Harvesting a fruit—such as a strawberry—might seem like a simple task to a person, but for a robot, it is one of the most complex operations in agriculture; applying just a few grams of force beyond what is necessary can crush the fruit, shorten its shelf life, and turn a high-value product into waste. This need for delicacy previously hindered the full automation of fruit harvesting, but a new generation of agricultural robots promises to change that landscape.
If the system identifies areas showing signs of incomplete ripeness, it simply moves on to the next one. The machine's secret lies precisely in avoiding contact with the fruit's most sensitive parts. Instead of squeezing the strawberry, grippers hold only the small stem supporting it; an integrated blade makes a precise cut, allowing the fruit to be gently guided along cushioned chutes to the packaging area, thereby virtually eliminating harvest-related damage.
Posted Using INLEO
