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Fruit harvesting robots in Japan
Advances in Space Research : the Official Journal of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR)
|January 1, 1996
Summary
Researchers developed automated harvesting robots for crops like tomatoes and grapes. These robots are designed for intensive farming systems, potentially enabling future space agriculture with minimal human oversight.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Robotics
- Automation Engineering
- Horticulture
Background:
- Japanese agriculture intensifies crop production in small, diverse fields.
- Automation is needed for efficient management of multiple robots by a single operator.
- Space bioproduction shares similarities with Japanese agriculture due to limited space and personnel.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the development of harvesting robots for various crops.
- To highlight the design principles based on crop physical properties.
- To explore the potential application of these robots in space agriculture.
Main Methods:
- Development of robotic manipulators and end-effectors.
- Integration of visual sensors for object recognition and manipulation.
- Design of traveling devices for autonomous movement in greenhouses and fields.
- Mechanisms designed based on the physical properties of target crops (tomato, cucumber, grape).
Main Results:
- Successful development of harvesting robots for tomatoes, petty-tomatoes, cucumbers, and grapes.
- Robots are designed for autonomous operation, requiring minimal human intervention.
- The system architecture supports one operator managing multiple robots.
Conclusions:
- The developed harvesting robots are suitable for intensive agricultural systems.
- The design principles can be applied to automate bioproduction in space.
- Robotic harvesting offers a viable solution for future space exploration and resource utilization.