In this episode of The Germinate Podcast, Joe Sampson sits down with Harman Sangha, assistant professor at Auburn University, for a conversation about artificial intelligence, automation, agricultural engineering, and what the next generation of farm technology could look like. Harman brings a unique perspective shaped by work in both India and the United States, with experience ranging from small-scale agricultural equipment and UAV technology to computer vision, machine learning, and machinery automation.
The conversation begins with Harman’s path into agricultural engineering. After earning his bachelor’s degree in India, he joined an ag startup developing handheld cotton pickers designed specifically for smaller farms. He later continued his education at Kansas State University, where he worked with UAVs, multispectral cameras, and thermal sensors, before completing his PhD at Iowa State University and working with its Digital Ag Innovations Lab. Those experiences allowed him to collaborate with farmers and major industry partners while focusing on automation systems for the next generation of agricultural machinery.
Using planting as an example, Harman explains how machine learning could analyze factors such as ground speed, soil moisture, vacuum pressure, and other variables to better understand how seeds are placed in the ground. Even something as specific as seed orientation could potentially affect germination timing and ultimately crop performance. The conversation illustrates how the future of precision agriculture may come from improving details that were once impossible to measure or control.
Harman also shares how he approaches research at Auburn. Rather than beginning with technology and searching for an application, he talks directly with farmers and extension agents to understand where current machinery falls short. His goal is to develop systems that can reach producers relatively quickly, including work with peanut and cotton farmers and research exploring whether technology can help accelerate the development of new crop varieties.
One of the biggest themes of the episode is that the future of agriculture is automation, but automation has to work when farmers need it most. Labor shortages continue to create challenges across harvesting, spraying, fertilizer application, and specialty crops. Yet Harman acknowledges why farmers can be hesitant to adopt more complicated technology. During a narrow planting or harvest window, a system that breaks down and can’t be quickly repaired can create more problems than it solves. For Harman, the next step isn’t simply more automation. It’s more reliable, robust, and practical automation.
For students, that creates an enormous opportunity. Harman discusses how undergraduate and graduate students can become directly involved in research, gaining hands-on experience collecting data, working in the field, and helping develop technologies that could eventually reach farmers. He also points to the opportunities available with smaller agricultural equipment manufacturers, where young engineers may have the chance to make an immediate impact.
Throughout the conversation, Harman’s passion for agricultural engineering comes back to something simple: he likes getting into the field, working on machinery, and building solutions that can make a difference for producers. For all the discussion around AI and advanced technology, his approach remains grounded in solving real problems for farmers and creating systems they can actually use.