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A fresh-produce-packing robot with a human touch 
CategoriesSustainable News

A fresh-produce-packing robot with a human touch 

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: In many countries, agriculture faces a shortage of both skilled and unskilled workers. According to recent research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), much of the decline comes from the combination of a long-term decrease in agriculture’s percentage of GDP, technological advances, and changes in consumer demand. In order to fill some of the sector’s workforce gaps, UK agritech company Wootzano created a fresh produce packing robotic system called Avarai. 

Designed explicitly to work alongside human packers, the robot’s hands have integrated electronic skin called Wootzkin that provides the smart machine with the ability to grasp, pick up, and move fragile produce. Avarai’s algorithm allows distributors to set parameters that include vine length and package weight for every type of produce. When installed on the packing line alongside and amongst current workers, the robot increases productivity by up to 50 per cent, according to Wootzano. Avarai’s arm moves on six axes to allow for optimum angles when handling non-uniform, fragile fruits such as grapes and vine tomatoes.  

Using advanced vision technology alongside the algorithms and cloud updates, Avarai continually learns and improves. Each set of robotic fingers is unique, and the e-skin makes it possible for Avarai to handle delicate fruits with no internal or external damage. Additionally, when the robot picks up a piece of produce, it automatically weighs it, making it easy to pack to retailer specifications. 

As part of Wootzano’s goal to democratise robotics, the company provides the system via lease, meaning that even very small packhouses can afford the technology. The lease cost per robot is set at the price of a human labourer’s salary. That allows businesses flexibility to decide whether to prioritise production capacity increases of around 25 per cent or salary savings and then make changes as the available workforce expands or contracts.  

Already in use by a European provider of table grapes, Wootzano expanded into the United States in the second half of 2023, beginning with partnerships with California producers.  

Other examples spotted in Springwise’s archive of robots that help to improve the food supply chain include pest-control indoor robots and a solar-powered weed-seeking field robot.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

A robot brings EV charging to your parking space 
CategoriesSustainable News

A robot brings EV charging to your parking space 

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: In 2021, sales of electric vehicles (EVs) doubled from the previous year, reaching an all-time high of 6.6 million. Growth looks likely to continue, with the first figures from 2023 showing year-on-year increases. Where the dynamism of the market may stumble is in the lack of public charging infrastructure. The International Energy Agency (IEA) warns in its Global EV Outlook 2022 report that the number of public charging stations that governments and agencies have announced as planned may not be enough to power the growing number of EVs on the road. 

Rather than reconfigure public parking ramps to find room for stationary charging stations, USA-based EV Safe Charge is turning to robotics for a mobile, bookable EV charging solution. Called ZiGGY, the company’s robotic charger debuted at the Dallas Fort Worth airport in May 2023. Designed to make EV charging easy and convenient, the robot reserves a parking space for the driver when a charge is requested through the app. 

Upon arrival at the airport car park, drivers receive directions to the space the robot has reserved for them. When they return, a fully charged vehicle awaits. The robotic charging stations provide a variety of benefits for car park owners, including sizeable advertising space on two sides of the robot and the elimination of the need to dedicate significant amounts of space to permanent charging stations.  

By offering EV charging-as-a-service, airports and other large commercial spaces provide customers with a safer, smoother experience. Car owners don’t have to waste time and battery power searching for an available charging centre, and frequent flyers don’t have to worry about returning to an uncharged car battery.  

Other innovations in Springwise’s archive that are helping upgrade the global EV charging network include a platform that tracks electricity prices for the most cost-effective charge and an artificial-intelligence-powered (AI) app that charges connected vehicles when the price is best.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

A jellyfish-like robot could clean the oceans
CategoriesSustainable News

A jellyfish-like robot could clean the oceans

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted: Ocean waste has become a serious problem. The ocean is filled with an estimated 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris, equating to 46,000 pieces per square mile. To hopefully rid the waters of this problem, roboticists at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart (MPI-IS) have developed an underwater robot inspired by jellyfish to collect waste from the bottom of the ocean. 

Other scientists have thought to combat ocean waste using robots, but existing underwater devices tend to be inconveniently bulky and rigid, which means they cannot explore complex environments. Often, they are also noisy because of their electrical motors or hydraulic pumps. 

Instead, the MPI-IS team took inspiration from the ocean and created the ‘Jellyfish-Bot’ – a versatile, energy-efficient, virtually noise-free robot that is just the size of a hand. It can also operate alone or with several others in combination. In the Jellyfish-Bot, the team decided to mimic a jellyfish’s ability to swim upwards and trap objects along its path. This function helps the robot collect waste particles that can then be transported to the surface, where they can be recycled. The robot is even able to collect fragile biological samples like fish eggs. 

Video source MPI for Intelligent Systems

Compared to similar inventions, the Jellyfish-Bot works faster – up to 6.1 centimetres per second, and only requires a low power input of around 100 megawatts. Crucially, if the robot breaks or is torn apart in the water, the polymer material is safe for both humans and fish. 

The team is currently working on making the Jellyfish-Bot completely wireless, and has already incorporated the necessary parts to enable wireless manipulation.  

The Jellyfish-Bot is not the only robot tackling ocean waste. Springwise has also spotted the SeaClear system, which uses a combination of robotics and machine learning to locate and remove marine debris.

Written By: Anam Alam

Reference

A solar-powered weed-seeking robot – Springwise
CategoriesSustainable News

A solar-powered weed-seeking robot – Springwise

By Zarkon Group,

Spotted:  Pesticides are widely used in agriculture in order to protect crops from pests and diseases. However, even at levels deemed safe by regulators, pesticides can have a negative impact on the environment. Studies have shown that pesticides can cause a loss of biodiversity, including reduced numbers of beneficial insects, as well as birds, and amphibians. In addition, pesticides can contaminate soil and water, and may also pose a risk to human health. As a result, there is an increasing focus on finding ways to reduce the use of pesticides in agriculture. One promising approach is the use of robotics, as they can be used to target pests more accurately, which in turn reduces the amount of pesticide required. Among the companies working on this is Solinftec, a company that recently developed a robot that can provide autonomous and sustainable spot-spray applications on growers’ fields.  

Solinftec partnered with McKinney Corporation to introduce the new Solix Sprayer robot. This technology has the potential to help producers reduce chemical inputs and deliver a lower carbon footprint. In addition, the robot provides reports on crop populations, weed densities, disease and insect identification, nutrient deficiency identification as well as other layers of data maps for analysis. And best of all, all of this activity is powered by four solar panels.

“Weed detection is a leading issue in fields across the North America and the Solix Sprayer is designed to not only monitor and scan fields like the original scouting version, but detect and manage weeds with technology which allows the device to spot-spray into the plant instead of from above, eliminating drift and soil compaction caused by larger machines and help lower environmental impact,” explains Leonardo Carvalho, Solinftec’s director of operations.

Solix is currently piloting the robot in North America in partnership with the agricultural co-operative GROWMARK and Purdue University in the US, and Stone Farms and University of Saskatchewan in Canada. The technology is simulated to become commercially available to the entire agricultural market in 2023.

As the world population continues to grow, it is essential that we find ways to sustainably increase food production. Other similar innovations spotted by Springwise include a new way to produce sustainable fertiliser on site and a biohacking method that protects crops against fungal attack. 

Written By: Katrina Lane

Reference