Global competition in fruit production and the local shortage of harvest workers require innovative autonomous robotic systems that work together with humans. For some crops, a largely automated harvest is already possible, but other fruits and vegetables (for example, strawberries) still have to be harvested by hand. However, the physically demanding work and rising labor costs make it increasingly difficult to attract workers for the harvest. Autonomous robotic systems can relieve human harvest workers of some of the tasks involved, such as harvesting and transporting the products.
Digitized process chains can optimize the harvesting process and enable collaboration with human harvesters. In addition, autonomous and interacting robot fleets offer the potential for longer operating times per unit and scalable harvesting performance. Improved field management and process optimization through digital and robotic systems thus promise an increase in work efficiency.
For use in the existing process chain of a harvesting operation, systems that can react collaboratively and flexibly to the fluctuating requirements of a farm and work hand in hand with human workers are of particular interest. The planned project therefore focuses on three technological pillars using the example of strawberry harvesting:
- a “Digital Field Infrastructure” (DFI) for digitizing the process chain, 2 robotic systems for automated strawberry harvesting and goods transport in the field, and 3 a technical solution for managing the hybrid team of human workers and robotic systems.
Partners
Ant Robotics GmbH Adolf Wagner Straße 16 21073 Hamburg
Nature Robots GmbH Hamburger Str. 24, 49084 Osnabrück
