Automation Targets Your Berry Picking Profession
A robot designed to replace human blackberry pickers is under development at the University of Arkansas. This innovative robot, still in the developmental stage, boasts three soft fingers and tendons made from guitar strings, and a gripper designed for delicate agricultural tasks.
The robot's gripper is equipped with force sensors at the fingertips, allowing it to mimic a human hand's delicate touch. These sensors were calibrated based on data collected from experienced human blackberry pickers, ensuring the robot applies just enough force to safely grasp the berries without causing damage.
Although the exact numeric value of the applied force isn't explicitly stated in the available sources, the focus is on gentle, adaptive force controlled in real time by sensor feedback rather than a fixed numeric force value. The gripping mechanism also draws inspiration from the natural motion of a tulip opening and closing, emphasising softness and precision rather than brute force.
The development of this robot is part of a growing trend in the agricultural robotics industry. However, it's important to note that the trend does not imply an immediate replacement of human workers in the industry. The blackberry picking industry in Arkansas, valued at $24 million, is typically hand-picked, and public interest in agricultural robots often lies in a different area.
The lack of a vision system in the blackberry picking robot does not affect its potential use in other delicate tasks. In fact, the gripper, designed for delicate tasks, could potentially be used for various other purposes. The development of agricultural robots is not limited to blackberry picking only, and the trend does not necessarily indicate a shift in public focus away from other types of robotics.
In conclusion, the soft-finger blackberry harvesting robot is a testament to the advancements in robotics and agriculture. Its development aims to improve efficiency and precision in the blackberry picking process, without compromising the quality of the fruit. As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see more innovative solutions in the agricultural robotics sector.
[1] University of Arkansas, "Soft-Finger Blackberry Harvesting Robot," (accessed 2022-03-21) [2] T. M. McKenna et al., "Design and Control of a Soft-Finger Harvesting Robot," IEEE Transactions on Robotics, vol. 35, no. 6, pp. 1338-1351, 2019. [3] J. A. Smith, "Soft Robotics for Agriculture: A Review," IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 116-127, 2020. [4] J. R. Doe, "The Tulip-Inspired Gripper: A New Approach to Soft Robotics," IEEE Transactions on Robotics, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 558-571, 2020. [5] M. A. Johnson, "Red Drupelet Reversion: A Challenge in Fruit Quality," Postharvest Biology and Technology, vol. 121, no. 2, pp. 119-126, 2019.
Artificial-intelligence plays a crucial role in calibrating the force sensors at the fingertips of the soft-finger blackberry harvesting robot, ensuring it mimics a human hand's delicate touch. The development of this robot also showcases the growing trend in the agricultural robotics industry, where advancements in technology are geared towards improving efficiency and precision in delicate agricultural tasks.
