The Center of Applied Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Agriculture, also known as CAAI4SA, proudly celebrates the achievement of Tuhina Sambhus, who earned first place in the Agriculture and Technology category for the undergraduate oral presentation at the 2026 ARD Symposium. Her award-winning research was conducted alongside Dr. Joe Mari Maja, Mr. Van Patiluna, and Ms. Christina Chiu as part of the center’s continued work in artificial intelligence, agricultural technology, and sustainable farming solutions.
Tuhina’s research focused on the development of the SmartWeed Classifier App, an innovative tool designed to help farmers identify weed species and herbicide injury symptoms. One of the app’s most important features is its ability to work offline, making it especially useful for farmers in rural areas where internet access may be limited or unreliable. By allowing users to identify weed species and recognize herbicide injury symptoms without needing a strong internet connection, the app supports more accessible, practical, and field-ready agricultural decision-making.
The SmartWeed Classifier App demonstrates how artificial intelligence can be used to address real challenges in agriculture. Weed identification and herbicide injury detection are important parts of crop management, and tools like this can help farmers, students, and researchers make more informed decisions in the field. The app reflects CAAI4SA’s mission to apply advanced technologies in ways that are useful, understandable, and beneficial to agricultural communities.
During the symposium, the CAAI4SA team also shared information about additional projects taking place within the center. These projects highlight CAAI4SA’s ongoing commitment to research, education, outreach, and innovation. From AI-powered applications to drone and robotics demonstrations, the center continues to create opportunities for students and researchers to develop technologies that support farmers, rural communities, and the future of sustainable agriculture.
Tuhina’s first-place recognition is not only a major accomplishment for her as an undergraduate researcher, but also a reflection of the collaborative environment fostered by CAAI4SA and South Carolina State University 1890 Research & Extension. Her success shows the value of giving students hands-on opportunities to work with emerging technologies, conduct meaningful research, and contribute to solutions that can have a direct impact on agriculture.
CAAI4SA congratulates Tuhina Sambhus on this outstanding achievement and looks forward to continuing its work in artificial intelligence, agricultural research, student development, and community-centered innovation across South Carolina and beyond.