Design and simulation of an integrated end-effector for picking kiwifruit by robot
The harvesting of fresh kiwifruit is a labor-intensive operation that accounts for more than 25% of annual production costs. Mechanized harvesting technologies are thus being developed to reduce labor requirements for harvesting kiwifruit. To improve the efficiency of a harvesting robot for picking...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Information Processing in Agriculture |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214317318304372 |
| _version_ | 1797766265102663680 |
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| author | Longtao Mu Gongpei Cui Yadong Liu Yongjie Cui Longsheng Fu Yoshinori Gejima |
| author_facet | Longtao Mu Gongpei Cui Yadong Liu Yongjie Cui Longsheng Fu Yoshinori Gejima |
| author_sort | Longtao Mu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The harvesting of fresh kiwifruit is a labor-intensive operation that accounts for more than 25% of annual production costs. Mechanized harvesting technologies are thus being developed to reduce labor requirements for harvesting kiwifruit. To improve the efficiency of a harvesting robot for picking kiwifruit, we designed an end-effector, which we report herein along with the results of tests to verify its operation. By using the established method of automated picking discussed in the literature and which is based on the characteristics of kiwifruit, we propose an automated method to pick kiwifruit that consists of separating the fruit from its stem on the tree. This method is experimentally verified by using it to pick clustered kiwifruit in a scaffolding canopy cultivation. In the experiment, the end-effector approaches a fruit from below and then envelops and grabs it with two bionic fingers. The fingers are then bent to separate the fruit from its stem. The grabbing, picking, and unloading processes are integrated, with automated picking and unloading performed using a connecting rod linkage following a trajectory model. The trajectory was analyzed and validated by using a simulation implemented in the software Automatic Dynamic Analysis of Mechanical Systems (ADAMS). In addition, a prototype of an end-effector was constructed, and its bionic fingers were equipped with fiber sensors to detect the best position for grabbing the kiwifruit and pressure sensors to ensure that the damage threshold was respected while picking. Tolerances for size and shape were incorporated by following a trajectory groove from grabbing and picking to unloading. The end-effector separates clustered kiwifruit and automatically grabs individual fruits. It takes on average 4–5 s to pick a single fruit, with a successful picking rate of 94.2% in an orchard test featuring 240 samples. This study shows the grabbing–picking–unloading robotic end-effector has significant potential to facilitate the harvesting of kiwifruit. Keywords: Kiwifruit, End-effector, Harvesting robot, Trajectory model, Simulation analysis |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T20:21:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c351c31a6a9d42e589b4956e7a268276 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2214-3173 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T20:21:48Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Information Processing in Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-c351c31a6a9d42e589b4956e7a2682762023-08-02T00:51:42ZengElsevierInformation Processing in Agriculture2214-31732020-03-01715871Design and simulation of an integrated end-effector for picking kiwifruit by robotLongtao Mu0Gongpei Cui1Yadong Liu2Yongjie Cui3Longsheng Fu4Yoshinori Gejima5College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaChina Aviation Lithium Battery Research Institute Co., Ltd, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213200, ChinaCollege of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Internet of Things, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural Information Perception and Intelligent Service, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Correspondence author at: College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Xinong Road, 22, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China.College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Internet of Things, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural Information Perception and Intelligent Service, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaFaculty of Agriculture, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki 8892192, JapanThe harvesting of fresh kiwifruit is a labor-intensive operation that accounts for more than 25% of annual production costs. Mechanized harvesting technologies are thus being developed to reduce labor requirements for harvesting kiwifruit. To improve the efficiency of a harvesting robot for picking kiwifruit, we designed an end-effector, which we report herein along with the results of tests to verify its operation. By using the established method of automated picking discussed in the literature and which is based on the characteristics of kiwifruit, we propose an automated method to pick kiwifruit that consists of separating the fruit from its stem on the tree. This method is experimentally verified by using it to pick clustered kiwifruit in a scaffolding canopy cultivation. In the experiment, the end-effector approaches a fruit from below and then envelops and grabs it with two bionic fingers. The fingers are then bent to separate the fruit from its stem. The grabbing, picking, and unloading processes are integrated, with automated picking and unloading performed using a connecting rod linkage following a trajectory model. The trajectory was analyzed and validated by using a simulation implemented in the software Automatic Dynamic Analysis of Mechanical Systems (ADAMS). In addition, a prototype of an end-effector was constructed, and its bionic fingers were equipped with fiber sensors to detect the best position for grabbing the kiwifruit and pressure sensors to ensure that the damage threshold was respected while picking. Tolerances for size and shape were incorporated by following a trajectory groove from grabbing and picking to unloading. The end-effector separates clustered kiwifruit and automatically grabs individual fruits. It takes on average 4–5 s to pick a single fruit, with a successful picking rate of 94.2% in an orchard test featuring 240 samples. This study shows the grabbing–picking–unloading robotic end-effector has significant potential to facilitate the harvesting of kiwifruit. Keywords: Kiwifruit, End-effector, Harvesting robot, Trajectory model, Simulation analysishttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214317318304372 |
| spellingShingle | Longtao Mu Gongpei Cui Yadong Liu Yongjie Cui Longsheng Fu Yoshinori Gejima Design and simulation of an integrated end-effector for picking kiwifruit by robot Information Processing in Agriculture |
| title | Design and simulation of an integrated end-effector for picking kiwifruit by robot |
| title_full | Design and simulation of an integrated end-effector for picking kiwifruit by robot |
| title_fullStr | Design and simulation of an integrated end-effector for picking kiwifruit by robot |
| title_full_unstemmed | Design and simulation of an integrated end-effector for picking kiwifruit by robot |
| title_short | Design and simulation of an integrated end-effector for picking kiwifruit by robot |
| title_sort | design and simulation of an integrated end effector for picking kiwifruit by robot |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214317318304372 |
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