According to the official newsletter of the Buskerud province, the gripper of this robotic arm isn’t just quicker, it’s also more careful than other pickers. Thanks to an advanced 3D-camera, the gripper can easily locate each strawberry. Right now, the robot is capable of picking more than 90 per cent of all single strawberries and about 50 per cent of strawberries in bunches. The robot is a product of the NMBU (the Norwegian college for environmental and biosciences) and Saga Robotics. The robotic arm is suitable for picking strawberries in seed trays above ground with a so-called tablet system.
The robotic arm, for which a patent has been applied for, was tested by strawberry producer Ekeberg Myhrene AS in Sylling last year, and showed remarkable results and gained much international interest. Ekeberg Myhrene hopes the robot can reach the full 100 per cent within three years. This year, the robot will be further tested by Ekeberg Myhrene and a greenhouse of the NMBU.
Source: gardsdrift.no