Inaho’s Tomato Harvesting Robot Undergoes Trials with Dutch Growers

inaho Inc. Has successfully conducted trials in the Netherlands to test its cherry tomato harvesting robotic technology. The robotic system started trials with Dutch growers in May 2023, and its latest trial concluded this July.

Japanese firm Kanagawa-based, it announced that over the past year, its robot showcased significant improvements in performance, with various upgrades evident during this period. 

Carefully plucking delicate fruits like tomatoes and berries poses a unique challenge for robotic harvesting. While the repetitive task of carefully selecting individual tomatoes from a vine may seem ideal for automation, many robots lack the delicate touch required to perform this task without causing damage.

As a result of successful trials, Inaho’s cooperating grower has agreed to offset the costs for the robotic harvesting efficiency starting from November 2023. The Kanagawa, Japan-based company is seeking partnerships with traders, growers, seed companies, research organizations, and agricultural consulting firms.

The innovative farm equipment manufacturer also provides specialized solutions for asparagus harvesting, including robotics, in addition to its range of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and electric trolleys designed for seamless operation. 

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inaho makes tomato choosing enhancements 

Among the key enhancements iHaro made to its robotic offerings for the 2024 growing season are:

• In stark contrast to the past year, the robot has remarkably doubled its harvesting speed in identical scenarios. The corporation cited the introduction of a cutting-edge chip, an innovative digital camera, and advanced AI software as the reason for this development.
• Artificial intelligence-powered picture recognition has significantly reduced the occurrence of mistakes caused by misidentifying tomatoes and selecting unripe ones.
• The robot’s sleeker design enables safe passage through crop fields and facilitates navigation within narrow greenhouse aisles. 

With a strong agricultural sector, the Netherlands ranks as the world’s second-largest exporter of agricultural products, generating an annual revenue of approximately €65 billion or $72 billion.

Harvesting robots of varied sorts hit the market.

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, there are currently approximately 2.4 million farm-related job openings that need to be filled. Filling labor gaps in harvesting jobs, which automation aims to replace, could prove a substantial challenge for farm owners seeking to find suitable replacements.

Farmers typically need temporary workers during a limited window of just a few weeks within the year, resulting in a pressing demand for reliable laborers who can commit to long hours. 

Ridder is another example of an autonomous tomato-picking robot. In the Maasdijk, Netherlands, the GRoW harvester from a local company excels at picking larger tomatoes using its innovative twin robotic arms, focusing on full-sized tomatoes rather than cherry tomatoes which specialize manufacturer Inaho concentrates on producing.

The precision harvesting capabilities of GRoW’s twin arms enable it to efficiently pick crops on both sides of a greenhouse row simultaneously, thereby reducing harvest times and increasing productivity. 

Based in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, 4 Growers is a pioneering robotics firm. The company’s current robotic capabilities are specifically tailored for efficient tomato harvesting; future plans involve expanding this expertise to also optimize pepper and cucumber collection.

Four growers reported that their GR-100 robotic system was specifically designed to operate within the existing parameters of most industrial greenhouses? The autonomous tomato harvester is comprised of a robotic arm and four high-resolution stereo cameras, enabling it to detect and collect tomatoes with unprecedented precision.