Robots are coming into widespread usage in the horticultural industry, particularly for harvesting and (post-harvest) packaging. The main types of Robots are:

·       Harvesting robots can move independently along pipe-rails through the rows; and over the floor while changing aisles. Some robots can also function in outdoor fields on rubber tires.  These robots can “see” the crop and pick the vegetable or fruit with a ripeness that meets a preset requirement. Then it can “clip” the stem of the vegetable or fruit at a pre-set distance and “holding” it from the stem drop it into a container or shipping-box, without ever touching it. Storage boxes can be stacked on a trailer that follows the robot and can be dropped off at the end of an aisle.

·       Packaging robots can sense the amount of crop to be packed depending on the size of the package. Then they can snip the exact amount of crop and calculate the precise quantity needed to pack it, delicately. There is a also a Shelf Life Indicator which can be used to eliminate undesirable product. This is because they have a dexterous hand equipped with patented unique “electronic skin”, that is capable of handling crop of various origins, colors and sizes. This “electronic skin”  has been independently tested and certified as food-safe and has a higher level of sensitivity than human skin, with more mechano-receptors per cm² than a human fingertip. This ensures that there is no bruising or damaged crop in the packaging process and shelf-life of robot packaged crop is the same as those packed by humans, if not better.

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