Robot of the Swiss startup Floating Robotics harvests tomatoes in greenhouses (video)

Working in a greenhouse is time-consuming and demanding. With humidity levels of 80 per cent and temperatures of up to 35 degrees Celsius, the people working there are exhausted very quickly. A harvester robot developed by Floating Robotics takes over particularly monotonous tasks, thereby reducing the workload on humans. It is currently being tested at Beerstecher AG in Hinwil, Switzerland.

For many farmers, one of the most important challenges is the lack of labour, especially during harvest time. Large greenhouse areas require many working hours, and it is not always possible to find enough people to perform these tasks. That's why the introduction of robotic systems that can perform automated harvesting and sorting of produce is so important.

Accuracy in work

One of the main advantages of the robot is its high accuracy. It is equipped with a system of cameras and sensors, which allows it to monitor plants and provide accurate information. The robot can adapt its cameras to observe from different angles, which ensures a detailed assessment and control of the plants. Accuracy of harvesting is particularly important, as an incorrect cut on a branch can lead to diseases and other problems after harvest.

Flexible greenhouse infrastructure

The development of robotics in agriculture involves not only advanced technologies but also improvements to existing infrastructure systems. The new robotic system is able to integrate into existing greenhouses, allowing farmers to use the existing infrastructure without major changes and additional costs. This greatly simplifies the implementation of automation and allows production to be more efficient and sustainable.

Wide range of crops

The robot is designed to meet the needs of different agricultural enterprises. Small greenhouses for growing sweet tomatoes are popular in Switzerland. Therefore, the developers paid special attention to ensuring the robot's flexibility, allowing it to adapt to different sizes of greenhouses and types of crops. This approach helps to increase production and utilise available resources.

The robot is able to automate leaf removal, harvesting and boxing of vegetables. "The robot mainly takes over tedious and monotonous activities, allowing our employees to focus on more demanding tasks that require creative and critical thinking," explains Bianca Curcio, responsible for production management at Beerstecher's greenhouse. Although the robot is still in the testing phase, Ms Curcio anticipates that it will play a permanent role in Beerstecher AG's production.

The invention was developed by engineers and students from the Robotic Systems Lab (RSL) at ETH Zurich. Under the leadership of Salman Faraji, they founded the startup Floating Robotics in 2023 to bring the harvester robot technology to market.

Source: Floating Robotics