Authors: Christian Lenz, Rohit Menon, Michael Schreiber, Melvin Paul Jacob, Sven Behnke, Maren Bennewitz

Published on: March 22, 2024

Impact Score: 7.8

Arxiv code: Arxiv:2403.15306

Summary

• What is new: Introduces HortiBot, a novel three-armed robotic system designed for automating horticultural tasks like pruning and selective harvesting in greenhouse environments.
• Why this is important: Horticultural tasks are labor-intensive, and skilled workers are scarce. The variability and delicacy of greenhouse environments add complexity to task automation.
• What the research proposes: The HortiBot system utilizes a three-armed approach, including two for manipulation (grasping and cutting) and one for active perception with stereo cameras, equipped with a system that can detect peppers and their stems in real-time and perform tasks with high precision.
• Results: In lab experiments, HortiBot demonstrated high success rates in selective harvesting tasks, thanks to its integrated perception and manipulation capabilities.

Technical Details

Technological frameworks used: Online data association framework for real-time world modeling, collision-aware trajectory generation for safe manipulation.

Models used: Use of stereo cameras for active perception, end-effector force torque sensing for compliant manipulation.

Data used: Real-time environmental and plant structure data collected via stereo cameras.

Potential Impact

Agricultural technology firms, indoor farming startups, companies specializing in greenhouse automation and robotics.

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