Harvest CROO announced that its automated harvest field trials have successfully demonstrated commercial viability. Having reached performance rates on par with human harvesting in a commercial picking operation, this achievement represents a major milestone for the company.
Harvest CROO was initially founded to alleviate labor shortages. The machine in its current iteration converges AI machine learning, food safety technology, and advanced breeding techniques.
The technology reached performance rates on par with human harvesting in a commercial picking operation.
"We are at the cutting edge of a new AI agricultural revolution and this technology is ready to scale," said Gary Wishnatzki, co-founder and Wish Farms owner. "Strawberries are picked the same way they were over 100 years ago. This company is primed to disrupt the multibillion-dollar U.S. strawberry market. The benefits are game changing for strawberries, but its transferability to other specialty crops and other industries is very promising."
Processing power experienced a major leap forward in just the past year. With the use of the latest generation of NVIDIA chips, the platform's vision processing capability is now 200x more powerful. This exponential jump, bundled with Harvest CROO's 13 patents, Artificial Intelligence, and advanced robotic technology has allowed them to attain harvesting on par with humans.
L-R: Gary Wishnatzki, Joe McGee
Farmers, investors, and others were on hand to witness a recent field trial. "This machine is a technological wonder," said Jorge Heraud, co-founder of Blue River Technology, and past vice president of autonomy & automation at John Deere. "It is complex, yet productive and efficient. I was extremely impressed by the integration of different technologies. It is a shining example of where robotics in farming is headed."
Besides providing surety of harvest with the lowest landed cost to growers, the platform has other benefits that bring with it improved outcomes for the nation's economy and food supply. The machine employs deep data analytic elements that eliminate pathogens, increase yield, improve quality, and extend shelf life. This will ultimately make healthy produce more affordable and widely available to the public.
Farmers, investors, and others witnessed a recent field trial.
The machine and its technology are developed and manufactured in America. By onshoring this tech, the U.S. will benefit by having a self-sufficient labor force that will provide better, higher paying jobs at the farms. It will also greatly reduce growers' dependence on guest workers, facilitating a food supply independent of foreign nations.
"We started as a strawberry picking company, but we have evolved into an AI machine learning and robotics driven technology company that will enable the transformation of industries far beyond agriculture," said Harvest CROO CEO Joe McGee. "Our proprietary tech has already demonstrated its effectiveness by picking the most complicated crop in agriculture."
For more information:
Joe McGee
Harvest CROO
Tel: +1 (408) 607-5664
[email protected]
www.harvestcroo.com