Simplified 4-DOF manipulator for rapid robotic apple harvesting

Hu G. Chen C. Chen J. Sun L. Sugirbay A. Chen Y. Jin H. Zhang S. Bu L.
August 2022 Elsevier B.V.

Computers and Electronics in Agriculture
2022 #199

Fruit harvesting is time-consuming and laborious. Robots can harvest fruits with a high degree of automation, greatly reducing labor requirements, but are limited by their efficiency and high costs. In this research, a prototype apple harvesting robot was designed and constructed. The robotic prototype integrated a binocular camera, a 4-degree-of-freedom manipulator, a vacuum-based end-effector, and a mobile vehicle. The robot detected, positioned, gripped, detached, and placed apples. A manipulator controller was designed to realize rapid control execution. Picking experiments were conducted in a spindle apple orchard. Picking was tested using rotation-pull and pull patterns. The test results showed that the rotation-pull pattern was more effective picking apples than the pull pattern. The picking success rate of the rotation-pull pattern was 47.37% in the field orchard and 78% in the simulated orchard environment, with picking cycle time of ∼ 4 s. The stem damage rate in the field orchard was 11.11%. The developed picking prototype realized the task of picking apples. Its primary advantage was its competitive picking cycle time, which provides a solid foundation for the future improvement of harvesting efficiency.

Agricultural robot , Apple harvesting , Cycle time , Field evaluation , Manipulator

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College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi, Yangling, 712100, China
Technical Faculty, S. Seifullin Kazakh Agro Technical University, Nur-Sultan, 010000, Kazakhstan
College of Mechatronic Engineering, North Minzu University, Ningxia, Yinchuan, 750021, China

College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering
Technical Faculty
College of Mechatronic Engineering

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