By Charles Carter, 25/09/22
Innovators at US startup advanced.farm are developing an automated apple harvester that uses computer vision and suction cups to pick almost 30 pieces of fruit a minute.
They are transferring technology from their more established robotic strawberry picker to solve apple harvesting challenges, through a $460k 3-year R&D grant from the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission.
How does it work?
The current prototype has 6 robotic arms that are directed towards ripe apples using real-time computer vision analysis of stereo camera feeds.
At the end of each robotic arm is a circular suction cup made from a soft material.
When the cup is placed around the apple making a seal, air is drawn out of the enclosed space which creates a low pressure void.
The higher atmospheric pressure creates a constant force pushing the apple into the cup at just the right strength so as to not damage the fruit.
The robotic arm them gently pulls the apple from its stem and places it in a collection vessel mounted on the harvester chassis.
The harvester moves autonomously between the rows of apple trees making use of a hybrid electric drive system.
What are the potential benefits?
According to Statista, the world produced over 87 million tons of apples in 2019, a 23 per cent increase on 2010 levels.
The advance.farm innovation could help to replace some of those human apple pickers by working day and night and with lower costs.
Although the company has yet to publish quantified benefits for the apple harvester, it says its strawberry picker delivers 30% headcount savings, a pick rate equal to average human picker and 5 times more productive.
With a global farm worker shortage reported in many countries, automation could help avoid price rises and secure the supply of apples for well-loved dishes like apple pie!
Questions for you. Comment below
- First thought that comes into your head?
- Pros and cons according to you?
- Other applications of this approach?
- What could this be combined with?
Links
https://advanced.farm/technology/apple-harvester/
http://treefruit.wsu.edu/article/2022-wa-tree-fruit-research-commission-grant-awards-for-technology/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/961248/production-of-apples-worldwide/