Development of a multipurpose trolley for greenhouse cultivation

Abstract

Japan’s agricultural sector faces serious challenges due to a declining and aging workforce. Greenhouse cultivation requires intensive labor in confined spaces, making efficiency improvement and reduced physical burden urgent. This study proposes a solution that converts a commercially available harvesting trolley into an electric multifunctional platform capable of both hands free assistance and autonomous operation. Key technological contributions include a travel compensation control system that enhances operability and positional accuracy and a torque transmission mechanism that adapts to multiple tasks. The evaluation experiments showed reduced positional errors during movement in narrow greenhouse aisles. In addition, the practical utility of the two modes, human following and autonomous movement, was confirmed, indicating potential for agricultural support.