Posts Tagged: harvester
Robotic Strawberry Harvester on the Move
For those who missed yesterday's field meeting, the following is a short summary of the presentation of a robotic harvesting machine for strawberries.
The machine, called "Agrobot", is the creation of a research group in Spain headed by Engineer Juan Bravo, who is seen driving the machine in several pictures below.
Rather than futilely attempt to match the profound and unique complexity of the human hand, the principle of the "Agrobot" is instead a construction of visualization technology which guides a rubber lined basket to the red, ripened strawberry fruit and removes it in a lifting motion from the pedicel with a small round razor buttoned to one side of the basket (photo 2 below). The picked fruit is then deposited on a conveyer belt, which carries it up to a worker seated at the front of the "Agrobot" for quality inspection and placement in a container, be it a clamshell, crate or bucket.
There are a series of arms holding the harvest baskets on either side of the machine to enable picking on both sides of the bed. Much has been of the fact that these arms, having a modular design, are replaceable in case of damage or malfunction. The unit containing the arm and its automated guide snaps easily out to make room for an identical unit, causing minimal delay in the progress of harvest.
Nice video by Luis Macario posted on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nm3WS5y3kCk&feature=youtu.be
While the "Agrobot" automated harvester is being seen as technology's response to the strawberry industry's increasing problems obtaining harvest labor, many challenges remain nevertheless. For one, the varieties currently in use on the Central Coast produce many fruit in one cluster, which the machine has difficulty distinguishing from one another. Secondly, as the reader can see from picture number three below, the strawberry field must be radically reshaped to accommodate the machine, including farming strawberries in single rows (reducing plant count and subsequently lowering yield per acre) and raising the beds substantially. Third, the machine cannot think for itself and will not find fruit behind foliage or sequestered within the canopy of the plant.
At any rate, the "Agrobot" is a remarkable invention and worthy of a look and consideration by those who haven't seen it yet.
Fruit picking basket, optics are in the back.
Close up of fruit picking basket, thin round plates are razors which remove fruit from the pedicel. Note that blade can be rotated when it becomes dull on one side to expose sharper cutting edge.
"Agrobot" robotic harvester preparing to enter strawberry field. Note significant height of strawberry beds and single row planting. Variety is 'Albion', common to the Central Coast of California.
Ingeniero Juan Bravo manuvers the Agrobot out of the field.
Raisin and Wine Grape Mechanical Harvest Safety Training
The second annual Raisin and Wine Grape Mechanical Harvest Safety Training is set for July 18, 2012 at the C.P.D.E.S. Hall in Easton CA, located at 172 W. Jefferson Ave.
Training will be provided in both English and Spanish.
The free training for farm employees and supervisors will increase awareness and improve safety in the field during mechanical raisin and wine grape harvest. Trained participants are expected to pass the information on to the individuals they supervise.
“This is an excellent opportunity to prepare employees for a safe harvest season for Fresno County’s number one crop, grapes and raisins,” said Fresno County Farm Bureau Executive Director/CEO Ryan Jacobsen.
Participants will take part in breakout sessions, including: OSHA regulations; harvester safety; and tractor and equipment safety.
Registration will begin at 8 a.m.; the training will run from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
The training is sponsored by the Fresno County Farm Bureau, Nisei Farmers League, Raisin Bargaining Association, Sun-Maid and Allied Grape Growers.
For more information, or to RSVP, please contact the Fresno County Farm Bureau office at 559-237-0263 or info@fcfb.org, or visit www.fcfb.org to download and complete the registration form.
Please provide the name of each participant and which session, English or Spanish, they will participate in.
Raisin Harvester