It’s amazing how today’s technology is paving its way to many different industries, including the agricultural sector! Robotics are now allowing farmers to become more efficient and productive when managing their crops, saving a ton of time and energy along the way. This is especially beneficial considering the amount of work needed to be done for crops, as the population grows. What are the robots we have to thank for when working in agriculture, though?
Read on as I show you seven robots that can help from nursery planting down to shepherding!
Seven Robots Invading the Agriculture Industry
As the population grows, so does technology in many industries. If you’re wondering what robots are helping with agriculture? Here are the seven different ones to look into:
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Fruit Picking Robots
We all know how much time it can take picking fruits from different trees. You’ll need to go from one tree to another, looking for ripe fruits to harvest. This takes a ton of time and effort, as well as more manpower to get things done on a set deadline. There are now fruit-picking robots made with robotic arms working wireless thanks to advanced AI systems. Most robotics can pick fruit quickly and identify its ripeness, ensuring fast and accurate performance.
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Driverless Tractors or Sprayers
Many robots are able to take flats of peat seedlings, separating them and planting it in the necessary pattern. They can also be used to till soil and prepare it for planting beforehand. Other types of AI-powered robots can prune vineyards and thin plants! What’s great about such robotics is that you don’t need anyone to drive it in, just someone to monitor and control its movement. They have precise maneuvering, making it easier and safer for farmers.
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Sheep Shearing Robots
Besides the plants, farmers also have to tend to their livestock. One particular time-consuming chore is shearing sheep fur. Fortunately, there are now sheep shearing robots that get the job done without harming farmers or their livestock. Through robotic arms and AI, these robots are able to successfully shear sheep fur completely. This robot still requires monitoring, but it keeps your hands safer and the job done even quicker.
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Livestock Robotics
Beyond sheep shearing, there are robots that offer other livestock services, such as herding. They are also able to milk cows, wash livestock, as well as castrate them. Again, this can really change the farming game, as it saves time and energy from farmers who need to care for their animals. This keeps them safe from any accidents or aggressive livestock in the long run, and farmers are able to focus on other important aspects in their crop and the like.
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End Effectors
End effectors are agricultural robots found at the end of robotic arms, used for different operations. There are different end effects developed, all having various uses. Some can be used involving grapes in one country, which is used to harvest, berry-thin, bag, and spray fruits. It would grasp, cut, and push bunches of grapes.
- For berry-thinning, this helps enhance a grapes’ market value.
- For spraying, it ensures that all liquids are evenly distributed to the grapes
- For bagging, it would package the grapes in bunches
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Gripper
A gripper is a grasping device used to harvest the target crop. The gripper’s design is based on its cost, simplicity, and performance, as well as its effectiveness. The design is typically two mechanical fingers which move in synchrony as it performs the task. Besides this, the design’s specific details depend on the task performed. For instance, grippers used for harvesting would have a sharp blade.
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Manipulator
Manipulators would allow a gripper and end effector to navigate around the area. It usually consists of four-bar parallel links which maintain a gripper’s height and position, giving accurate movements. Furthermore, manipulators can use one to three pneumatic actuators, which are motors the produce rotary and linear motion through the conversion of compressed air to energy. It’s actually the Mose efficient actuator for robots with a higher power-to-weight ratio.
Wrapping It Up
The world population is about to reach nine billion in 30 years, so it’s natural for agriculture production to dramatically rise. That’s why robotics is a vital part of the industry today, which can help reach the rising demands of consumers. Also, we can expect even more advanced technology to help with crops and animals in the coming years!
I hope this article on the robots invading the agriculture industry helped you out. So don’t wait any longer and start making the right investments, starting with a good agriculture recruiter now.
Do you have any questions or want to share your experiences using any of these robots? Share it in the comments section down below.
