KIMM develops a “multi-robot system for harvesting”, and develops a fully automatic harvesting and transporting robot that utilizes cutting-edge machinery, AI, and automatic driving technology.
Robotic systems have been developed to harvest and transport crops without human intervention for use in agricultural facilities such as smart farms.
A research team led by Choi Tae-young, a senior researcher at the Robotics and Mechatronics Department of the AI Robot Research Department at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials Research (President Sang-jin Park, hereafter referred to as KIMM), said that the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Information and Communication has developed multiple robots for harvesting crops. developed the system. This technology can be used to assist agricultural sites with significant labor shortages by harvesting crops in an automated system. The system also includes a robot that uses self-driving technology to transport the harvested crops to the loading dock.
KIMM’s new multi-robot system for harvesting horticultural crops consists of a harvesting robot and a transfer robot. This technology is expected to help solve the problem of not being able to harvest after cultivation at agricultural sites that are facing a serious labor shortage in recent years. By fully automating the harvesting and transportation processes of the entire agricultural facility, this technology demonstrates the potential for unmanned harvesting and various labor-intensive operations at agricultural sites.
Agricultural environments are complex and highly variable, requiring a high degree of skill to apply robotic technology. This is why research on harvesting robots in greenhouse agriculture has not succeeded in advancing the earlier levels of research. Previous robotic technologies for harvesting crops were limited to implementing a single crop harvesting function.
The multi-robot harvesting system newly developed by KIMM not only harvests, but also establishes harvesting and transport technology using multiple robots, enabling the automation of harvesting work for the entire agricultural facility. It consists of a harvesting robot that harvests crops and a transport robot that carries the harvested crops to the back. Since there is no limit to the number of robot units, multiple harvesting robots can actively harvest crops and multiple transport robots can transport crops simultaneously.
Harvesting robots apply KIMM’s cutting-edge mechanical and AI technology to quickly and accurately recognize crop information in the facility’s farm setting. These robots effortlessly harvest tough crops using KIMM-developed robotic arms and powerful robotic hands. Transport robots are also capable of precise autonomous driving in a facility farm setting.
Harvesting robots apply AI technology to accurately recognize the position and shape of crops, and harvest crops using robot hands designed specifically for harvesting. The harvesting robot is equipped with a box that temporarily stores the harvested crops. When the box is filled to a certain point, a transport robot is called to transfer the crops for transport. The KIMM research team succeeded in developing crops that can be harvested 80% more efficiently than humans, assuming a crop recognition rate of 90% or more and 24-hour operation.
KIMM senior researcher Choi Tae-young said that the newly developed multi-robot system for crop harvesting is the beginning of research to solve the labor shortage problem in agricultural areas that are gradually disappearing. He added that in the future, the KIMM team will continue researching performance and function-enhancing technologies that can be applied not only to indoor agricultural facilities, but also to various manual operations in outdoor environments such as orchards.
Original: A system in which robots pick and carry fruits through teamwork is complete!
Than: Korea Mechanical Materials Research Institute | Chungbuk National University | Chungbuk National University Chungnam National University
