AI-powered robots lend a hand with fruit harvesting

The agricultural sector is experiencing a rise in the use of robots powered by artificial intelligence to automate various tasks. One notable development is the emergence of robots designed for selective harvesting of high-quality fruit.

Tevel Aerobotics Technologies, an Israeli startup, has created robots that are capable of participating in fruit-picking operations. In Chile, these machines collaborated with the Unifrutti group from March to May 2023, selectively harvesting different apple varieties while ensuring only the highest-quality ones were chosen.

The primary objective is for the robot to evaluate fruit quality and selectively harvest desired fruits. These autonomous flying robots utilize artificial intelligence algorithms that enable them to delicately pick the ripest fruit. One advantage of these robots is their ability to work 24 hours a day, serving as a replacement for the increasingly scarce human workforce.

The data collected by these robots can provide accurate information on the contents of the apple-filled bins before they are delivered to the packing plant. This information includes the quantity of fruit harvested, its weight, ripeness, and geolocation.

These machines are capable of harvesting a wide range of fruits, from small 50g apricots to larger fruits like 700g apples. The algorithms integrated into the robots can distinguish between fruit, foliage, and other objects effectively.

However, these robots still face certain challenges. For instance, they struggle to pick apples when tree branches obstruct their access, which can be the case for up to half of the crop. Additionally, they find it difficult to identify whether a fruit is infested with worms, which can significantly affect a considerable proportion of the crop.

Moreover, these robots are unable to thin the apples, a process that involves removing excess fruit at an early stage to promote the growth of the best-quality fruit. Consequently, even with the presence of robots, manual labor remains essential in the agricultural industry.

FFRobotics offers another intelligent robotic vehicle solution for harvesting, which serves as an alternative to manual labor. Their advanced software enables the robot to identify fruits based on pre-set criteria defined by the grower, ensuring only the desired fruits are harvested.

In fact, exclusive harvesting of top-quality fruit using these robots can be up to 10 times faster than if done by humans. Additionally, the machines analyze and provide statistical data on the harvested fruit, categorizing it by tree or farming area.

Data analysis plays a crucial role for farmers beyond harvesting. Google’s Mineral robot, which has been assisting many US farmers for several years, is developed specifically for this purpose. It aids in optimizing harvests and building a more sustainable and resilient food system. Given the growing global population, this challenge is immense.

– AFP Relaxnews