Basic Studies on Robot to Work in Vineyard (Part 3)

Measurement of Physical Properties for Robotization and Manufacture of Berry Thinning Hand

Abstract

Part 1 and 2 of this series reported on a manipulator, a harvesting hand, and a visual sensor of robot in vineyard. In this paper, an automatization of berry thinning operation was investigated in order to develop a grape production system with robot. The physical properties of grape were measured in the first place. Secondly, a berry thinning hand was made as a trial. This hand consisted of three parts; upper part removed berries, middle part penetrated and shed berries, and lower part cut a bunch to unify its length. Berry thinning experiment was done by using this hand, and the feasibility of the robotization of berry thinning operation was confirmed.