The robots pick the fruits

A grant to researchers from Ben-Gurion University to develop robots that will focus only on picking ripe fruit

A group of robotics researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev received a grant of approximately one million euros for the development of smart sensing algorithms and robots that will be able to carry out selective spraying and picking.

The group of researchers includes the vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Yael Iden, who heads the project, Dr. Siegel Berman and Prof. Helman Stern, from the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Dr. Ohad Ben-Shahar from the Department of Computer Science, and Dr. Amir Shapira from the Department of Mechanical Engineering .

The project is part of the Seventh Framework Program of the European Union (FP7) "cRops — Clever Robots for Crops" development of smart robots for crops. As part of the program, algorithms will be developed for the design and operation of the robots and several systems for picking premium crops, such as peppers grown in greenhouses, apples and luxury wine grapes. The robotic system that will be developed will have the ability to spray in selected areas (including target-directed spraying, only for the foliage and selected targets such as the fruits only) and will also be able to perform selective picking. The robots will have the ability to identify the fruit in the plant landscape, check the level of ripeness of the fruit and then move towards the fruit, grab the fruit and pick only the ripe fruit from the tree.

Ben-Gurion University's role in the project is to lead the development of the sensing and perception algorithms. "An agricultural robot must be equipped with knowledge and an intelligent system in order to be able to be immune enough to operate in the unstructured, changing and even hostile agricultural environment," explains Prof. Eden. "We are developing an independent robot that will have reliable and accurate judgment, with a decision-making system that adapts to changing and different conditions, that will learn to pick only the ripe fruits and ignore those that are not."

The "cRops" joint budget is intended for the development and definition of a smart and modular robotic system, which includes a mobile body, modular robotic arms as well as "smart tools" (such as sensors, algorithms, sprinklers and catchers), which are simple to install and as part of the system will enable rapid adaptation to environmental conditions, to tasks and new situations through advanced learning algorithms that will be developed by the university's research team.

The "cRops" association operates and is coordinated by the Dutch Wageningen University and its research center. The other members of the consortium are leading universities from all over Europe and a number of industrial companies, including FESTO and CASE NEW HOLLAND. The project combines outstanding master's and master's degree students from the departments of computer science, mechanical engineering and industrial engineering and management.

To the project site