Israeli tech company Nanovel seems to have developed a game-changing solution for the challenges facing the citrus-harvesting industry. Combining robotics, computer vision and Artificial Intelligence, the company has created a tractor-drawn citrus-picking robot that uses robotic arms to precisely grip, snip and harvest ripe oranges from orchards. Nanovel’s solution aims to ensure a steady supply of citrus fruits while streamlining operations for growers.
While robotic harvesting methods exist for several crops already, the world of citrus has been left out to dry due to its challenging picking conditions – namely deep foliage and tall trees. Recognizing the lack of automated citrus-harvesting solutions in the industry, seasoned serial entrepreneur Itzik Mazor stated: “There are several companies that are working on similar automation, but we are going after a much more significant challenge. Our robotic arm is very robust and can go very deep into the tree, about one or two meters into the foliage and pick the fruit. He added that thanks to the use of advanced computer vision and edge computing, the robot is able to “pick the one fruit you want, and not the one you don’t want to eat.”
Source: jpost.com
