Meet Bruno: The AI robot revolutionizing bean breeding in Uganda

In early 2025, researchers at the Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT’s Uganda office began field testing an innovative phenotyping robot named Bruno, which automates the phenotyping process into a fully digital workflow. It uses standard Android smartphones with the custom ONA data collection app. Bruno is moved through experimental plots while its cameras take detailed images. These images are uploaded to a secure cloud database, analyzed using artificial intelligence (AI) models, and breeders can access quantified phenotypic data, such as plant stand counts, flower emergence, and pod counts. 

By harnessing robotics and artificial intelligence, Bruno delivers faster plot assessments and more reliable measurements. It reduces data collection time by at least 70%, reduces labor costs, and eliminates human errors that occur when thousands of plants require phenotyping.  

In addition to the above traits, Bruno can also be trained to capture traits such as flower/pod/leaf color, canopy architecture, disease severity symptoms as well as pest damage, expanding its utility across different growth stages.

“This technology is a game-changer,” said Roy Odama, bean breeder at the Alliance’s Uganda office. Further, it accelerates our breeding cycle while significantly reducing the risk of errors”.