PHOTOS: OCTINION


PHOTOS: HARVEST CROO ROBOTICS


Harvest CROO Robotics B5.1 (strawberry)


Manufacturer: Harvest CROO Robotics (USA) Robot(s): Harvester B5.1 Task(s): Picking strawberries Development start: 2013 Description: With 16 rotating heads, each carrying eight picking claws for high capacity the Harvester B5.1 is said to match 30 manual pickers working in regular outdoor beds. Separate leaf gathering, visual inspection and picking mechanisms look complex but optimise each stage, including clamshell berry cutters that deposit fruit onto an elevator, carrying them to an upper deck for retail packing. Lidar and GPS are used to navigate the field. Availability: Launching in the United States in 2020 on a price per flat/harvesting as a service basis. Developments: Incremental upgrades as necessary based on customer feedback.


Octinion Rubion to pick strawberries


Manufacturer: Octinion (Belgium) Robot(s): Rubion Task(s): picking strawberries Development start: 2014 Description: This robotic harvester for table-top strawberries se- lects the fruit according to ripeness and size and fills punnets on the go to the required weight in multiple categories, collecting crop har- vest data as it goes. The Rubion has a single linear arm with a rotating ‘hold and clip’ manipulator that picks and places berries in a single movement. The electrically-powered base unit is guided on wheels or rails and the robotic arm assembly traverses on rails. Availability: Available to selected growers who are prepared to op- timise their growing system and varieties for best performance and results. Developments: Complementary robots for UV powdery mildew control and crop scouting for ripeness prediction.


▶ FUTURE FARMING | 20 November 2020


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