Development of harvesting hand for hydroponically cultivated spinach

Abstract

In recent years, drastic decreases of agricultural workers and their aging become a significant problem. Application of the robotic technology into agricultural fields is being required for labor-saving. In particular, harvesting operations for spinach almost depend on manual works. In this research, we aim to develop a harvesting robot for hydroponic cultivation plant, where cultivation environment such as pallets and benches are standardized. In this paper, we conducted preliminary experiments for considering the specification of the robotic hands. Based on the specification, the prototype was designed and fabricated. The grasping motion of spinach was investigated through experiments. And we conducted a harvest experiment on the farm.