Automated Harvesting
Application



Early color segmentation work to determine the "cut line"

The Problem
Farmers struggle constantly to keep costs down and productivity up. Mechanical harvesters and many other agricultural machines require expert drivers to work effectively. Labor costs and operator fatigue, however, increase expenses and limit the productivity of these machines.

The Solution
In partnership with project sponsors NASA and New Holland, Inc., NREC built the a robotic harvester, which harvests crops to an accuracy of 10cm by using a combination of a software-based teach/playback system and GPS-based satellite positioning techniques. Capable of operating day and night, the robot can harvest crops consistently at speeds and quality exceeding what a human operator can maintain.

Tangible results from extensive field tests conducted in El Centro, California demonstrated that an automated harvester would increase efficiency; reduce cost and produce better crop yield with less effort.