points:
Correct Matches: Each time you find a correct pair of colors, you earn 1 point in your local score.
Mistakes: Each time you make a mistake, you lose 1 point from your local score.
At the End of the Game:
Total Points: All your correct matches and mistakes are totaled.
Negative Score: If you have more mistakes than correct matches and your local score is negative, you will be given 1 point for completing the game.
Positive Score: If you have more correct matches than mistakes, your local score will be the difference between your correct matches and mistakes.
Global Score:
Final Sum: Your local score is added to your global score.
Viewing: You can see your global score in the "View Scores" section.
In this project, an application was developed in Android Studio that allows users to download it and create an account to use a pet food dispenser. In the app, users can enter their pet's data, such as name, breed, amount of food, and age. Once saved, this data is stored in Firebase. Users can also edit or delete their pet's data whenever they want.
The food dispenser can be controlled from anywhere in the world, as long as the user and the dispenser have internet access. To activate the dispenser, the user must press the "FEED NOW" button in the app, which changes a "Feed" attribute to 1 in the database. The dispenser is controlled by an Arduino Nano 33 IoT, which is also connected to Firebase. When the "Feed" attribute is set to 1, the Arduino sends a signal to a driver that controls a NEMA 17 stepper motor. The motor remains active until the registered amount of food for the pet is dispensed, measured by a weight sensor located under the food container. The sensor sends real-time weight signals, and when the indicated weight is reached, the gate closes, "Feed" attribute is set to 0 in the database and food stops dispensing.
If this project were to be commercialized, it could benefit not only from the sale of the dispenser but also from the sale of pet data, such as breed, age, and amount of food consumed, to pet food manufacturers, always with the users' permission. The device offers numerous benefits, as it can be controlled remotely and dispenses food accurately, helping to control the pet's diet.
The project can be improved by adding limit switches, allowing the input of more data, providing an estimate of the monthly food consumption and a more user-friendly app with more functionalities can be developed.
Manufacturing an arm prosthesis for a person with a disability. An EMG sensor was developed to detect electrical signals from muscle contractions. Through programming, a microcontroller was used in conjunction with servo motors, EMG sensor and piezoelectric sensors to control the movements of a 3D prosthesis. This project was carried out by a team of 7 people, divided into groups of electronics (in which I participated), programming, and mechanical design
Google Drive folder with project information (schematics, code, files)
Soldering the different components to the PCB board of the EMG sensor we designed
Output signal of the EMG Sensor designed by the electronics group
The dream team
Final Test de la electronic y programing of the protesis
Project to develop and implement a temperature control system for a drying room.
The system will be based on a reference signal set by the user using a potentiometer, operating in a range of 0 to 12 volts to represent the desired temperatures. The goal is to maintain the room at the temperature set by the user.
To achieve this, we will use the LM35 sensor, operating in a range of 28 to 40 °C. The system will include feedback provided by the LM35 sensor, whose signal will need to be conditioned to compare it within a range of 0 to 10 volts, as the LM35 output is a millivolt signal.
The system will also feature a fan to distribute heat in the drying room, which will be activated at 45 °C. In this case, a comparator with hysteresis is not necessary, only a simple comparator is required.
Practice team sports, extreme sports and travel
In 2018, I had the opportunity to represent my country in the sport called handball. We traveled to Bolivia to compete in the IHF Trophy tournament in the under-18 category. It was an incredible experience with my friends, and we managed to win third place against other countries in the region.
Research new technologies and collaborate with colleagues on their robotics, computer vision and automation projects.
At my university, I actively participate in several clubs:
• Delegate of the Mechatronics Department at the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (ESPOL) (Designing, coordinating, and implementing sustainability-focused engineering events and projects, fostering collaboration.)
Video in which I give a talk about Opportunities and Guide for research
• Member of the Robota Club (ESPOL) (Robotics club for competitions)
• Member of SmartX Journal Club (Machine Learning and its application reading club)
Video in which I participate as a speaker on the topic of Linear neural networks for classification
• Member of CIAP. (ESPOL) (Polytechnic Artificial Intelligence Club)
• Participant to RIIAA 6.0 conference (2024), an international conference on AI and machine learning in Latin America
•LXCV Coaching Program (May 2024)
•Mentoring Program-LXAI ICML Jule (2024)
•Mentoring Program-NeurlPS October(2024)