The agriculture industry has been utilizing various machinery and technologies for farming activities like plowing, seeding, watering, spraying pesticides etc. for many decades to increase productivity and reduce manual labor requirements. However, one farming activity that largely relied on human labor was fruit picking. Until now, fruits were picked manually which required hiring large number of seasonal workers and involved strenuous physical effort. But the introduction of fruit picking robots is set to transform this labor intensive activity.
Emergence of fruit picking robots
Various research organizations and tech companies have been working on developing fruit picking robots for last few years with the aim to address the labor shortage issue faced by farmers during harvesting seasons. Some of the early fruit picking robots developed include:
– HarvestCroo’s strawberry picking robot unveiled in 2016 which could pick over 2 kilograms of strawberries per hour with 95% accuracy.
– Octinion’s strawberry picking robot presented in 2017 claimed picking speed of 50-100 strawberries per hour.
– Abundant Robotics raspberry picking robot debuted in 2018 which could pick over 1 kilogram of raspberries per hour with near human-level dexterity.
– Dogtooth Technologies’ blueberry picking robot introduced in 2020 stated picking 2 kilograms of blueberries per hour.
While the initial versions had limited picking capabilities, it proved the viability of robotics for fruit harvesting. Today, major tech players as well as new startups are working aggressively to develop more advanced and versatile fruit picking robots.
How fruit picking robots work
A typical Fruit Picking Robots works autonomously using computer vision, sensory systems and robotic grippers. The fruit picking process follows these basic steps:
– Cameras and sensors scan the orchard/field and identify ripe fruits based on color, size, shape using computer vision and machine learning algorithms.
– The robot navigates to the identified fruit using its locomotion abilities like wheels or tracks.
– Gentle robotic end effectors like grippers or suction cups grasp the fruit without damaging it. Force, tactile and pressure sensors ensure gentle fruit handling.
– Picked fruit is passed through a bin or collected in a crate attached to the robot. Fruit quality inspection may also be done.
– Data from fruit identification and picking is recorded to optimize routes, improve accuracy over time. Yield estimates are also generated.
– Robots recharge/replace its battery and storage bins between picking cycles to continue harvesting autonomously.
Ongoing developments and future outlook
While initial versions could pick only a single fruit variety, current research is focused on developing robots that can pick different fruit types with greater precision, speed and adaptability:
– Researchers at Harper Adams University recently unveiled a robot that can identify and grasp both apples and pears with 97% accuracy.
– University of California, Davis is working on robots that can pick delicate produce like grapes and tomatoes using computer vision guided soft grippers.
– Agrobot is developing multipurpose robots that can pick berries as well as apples, oranges, mangoes and plums using flexible modular design.
– Other areas of focus include robots that work in all weather conditions, detect and handle defective fruits, integrated fruit packing/packaging, precision yield estimation etc.
It is estimated that by 2026, around 20% of fruit harvesting in developed economies will be done using robots. As technologies mature further, fruit picking robots will be able to harvest a wider variety of fruits, work alongside humans flexible and handle 100% of the harvesting operations autonomously. This will help address global labor shortage issues, increase productivity, yields and quality while reducing production costs for farmers worldwide. The future of sustainable, profitable and efficient fruit farming likely lies with robotics and automation.
Economic and social impacts of fruit picking robots
Adoption of fruit picking robots is expected to bring about significant economic and social changes:
– It will boost farm profitability by reducing harvesting costs up to 70% compared to manual labor. Savings will be invested in farm expansion and diversification.
– Robotics will make the highly seasonal fruit farming business more viable and predictable through guaranteed timely harvesting.
– As demand for seasonal farm workers decreases, it may negatively impact rural economies dependent on migrant harvesting jobs in short term.
– In long run, new high-tech agriculture jobs related to robotics, AI, mechatronics, sensors etc. will be created with better pay and safety.
– Automation will help address problem of scarce and expensive farm labor especially in developing countries.
– Strenuous harvesting work will be replaced by skilled robotics jobs, improving quality of life in rural communities.
– Productivity gains from robotics may stabilize food supplies and lower consumer prices through large scale harvesting.
Thus while fruit picking robots will be disruptive initially, widespread adoption promises to boost global food security, sustainability and development through advanced precision agriculture. Appropriate policies are essential to manage the transition and share rewards of automation fairly across society.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
Ravina Pandya, Content Writer, has a strong foothold in the market research industry. She specializes in writing well-researched articles from different industries, including food and beverages, information and technology, healthcare, chemical and materials, etc. With an MBA in E-commerce, she has an expertise in SEO-optimized content that resonates with industry professionals.