Automated Labor Takes Over Berry Picking Industry
Robot with a Delicate Touch: Arkansas University Develops Blackberry-Picking Robot
The University of Arkansas has made a significant stride in agricultural technology with the development of a robot designed specifically for blackberry picking. This robot, equipped with a unique gripper, applies a carefully calibrated gentle force guided by force sensors placed on the fingertips, replicating the delicate touch of a human hand to avoid bruising the fragile berries [1].
The gripper, inspired by the motion of a tulip flower opening and closing, features three soft, pliable silicone fingers actuated by tendon-like mechanisms using guitar strings [2][3]. Each fingertip includes force sensors that measure and adjust the applied pressure in real time to prevent damage such as crushing or red drupelet reversion, which greatly affects fruit quality [1][3].
Despite the robot's impressive design, it is currently limited to blackberry picking tasks only, as it does not possess a vision system to locate berries [1]. The robot's motion, inspired by the motion of a tulip opening and closing, provides a natural, gentle grasping action [2][3]. The force level used is deliberately kept low and finely controlled, replicating the light pressure typical of experienced human pickers [4].
The blackberry picking business in Arkansas is valued at $24 million, making this robot's potential impact significant [5]. While the exact numeric value of the force applied is not explicitly stated, it is clear that the force level is designed from direct human picker data to be minimal yet effective [4].
As the trend of developing robots for agricultural item picking continues to grow [6], this blackberry-picking robot could pave the way for future advancements in the field. The robot's design, based on data collected from experienced blackberry pickers, may find applications beyond blackberry picking [7]. However, no information about the current status or release date of the robot is provided.
Sources:
- Arkansas robot picks blackberries with gentle touch
- Arkansas researchers develop robotic hand to pick blackberries
- Robot hand mimics human touch to pick blackberries
- A Robot That Picks Blackberries Without Bruising Them
- University of Arkansas Develops Robot for Blackberry Picking
- Robots are the future of agriculture
- Robot's delicate touch could revolutionize agriculture
The robot's design, inspired by human pickers and mimicking a tulip's motion, utilizes artificial-intelligence through force sensors on its fingertips, adjusting the pressure to match that of experienced human pickers. With this technological advancement, it could potentially revolutionize agricultural item picking beyond blackberry picking.
Built with a gripper inspired by the tulip flower and equipped with artificial-intelligence, the robot is specifically engineered for blackberry picking, employing a gentle force to prevent bruising, reflecting the role of sensors in enhancing the technology's precision and efficiency.
