Posted on 09/30/2013 12:53:07 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
A robot that picks ripe strawberries while farmers sleep has been unveiled with claims it could cut workloads by two-thirds.
The device, unveiled Wednesday, can pick a piece of fruit every eight seconds by using three cameras to determine which strawberries are ready to pick. A mechanized arm then darts out to snip each one free and place it into its basket.
The 2-meter robot moves on rails between rows of strawberries, which in Japan are usually grown in elevated greenhouse planters.
It calculates the degree of ripeness from the color of the strawberry, which it observes with two digital cameras, said Mitsutaka Kurita, an official at Shibuya Seiki, the developer of the machine.
It also uses the images from the two cameras to calculate the distance from the target, then approaches the strawberry it is aiming at, he said.
A third camera takes a detailed photo of the fruit, which it uses for the final calculation before moving in to snip it.
(Excerpt) Read more at japantimes.co.jp ...
“Tomatoes are next!!!!!”
Please cotton next!!! Haven’t had to do it in ages but as a kid I picked cotten. Those bowls will cut up your fingers and them dang sacks were heavy!!!
George Martin, their music producer at that time, should always be given his just due. Were it not for George putting up with John’s multiple versions of this song and deciding on his own how to orchestrate before John heard the finished product, we would never have this gem. Paul’s song ‘A Long And Winding Road’ was the same. Spector (pre-murder conviction) decided to spruce it up with heave cellos and swirling choirs. Paul hated it at first, but grew to like it, as the popular version. I think George Martin still lives in foggy old England. The opening trumpets in “All You Need Is Love” Georges’ idea, so I have heard.
Apart from the fact that increasing tariffs increases the price of domestic products (that’s their object, after all), and domestic products that use foreign inputs, you have a point. I think.
This technology was in use back in the late 70s. I went inside a rice storage facility and they had the machine that “realizes” the broken or wrong colored rice and a fan blows it out. It is being used everywhere today. It’s amazing what man has built.
And by the way, this strawberry pickin’ machine is racist and so is the guy who invented it, the manufacturer who made it and the farmer who uses it.
For the record, I have no problem with robots picking my strawberries. If it makes our strawberry industry more competitive, even better. I’m just wary of Luddites.
Exactly! We could put a tariff on foreign oil, raise the price to $200/bbl, wouldn't make the slightest change in domestic oil prices. Right?
I’m agreeing with you in advance of the Luddite onslaught with < / sarc > not required.
Johnny 5 is ready!
I don’t see that thing rolling around in the dirt. Just picking in a lab or someplace. Good luck with that.
Domo arigato fieldhands roboto,
Domo arigato fieldhands roboto!
Until Skynet activates and they pick our joojoobs.
That looks like a set up for hydroponics, I wonder how well it would work traveling narrow rows between plants and picking berries at ground level.
/johnny
Ok, show me the study.
Someone’s knocking at the door.
“Going to put the illegals out of business...”
No, illegals are here to vote for Democrats instead of working! Don’t let them fool you.
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