Introduction
inaho Inc., a Kanagawa, Japan-based company, has been conducting trials of its cherry tomato harvesting robot in the Netherlands. The robot started trials with Dutch growers in May 2023 and wrapped up its latest trial this July. The robot has demonstrated significant improvements in its performance from last year to this year, with increased harvesting speed, fewer mistakes, and a more practical body.
inaho makes tomato picking improvements
Some of the improvements inaho made to its robot for the 2024 growing season include:
- Improved harvesting speed: Compared with last year, the robot has doubled its harvesting speed in similar conditions. The company said this is thanks to a new chip, a new camera, and improved AI software.
- Fewer mistakes: Improved image recognition has decreased the number of errors associated with dropping tomatoes and picking green ones.
- More practical body: The body of the robot has been slimmed down, helping to avoid damage to the plants and fitting smaller lanes in greenhouses.
Other harvesting robots go to market
There are currently 2.4 million farm jobs that need to be filled, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Harvesting jobs, like the ones inaho aims to automate, can be particularly challenging roles for farm owners to fill.
Ridder is another developer of autonomous tomato-picking robots. The Maasdijk, Netherlands-based company’s GRoW harvester uses dual robotic arms to pick vines of larger tomatoes, not cherry tomatoes like the ones inaho specializes in.
Four Growers is a Turtle Creek, Pa.-based robotics developer. Its robots are currently optimized for tomato harvesting, but the company plans to expand its expertise to peppers and cucumbers.
Conclusion
The inaho tomato harvesting robot has undergone successful trials with Dutch growers, demonstrating significant improvements in its performance. With the increasing need for automation in agriculture, companies like inaho, Ridder, and Four Growers are working to develop robots that can help farmers streamline their operations and increase efficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: What is inaho’s cherry tomato harvesting robot?
Inaho’s cherry tomato harvesting robot is a machine designed to pick cherry tomatoes from greenhouses. It uses advanced AI software and image recognition to identify and harvest the tomatoes.
Question 2: How does inaho’s robot improve harvesting speed?
Inaho’s robot has doubled its harvesting speed in similar conditions compared to last year. This is thanks to a new chip, a new camera, and improved AI software.
Question 3: What are some of the challenges faced by farmers in harvesting?
Some of the challenges faced by farmers in harvesting include labor shortages, high labor costs, and the need for temporary laborers to work long days. Harvesting robots like inaho’s can help farmers overcome these challenges and increase efficiency.
Question 4: Are there other companies developing harvesting robots?
Yes, there are other companies developing harvesting robots. Ridder and Four Growers are two examples of companies that are working on autonomous tomato-picking robots.
Question 5: What is the potential impact of harvesting robots on the agriculture industry?
The potential impact of harvesting robots on the agriculture industry is significant. With the increasing need for automation in agriculture, robots like inaho’s can help farmers streamline their operations, increase efficiency, and reduce labor costs.
