A team from the University of Waikato's Te Kura Mata-Ao School of Engineering is developing cost-effective robotic technology to ease labour shortages in horticulture and reduce fruit wastage. Led by Senior Lecturer Dr Ajit Pal Singh, the group of seven—including PhD students Hung Le Phan, Christoff Venter, and Eva Prinz—has secured two entries in the Fieldays Innovation Awards for their work supporting New Zealand's kiwifruit industry.
At the heart of their project is a novel gripper—a single-piece, jointless structure that 3D-prints the flexibility needed to handle fruit gently and reliably. Unlike conventional designs, which rely on multiple joints or sensors, this simplified mechanism conforms around each fruit, minimising bruising and dropping. Dr Singh explains, "If the fruit is bruised or dropped, the benefit of robotic automation is lost. Our soft-finger attachment interacts gently with the fruit, preserving its quality."
© UW
Having completed laboratory tests, the team has begun preliminary field trials in an orchard with promising results: effective fruit handling with minimal visible damage. The grippers are designed for real-world conditions—easy to maintain, robust, and ready for heavy use. Because they are single-piece structures, they can be manufactured at scale via plastic injection moulding, lowering costs and improving durability.
Dr Singh emphasises the project's practical focus: "Lab prototypes are one thing, but growers need reliable tools in the orchard. Our goal is simple, cost-effective and reliable innovations that growers can adopt to reduce their reliance on seasonal labour and minimise unpicked fruit going to waste."
Over the coming season, the team will deploy the grippers across multiple orchards, then return to the lab to refine their designs based on field feedback. "From an engineering perspective, this project demonstrates how innovative design tailored to industry needs can deliver high-impact solutions," says Dr Singh.
For more information:
University of Waikato
Tel: +64 7 807 9275
www.waikato.ac.nz
