Autonomous affordable robot for tomato harvesting in passive environments

Projektinformationen

AUTOMATO

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 878114

DOI

10.3030/878114

Projekt abgeschlossen

EK-Unterschriftsdatum 31 Juli 2019

Startdatum 1 August 2019

Enddatum 30 November 2019

Finanziert unter

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Gesamtkosten

€ 71 429,00

EU-Beitrag

€ 50 000,00

Koordiniert durch

AUTOMATO AGRICULTURAL ROBOTICS LTD
Israel

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AUTOMATO (Autonomous affordable robot for tomato harvesting in passive environments)

Berichtszeitraum: 2019-08-01 bis 2019-11-30

Zusammenfassung vom Kontext und den Gesamtzielen des Projekts

AUTOMATO Project seeks to solve the international agricultural employment crisis by developing autonomous, efficient and affordable robots for every greenhouse. AUTOMATO Robotics’ main focus is on single tomatoes, grown in soil greenhouses/high-tunnels- passive (harsh & complex) environments. The robot autonomously manoeuvres in the greenhouse, detects ripe tomatoes and harvests them. The core innovation in this harvesting robot is our proprietary ground-breaking detection & navigation algorithms for harvesting tomatoes in harsh environments and detect tomato plant pests and diseases. The objective of this SME Instrument Phase 1 project is to study the technical, commercial and financial feasibility of this innovation to minimize risks.

Arbeit, die ab Beginn des Projekts bis zum Ende des durch den Bericht erfassten Berichtszeitraums geleistet wurde, und die wichtigsten bis dahin erzielten Ergebnisse

During this feasibility study we have established the roadmap to reach TRL 9. A technical and commercial risk analysis was conducted, and we established mitigation measures. We also conducted a survey of the regulatory landscape and certification requirements for commercialisation in the EU, Israel, USA, China and Japan and detailed it in a report. We conducted a Market assessment for the Tomato Harvest market through which we did a price benchmark study, competitor analysis, established the market drivers and barriers, establish our market share. We also refined our commercialisation strategy, surveyed the Intellectual Property landscape and ensured we have the Freedom to Operate. Through this study we also managed to establish the investments needs for the project, conducted a cost/benefit analysis for the AUTOMATO production and projected our financial growth.

Fortschritte, die über den aktuellen Stand der Technik hinausgehen und voraussichtliche potenzielle Auswirkungen (einschließlich der bis dato erzielten sozioökonomischen Auswirkungen und weiter gefassten gesellschaftlichen Auswirkungen des Projekts)

The few existing robotics solutions under development target active greenhouse environments (clean and prepared), which are only 10% of all tomato greenhouses. AUTOMATO is a ground breaking robotic solution set to revolutionize tomato harvest in passive environments (90% of all greenhouses). AUTOMATO will save farmers from bankruptcy following their inability to bring in reasonably priced workforce or hire workforce at all. Furthermore, it helps in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals for elimination of poverty, hunger, decent work and economic growth, sustainable cities and communities and partnerships for the goals.

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