Farm robots reduce need for manual harvesting
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Researchers at Washington State University have developed a strawberry-picking robot that improves harvest success rates by blowing leaves aside before picking. The innovation aims to alleviate labor shortages in the agricultural sector.
A strawberry-picking robot developed by Washington State University researchers has shown improved harvest success rates in field tests. The robot blows leaves aside before picking, increasing the success rate to 73.9% from 58.1%. Despite this, manual harvesting remains faster, taking around 20 seconds per berry. Labor shortages in Washington's agricultural sector have driven the development of such robots, with farm labor declining 23% from 2017 to 2022. The university is also working on other agricultural automation projects, including a soft, air-filled apple-picking arm and precision irrigation systems that use machine learning and weather data to optimize water usage. These innovations aim to reduce labor strain and improve efficiency in the agricultural sector.
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