Automation and robotics in the cultivation of pome fruit: Where do we stand today?

• Published in: Journal of field robotics Vol. 38; no. 4; pp. 513 - 531
• Main Authors: Verbiest, Rafaël, Ruysen, Kris, Vanwalleghem, Tanja, Demeester, Eric, Kellens, Karel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2021
• Subjects: agriculture; Apples; automated cultivation; Automation; Cultivation; Fruits; Labor; mobile manipulation; orchard tasks; Orchards; Pears; pome fruit; Profitability; Robotics; Robots; Spraying

The cultivation of apples and pears in orchards consists of several tasks that still demand much human labor. The cost of this skilled labor increases while the number of competent seasonal workers becomes insufficient. These facts are a threat to the fruit industry. To find a solution, this paper a...